The role of influencers in the purchase decision making of skincare product and its effectiveness

Abstract

This thesis aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding the role of influencers in the purchase decision-making of skincare products in France. The theoretical part involves a comprehensive review of existing literature on influencer marketing and consumer behavior in the skincare industry. An empirical qualitative study was conducted, gathering insights from 7 consumers, an influencer agency, and 2 skincare companies. The research aims to fulfill three objectives. The first one is to provide a clearer definition of the influencer's role, missions, and responsibilities in shaping consumer decisions to purchase skincare products in the French market. The second one is to identify and understand consumer motives for purchasing skincare products in the French market and determine how influencers can impact these motivations. The third one is to investigate the challenges and limitations of using influencers to market skincare products, how influencer marketing is evolving, its future impact, and how skincare companies are adapting to maintain effective influencer strategies. The research finds that influencers shape consumer purchase decisions by building trust through perceived authenticity and credibility. They mainly drive awareness as purchase decision from influencers are difficult to track. Despite regulatory challenges and market saturation, enhancing creativity, selecting the right influencers, and building long-term partnership increase companies’ impact and sales.