From credibility to purchase: an S-O-R perspective on influencer marketing and social media participation in the online beauty market

Cosmetics and skincare products are among the product categories strongly influenced by social media. This study applies the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework to examine influencer credibility and social media participation as two external stimuli associated with consumer attitude and purchase intention in the online beauty market. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 300 Thai Generation Z consumers aged 18–24 who followed beauty influencers and had previously purchased cosmetics or skincare products online. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that influencer credibility and social media participation were positively associated with consumer attitude, which was positively associated with purchase intention. Both stimuli also had significant direct relationships with purchase intention and significant indirect relationships through consumer attitude, with influencer credibility showing the stronger overall relationship. This study extends the application of the S-O-R framework in the online beauty market by examining credibility- and participation-based stimuli together. It also identifies consumer attitude as a shared psychological mechanism linking both stimuli to purchase intention. The findings provide practical guidance for cosmetics and skincare businesses in selecting influencers, developing credible content, and designing strategies to encourage consumer participation on social media.