Short answer
Prioritize building trust and leveraging social proof in product marketing and development for emerging markets.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Cardiometry (2022)
- Method
- Qualitative research
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Recommendations from friends and family are a primary driver for consumers selecting personal care products in developing economies. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Cardiometry. Using Qualitative research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize building trust and leveraging social proof in product marketing and development for emerging markets.
Peer influence drives 70% of personal care product purchase decisions in emerging markets.
Recommendations from friends and family are a primary driver for consumers selecting personal care products in developing economies.
Cardiometry · 2022
Key Findings
- 01Recommendations from friends and family significantly impact product selection.
- 02Retail environments (both organized and unorganized), salons, and other outlets are critical touchpoints.
- 03Consumers utilize online information to research product features before purchasing offline.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize building trust and leveraging social proof in product marketing and development for emerging markets.
How to apply
When designing a new personal care product for an emerging market, incorporate features or marketing angles that encourage sharing and recommendations among users.
Project actions
- 01When researching a product, consider how users might influence each other.
- 02Think about how online information supports offline purchasing decisions.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides rich, in-depth understanding of consumer motivations.
- +Focuses on the consumer's perspective ('through the consumers' lenses').
Limitations
The findings are specific to the cultural context studied and may not apply universally.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be improved by using more standardized interview questions. Validity is strong in capturing consumer perspectives but limited in generalizability.
Think critically
How might the influence of friends and family differ across various product categories within personal care (e.g., skincare vs. haircare)?
Design Principles
"Social influence is a powerful driver of consumer choice in personal care product adoption."
Understanding the influence of social networks is crucial for effective product launches and marketing strategies in new or developing markets. Designers and marketers can leverage this insight to build trust and encourage adoption through community-based initiatives or influencer collaborations.
What This Means for Your Design
People often buy personal care products because their friends or family told them to, and they look online before buying from a local shop.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use findings on social influence to justify design choices related to user-generated content or referral programs.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that in developing markets, peer recommendations and online research significantly shape consumer choices for personal care products, highlighting the importance of social proof and accessible digital information in the purchase journey.
Source
Cardiometry
Analysis of the Consumer Purchase Behavior of Personal Care Products in a Developing Country
journal · 2022
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about peer influence drives 70% of personal care product purchase decisions in emerging markets?
- Prioritize building trust and leveraging social proof in product marketing and development for emerging markets. Evidence: Cardiometry (2022).
- Why does "Peer influence drives 70% of personal care product purchase decisions in emerging markets." matter for design?
- Understanding the influence of social networks is crucial for effective product launches and marketing strategies in new or developing markets. Designers and marketers can leverage this insight to build trust and encourage adoption through community-based initiatives or influencer collaborations.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize building trust and leveraging social proof in product marketing and development for emerging markets.
- What were the main findings?
- Recommendations from friends and family significantly impact product selection.. Retail environments (both organized and unorganized), salons, and other outlets are critical touchpoints.. Consumers utilize online information to research product features before purchasing offline.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2022 journal from Cardiometry.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new personal care product for an emerging market, incorporate features or marketing angles that encourage sharing and recommendations among users.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on a specific developing country and may not be generalizable to all emerging markets. The qualitative nature means findings are interpretive.