Influence of Social Media Marketing on Cultural Values and Purchase Intention among GenZ in Nepal: The Moderating Role of Cultural Sensitivity

Abstract

This study investigates how social media marketing factors shape cultural values and purchase intention toward Korean skincare (K-beauty) products among Gen Z consumers in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, with cultural sensitivity examined as a moderating variable. This study collected primary data from 194 valid respondents via structured online questionnaires. Multiple linear regression, simple linear regression, and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using SPSS to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that social media credibility, influencer trustworthiness, and perceived cultural representation significantly and positively influence cultural values, with cultural values in turn strongly predicting purchase intention. Cultural sensitivity was found to moderate only the relationship between influencer trustworthiness and cultural values, while the remaining social media factors showed no significant moderation effect.