THE IMPACT OF TIKTOK INFLUENCERS’ ATTRIBUTES ON CONSUMER PURCHASE INTENTION: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COSMETIC PRODUCTS IN SRI LANKA.

Abstract

TikTok influencers are increasingly focused on creating high-quality content to develop a significant fan base, thereby generating income. It appears that the TikTok platform is now heavily focused on marketing. Many cosmetic products are promoted by TikTok influencers.People influenced by TikTok influencers often make purchasing decisions based solely on their recommendations. The cosmetic products purchased through advertisements by TikTok influencers have mostly yielded negative or unsuccessful results for customers. That is, manyusers have not received the same benefits from buying those products, as TikTok influencers claim to get from cosmetic products. This was discovered through a pilot study conducted by the researchers. Thus, to address the problem of why consumers intend to purchase based solely on the influence of TikTok influencers, this investigation, titled “The Impact of TikTok Influencers' Attributes on Consumer Purchase Intention: With Special Reference to Cosmetic Products in Sri Lanka,” has been conducted. Employing a quantitative approach, this study falls under fundamental research. It seeks to contribute to the knowledge on consumer behavior, social media marketing, and the influence of influencers’ attributes on purchase decisions. This study explores the impact of TikTok influencers’ attributes such as credibility, expertise, likability, similarity, and familiarity on consumer purchase intention. The population of this study consists of approximately 7.5 million social media users in Sri Lanka, with a sample size of 384 participants. A significant proportion of each province was included in the sample using stratified random sampling. Data were collected via online surveys using Google Forms. Subsequent data analysis utilized SPSS software, offering a comprehensive examination of the relationships between identified independent variables and purchase intention for cosmetic products in Sri Lanka. The research found that TikTok influencers’ credibility, expertise, likability, similarity, and familiarity significantly impact consumer purchase intention. Notably, the researcher found that TikTok influencers' likability was the most significant variable affecting consumer purchase intention. This study offers recommendations for cosmetic brand owners, TikTok influencers, and consumers. To address the problem of unsuccessful results from cosmetic products purchased through TikTok influencers’ attributes, brands should focus on improving influencer selection and training. Brands should select influencers who are credible and have a genuine understanding of cosmetic products.