THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ON YOUNG CHINESE CONSUMERS’ COSMETICS PURCHASING DECISIONS

Nowadays, short videos and live broadcasts have broken through traditional video-sharing websites and cooperated with e-commerce platforms to interact with users in a more direct way of communication. Social media influencers have become central to marketing strategies, frequently serving as brand ambassadors. These influencers rise has led to give impact and shifts in business and communication perspective. The presence of their influence particularly in cosmetic industry has significant affect the purchasing decision of young consumers. Therefore, this study aims to explore the factors influencing young Chinese consumers' cosmetic purchasing decisions through social media influencers. This exploration used content analysis to investigate 22 live broadcasts featuring two Chinese influencers, Li Jiaqi and East Buy, across various social media platforms like TikTok and Taobao. By investigating comments on these two broadcasts live video, this study identifies factors influencing the purchasing decisions of young Chinese consumers. The findings suggest that four main factors impact these decisions include social media influencers' expertise, informative advertising, brand admiration, and social media interaction. This research contributes to a better understanding of the relationship and influence between social media influencers and consumers' purchasing decisions. Through this study, the government can further improve the relevant network broadcast policies to protect consumers' rights and interests.