Consumer purchase behavior study of cosmetic products in post-covid market

Abstract

Up until recently, the market was driven by increased disposable income of people, with a rising awareness towards body aesthetics and care. However, due to the Covid pandemic, where survival has been of essence, the focus of consumers had temporarily shifted to essential supplier buying. In this report, we study the purchase behavior of consumers as far as cosmetic products are concerned, which are not deemed to be in the essential supplies’ category. We conducted an online experiment study to understand the various factors that influence consumer behavior in cosmetics purchase in the post-Covid market vis-à-vis pre-Covid times and the type of cosmetic buying behavioral shifts that the pandemic has helped facilitate. It was found that not only was there a surge in online buying in contrast to offline buying; there was also increased traction of various online stores to buy cosmetic products. It was also found that Covid has increased trialability of new types of products focused on skin repair, rejuvenation in contrast to only outward appearance enhancing products; customers also believe that online stores have a greater variety of such products.