Eye Tracking as a Method of Neuromarketing for Attention Research—An Empirical Analysis Using the Online Appointment Booking Platform from Mercedes-Benz

Abstract: A good user experience can only be achieved by knowing and understanding users’ wishes, needs and cognitive abilities. The aim of this study is to find out how the user of the online appointment booking interacts with the interface as well as the visualizations. The focus is on the question of whether the new interface of online service appointment booking leads to their success and can attract their attention. In fact, our study’s aim is to check, whether the new and more expensive customer website is considered to be more user-friendly and helpful than the older and cheaper version. To answer this question, an empirical eye tracking study was conducted on the old and updated website of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz of Daimler AG. Through the eye tracking study, it is possible to record and analyze the viewing directions of subjects in order to get insights into the cognitive processes of the subjects. Therefore, 20 study participants were recruited. The observations of the subjects and evaluations of the eye tracking data have shown that there are still some shortcomings in the usability of the service appointment booking. Aspects such as the scanpaths and heatmaps could demonstrate the superiority of the old website.