Title: Impact of influencer marketing on the purchase decision process of fashion products

Authors: Sara Patrício; Bráulio Alturas

Addresses: Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR-Iscte (University Institute of Lisbon), Av. Forças Armadas, 40, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal ' Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR-Iscte (University Institute of Lisbon), Av. Forças Armadas, 40, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract: Today, it is common for brands to adopt influencer marketing strategies; whereby digital influencers promote their products or services by sharing their recommendations on on-line social networks. The purpose of this research was to understand the impact of influencer marketing on the purchasing decision process of fashion consumers in Portugal. A literature review was carried out, which allowed research hypotheses to be established, and a survey was conducted with 137 participants. Once the data had been collected and duly organised, a quantitative analysis was carried out to test the hypotheses. Data analysis led to the conclusion that all stages of the fashion consumer's purchasing decision process are positively impacted by influencer marketing, except for the advocacy stage. It was concluded that consumers consider digital influencers to be a credible source of recommendation for fashion items - factors such as expertise, attractiveness, and trust contribute to their credibility.

Keywords: social media; digital influencer; online social networks; purchase decision process; influencer marketing; fashion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2026.155860

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2026 Vol.22 No.1, pp.1 - 17

Received: 10 Feb 2025
Accepted: 28 Jan 2026
Published online: 24 Aug 2026 *

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