Tobii, InContext Partner to Add Eye Tracking to Virtual Shopper Research

CHICAGO & STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tobii Technology, the global leader in eye-tracking research solutions and gaze interaction, today announced its partnership with InContext Solutions, an award-winning technology-based insight services firm specializing in 3D virtual simulations. Tobii will provide its world-class eye-tracking solutions to enhance InContext’s 3D virtual research offering.

“Our virtual simulations allow brands and retailers to conduct research that is cost-effective, timely and non-disruptive, but most important, the research yields key insights into how their customers think and behave”

“Our virtual simulations allow brands and retailers to conduct research that is cost-effective, timely and non-disruptive, but most important, the research yields key insights into how their customers think and behave,” said Mary Shea, chief commercial officer at InContext Solutions. “With Tobii’s world-class eye-tracking services, we are now able to provide our clients with deeper data, taking them into the mind of the shopper and, ultimately, helping them determine what drives purchase decisions at the shelf.”

Through its unique technology platform, InContext Solutions harnesses the power of immersive 3D product and store simulations to provide value to clients through all phases of the concept life cycle — ideation, development, testing and commercialization. As a research tool, 3D shopping environments, distributed to participants via the Web or at a central location, provide decision-makers with a fast and cost-effective method to investigate and measure a multitude of traditional shopping variables, including basket size, conversion, product and shelf interaction, traffic patterns and time spent in store.

Through the addition of Tobii eye-tracking research services to InContext’s immersive virtual shopper studies, it is now possible to see what a consumer looked at specifically on a shelf or package, providing insight into the subconscious and habitual behavior that a consumer engages in while making a purchasing decision. From here, researchers can evaluate the quality of these gaze actions through the length and frequency of views as well as visual comparisons made by the consumer, providing manufacturers and brands with deeper understanding and actionable insights into shopper motivation and product engagement at the shelf.

“Prior to the inclusion of eye tracking within research studies — both virtual and in-store — the researcher had to infer where the respondent looked based on direct observation or through post-study surveys, which are notoriously incorrect,” said Barbara Barclay, general manager of Tobii North America. “With the addition of our robust eye-tracking technology, a researcher can now understand precisely what the respondent looked at just prior to taking a desired action, helping define product visibility and offering a way to standardize and benchmark product consideration in similar categories. Because eye tracking links behavior directly to what is seen, brands can make changes to package design and facings to improve desired actions with shoppers and achieve better sales outcomes.”

InContext Solutions will showcase its eye-tracking-enabled research offering in Booth 626 at the Shopper Marketing Expo in Chicago on Oct. 16-18.

Additional Resources

Video: Watch demo retail simulations with Tobii gaze data replay and bee swarm replay.

Photo: Download heat map and gaze plot visualizations.

Learn more about InContext Solutions’ 3D Retail Simulations and Tobii’s eye-tracking solutions and high-end eye-tracking research services.

About Tobii Technology

Tobii Technology is the global market leader in eye-tracking research solutions and eye control. The company’s products and services are widely used within the scientific community and in commercial market research and usability studies, as well as by people with disabilities as a means to communicate. Tobii also drives innovation of eye-tracking technology in many other areas, offering OEM components for integration into various industry applications, such as for use in hospitals, engineering, sports and entertainment. Founded in 2001, the company has received numerous awards for its technology innovations and its rapid financial growth. Tobii is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and has offices in the U.S., Germany, Norway, Japan and China. More information: www.tobii.com

About InContext Solutions

InContext Solutions is an award winning technology-based insights services firm that leverages 3D virtual environments to add value at every stage of the concept development cycle. Its collaborative software tools and research capabilities enable the world’s best known consumer brands to acquire highly accurate, timely and cost-effective behavioral and attitudinal insights into shopper behavior, and to more effectively collaborate and drive consensus around key decisions.