Perspective of Social Media in the Influence of Decisions to Purahase Beauty Products in Fortalesa (Brazil).

Purpose: The cosmetics industry, driven by changes in consumer behavior, is constantly evolving to provide consumers with access to quality, innovative, safe, and sustainable products. (de Souza et al., 2023; Hassan et al., 2021). According to the Brazilian Association of the Toiletries, Perfumery, and Cosmetics Industry, Brazil is the fourth country in the world ranking in the consumer market with an estimated value of 26.9 billion dollars. According to data from 2022, there was growth in the categories of children's products, solar products, oral hygiene, hair care, bath products, and makeup (ABIHPEC, 2023). The fierce competition in the cosmetics industry makes it necessary to implement marketing strategies to compete and win. Therefore, the marketing communication strategy through social networks implemented by brands allows for new practices and interaction with the public and the adoption of new forms of communication (Paço & Oliveira, 2017; Widianingrum et al., 2021). With the advent of social media, they became a direct channel between cosmetics brands and the target, emerging as the driving force for companies to promote themselves and connect with the consumer. (de Souza et al., 2023). Currently, consumers are more sensitive to what they consume and seek information before purchasing, so acquiring information in a more accessible way will facilitate their decision-making. Social media becomes a facilitator of information for consumers to make their decisions. Consumers can easily obtain detailed information about a product before making purchasing decisions (Alam et al., 2023). Social media consists of a platform intended for multiple purposes (e.g. entertainment, education, gathering information or news, reaching large audiences) and can be accessed by anyone who has the Internet. There are different types of social media e.g. social review websites, social networking websites, image-sharing websites, discussion websites, video submission websites, and community blogs (Talreja & Chaturvedi, 2023). Social media is currently considered the best media for establishing a communication strategy, being a great opportunity for cosmetics companies to place products without having to pay a large fee for advertising (Rosara & Luthfia, 2020). According to Statista (2024), the cosmetics industry is expected to generate revenue worth almost US$129 billion by 2028. Thanks to the popularity of social media channels (e.g. Instagram, YouTube), the cosmetics industry has become relevant. This type of media creates a demand for beauty products and helps bridge the gap between the company and the consumer. In context, the study also highlights that social networks are more than influencers who talk to their audience while trying out or promoting cosmetics. With social commerce, you can buy beauty items directly on social media apps (e.g. TikTok). Ringim and Reni (2019) in their study they found that social networks have a significant positive mediating effect on consumer behavior and intention to purchase cosmetic products. Social media marketing activities influence users' perception of the brand, value, and value of relationships with cosmetics brands (Binwani & Ho, 2019). One of the communication forms with the greatest impact on social media is influencers and e-WOM (electronic word-of-mouth). Indriana et al. (2022) found that e-WOM and celebrity endorsement have positive and significant effects on brand image and purchase intention of cosmetic products. Rizomyliotis et al. (2024) alludes that Generation Z consumers are influenced by social media influencers to buy cosmetic products. Influencers play a crucial role in the beauty industry, using their makeup skills to work with cosmetic brands, and receiving remuneration by increasing brand awareness among social media audiences (Hassan et al., 2021). Therefore, this research aims to understand the aspects of social media in the behavior of beauty product consumers in the purchasing process. Methodology This article takes a quantitative approach, using a structured questionnaire about the process of buying beauty products online. The questionnaire was made available on the Google Forms platform and was applied in Fortaleza (Brazil), which is the fifth largest city in Brazil and its metropolitan region is considered one of Brazil's main urban centres. The study subjects were Brazilian consumers (N=221) aged 18 who use social media tools. The social media studied were social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, Pinterest), apps and online shops. The data was collected between September and October 2020. The ‘shopping process’ and ‘beauty products’ constructs were measured using a 5-point Likert scale, from ‘very often’ (1) to ‘never’ (5). The data collected was statistically analysed using multivariate analysis. Results: The main results are that consumers are very influenced by social media, especially the Instagram platform. Despite using a lot of technology, as corroborated by the literature, there is still some insecurity when it comes to buying from online shops, which may be related to payment security issues, but at the same time, there is an increase in online shopping. The study also reveals that digital advertising has less influence on consumers' purchasing decisions than social media. Virtual consumers show a certain interactivity with the brand and are keen to repeat the shopping experience, placing exceptional value on delivery times and purchase specifications. Although the city in which the study was carried out is one of the largest and most cosmopolitan in Brazil, the results obtained cannot be generalised to the population as a whole, This study suggests that cosmetics companies should invest more in social networks than in digital advertising. As for their online shops, they should take special care with the security of the payment methods they offer, reduce delivery times, and detail the specifications of their products. Originality: This study highlights the importance of using social media to promote cosmetics products and brands, as well as to increase their online consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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