Embracing New Love: Why Customers Are Loyal to Plant Extract-Based Skin-Care Cosmetics

Background: In recent years, increases in consumer awareness regarding health and the environment have enhanced their willingness to purchase plant extract-based skin-care products. Although the skin-care product industry has paid increasing attention to consumer behavior in recent years, few studies have investigated customer loyalty to this type of product; in-depth research is urgently required to fill this gap.

Aims: This study investigated Taiwanese skin-care products derived from plant extracts by identifying the relationships between consumer prior experience, involvement, perceived value, and loyalty. It also examined how demographic characteristics influence consumer loyalty.

Patients/methods: An online survey yielded 920 valid samples for statistical analysis. Three constructs of involvement, namely product, message, and situational involvement; three constructs of perceived value, namely functional, emotional, and social value; and three constructs of consumer loyalty, namely repurchase intention, willingness to receive information, and willingness to pay, were identified through factor analysis.

Results: The respondents' perceived value significantly influenced their loyalty toward Taiwanese plant-extract-based skin-care products. The factor with the strongest effect on repurchase intention was emotional value, followed by functional value, product involvement, and social value. The factor with the strongest influence on willingness to receive information and willingness to pay was functional value, followed by product involvement, situational involvement, and emotional value.

Conclusions: Respondents with higher educational levels were less likely to repurchase and less willing to receive information on plant extract-based skin-care products. Moreover, men were more willing to pay price premiums for these products than were women.