Which factors are relevant to the time a consumer spends looking at a product on the shelf prior to selection? The article "Effects of Base Price Upon Search Behavior of Consumers in a Supermarket" (J. Econ. Psycho., 2003: 637-652) reported the following data on elapsed time (sec) for fabric softener purchasers and washing-up liquid purchasers; the former product is significantly more expensive than the latter. These products were chosen because they are similar with respect to allocated shelf space and number of alternative brands.

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