Abstract:
The growing exposure to social media has led to increasing consumer
interest in fast moving consumer products, particularly beauty cultural
products. Despite the growing body of research on Impulse Buying Behavior,
significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly in the context of Cosmetic
industry. Existing studies predominantly focus on developed countries,
leaving a gap in understanding the impact of social media marketing on
impulse buying behavior in developing economies like Sri Lanka. Thus, the
study examines the impact of social media marketing on impulse buying
behavior of Sri Lankan consumers, with a particular focus on Impulse Buying
Intention as the mediator. A quantitative research approach was employed,
utilizing a structured survey questionnaire distributed among 200
respondents in Sri Lanka. The data were analyzed using Partial Least
Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships
between variables. The findings of this study indicate that Social Media
Advertising significantly influences impulse buying by increasing brand
awareness, building relationships with consumers, and nurturing their
emotional connections to the product. Social Media Community also plays a
critical role in shaping impulse purchases, as consumers rely on peer
recommendations, opinions, and interactions. Accordingly, the effects of
social media advertising and social media community variables have a
positive effect on impulse buying intention and impulse buying behavior. The
practical ramifications of these findings are significant for marketers and
merchants operating in Sri Lanka's cosmetics industry. Social media
marketers can increase customer visibility by connecting social influence,
including word-of-mouth, sponsorships, influencer endorsements, and peer based ground support
