The Impact of Brand Loyalty, Brand Awareness, and Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention: A Study of SK-II Consumers in Taiwan

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on consumer behavior and market trends within Indonesia’s cosmetics industry. This study explores how brand loyalty, brand awareness, and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) shape consumer purchase intention for SK-II skincare products in Taiwan. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, this research employs purposive sampling to gather data from 203 SK-II customers through an online survey. To analyze the collected data, the study applies the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method, providing insights into the relationships between key variables and their influence on consumer decision-making. The results indicate that all three factors brand loyalty, brand awareness, and eWOM positively and significantly impact purchase intention. Notably, eWOM exhibited the strongest effect, highlighting the crucial role of online reviews and peer recommendations in shaping consumer decisions in the digital era. The findings suggest that SK-I should enhance customer loyalty programs to increase brand visibility through effective marketing strategies, and actively engage in managing online consumer discussions to leverage the power of eWOM. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the factors influencing purchase intention in the Indonesian cosmetics market. It offers practical insights for SK-Il and similar brands to refine their marketing strategies, improve customer engagement, and strengthen their competitive position in a rapidly evolving market landscape.