From watching make-up video tutorials to purchasing online beauty items, most Indian beauty consumers rely heavily on digital and social media channels, Google, Kantar, and WPP said in a joint report on Tuesday. This trend is being pushed forward by the millennial population, increased internet penetration, and increasing per capita consumption.
According to the results, the current pandemic with rising consumption of do-it-yourself (DIY) content and increased online sales of beauty products has further exacerbated this shift in consumer conduct. As per market research company Euromonitor, the Indian beauty industry, which currently stands at Rs. 73,000 crores, is projected to cross Rs. 1.11 trillion in the next four years.
The Connected Beauty Market Study reports that beauty customers are online for tips, ideas, and inspiration, with digital media affecting 9 out of 10 of them. In terms of visibility, a consumer’s path moves from TV to digital avenues, with 33 percent of beauty consumers communicating online every day, 50 percent every week, and 93 percent every month. In India, buying beauty products has also become a video-centric company with YouTube emerging as a beauty consultant and searching as a forum for exploration. 81 percent of surveyed customers are engaged on YouTube with beauty makers and 26 percent have bought a beauty product as a result of viewing a beauty video on YouTube.
The study found that more than 50 percent of beauty users use social media and online videos, and 40 percent of customers use to research online. For comparison and consideration, 56 percent of customers use YouTube, while 30 percent make their final decision through a combination of YouTube, Google search, and e-commerce websites.
In India, consumers of Tier I and Tier II cities are rapidly catching up with their metro peers when it comes to buying personal care goods. With digital touchpoints at 83 percent and metros at 81 percent, Tier I cities show similar levels of interaction. Price comparison and buy conversions, however, stand at almost a split of 50 percent. The research also found that gender division is a fallacy, with men and women showing equal interest each month and purchasing an average of three beauty items.
The survey was conducted across skincare, make-up, and hair care groups on 1,740 customers aged between 18 and 45 years in NCCS A and B.
The study indicated that two-thirds of the total surveyed customers acknowledged that they were not loyal to one brand. Brands with easy-to-find digital details are much more likely to make it to the shortlist of consumers. Video content should be leveraged by brands and strengthened by a good-quality website. In the future, beauty brands need to use technologies such as virtual reality ( VR) to replicate offline experiences such as digital lipstick testing.
The survey found that consumers are increasingly open to engaging with emerging technology, with 67 percent of beauty customers interested in virtual reality (64 percent inclined to augmented reality and 69 percent interested in using voice assistants). New technologies will help brands fulfil the needs of shoppers and provide a better user experience.
