Why online interaction is essential for beauty buys
Never has the influence of online media being so powerful in the beauty industry, as a new survey shows that four in ten (37%) British people are interacting with beauty and personal care brands online, according to the latest research from Mintel. That's more than 15 million online consumers, which proves that the internet is essential to the way beauty brands interact with their customers.
The report showed that Brits are increasingly using the internet to look for beauty products before they purchase with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter helping to sway purchasing decisions on beauty products for 34% of would-be buyers.
Almost three quarters (74%) of UK people have used Facebook as a platform to contact or express an opinion on a beauty brand. With nearly two thirds (65%) “liking” or becoming a fan of the beauty brand’s page once they have contacted them.
Alexandra Richmond, Senior Social Media and Lifestyles Analyst at Mintel, said: “People use social media to share what they think with many people…this illustrates the strength of word of mouth and the internet plays a key role in enabling people to influence other people’s purchases whilst at the same time providing brands with valuable feedback.”
Britain’s voucher culture is also playing a part in online behaviour, with 33% of UK internet users who interacted with beauty brands in the 12 months to January 2012 did so to take advantage of special offers. The research also showed that women are more likely than men to prove their loyalty online. Nearly three in ten women track news about beauty brands and their products online, compared to fewer than one in four men.
