FROM SCROLLING TO PURCHASING: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON THE PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR OF SKINCARE PRODUCTS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Social media has become a channel for skincare discovery, yet online engagement does not always translate into purchasing, particularly where consumers question authenticity and quality. Guided by the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework, this study investigates how Visual Appeal, Information Quality, and Influencer Credibility influence skincare purchase behavior among young adults in Lahore, Pakistan, testing Brand Trust as a mediator. A cross-sectional survey used 20 five-point Likert items and purposive sampling. Of 400 responses collected, 394 valid responses (98.5%) were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4, with 5,000 bootstrap subsamples. The model met validity criteria, with composite reliability values of 0.806–0.866 and average variance extracted values of 0.510–0.618. The model explained 54.3% of the variance in Brand Trust and 50.4% in Purchase Behavior, with predictive relevance (Q²predict = 0.458).

All three social media marketing dimensions significantly predicted Brand Trust: Information Quality (β = 0.301), Visual Appeal (β = 0.297), and Influencer Credibility (β = 0.253; all p < .001). Visual Appeal (β = 0.319, p < .001), Influencer Credibility (β = 0.131, p = .028), and Brand Trust (β = 0.271, p < .001) had significant direct effects on Purchase Behavior, whereas the direct effect of Information Quality was not significant (β = 0.108, p = .064). Brand Trust significantly mediated all three relationships, with indirect effects for Visual Appeal (β = 0.080, p < .001), Information Quality (β = 0.082, p = .002), and Influencer Credibility (β = 0.068, p = .005). The findings indicate complementary mediation for Visual Appeal and Influencer Credibility, and indirect-only mediation for Information Quality. Thus, product information appears to influence purchasing when supported by brand trust, while visual content has the strongest direct association with purchase behavior. It extends S–O–R research to Pakistan’s skincare market and suggests that brands combine attractive content, credible endorsements, transparent information, and trust-building practices. Cross-sectional, purposive sampling in Lahore limits causal inference and wider generalization.