The Impact of Social Media on Consumer Behaviour: Lululemon

Heyi Chen

School of Business, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

Keywords: Social Media, Consumer Behaviour, Lululemon, Brand Communication.

Abstract: In today's highly connected world, social media platforms have become an integral part of people's daily lives.

It has profoundly changed the way consumers obtain information, form preferences and make purchasing

decisions. This study aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the various influences of social media, using a

mixed research approach to explore how social media may affect consumer purchasing behaviour. This

includes examining the influence of social media messaging, word-of-mouth marketing, opinion leaders and

a questionnaire survey of close to five hundred consumers. The results of the study showed that more than

78.83% of consumers have purchased Lululemon products because of recommendations or reviews on social

media. In addition, more than 55.97% of Lululemon brand consumers are usually influenced by social media

(UGC, celebrity endorsements, brand promotions) to purchase the brand's products. These findings reflect

that social media plays a contributing role in influencing consumer behaviour for the brand. Social media

aims to adapt and capitalise on this rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.

1 INTRODUCTION

Nowadays social media has become an important

platform for consumers' brand awareness. With the

diversification and popularity of social media

platforms, the way consumers access information and

interact with each other has fundamentally changed.

According to Statista, by 2024, there will be more

than 4.5 billion social media users worldwide,

covering almost two-thirds of the world's population

(Petrosyan, 2025). Social media is more than just a

platform for social interaction. It has become a core

channel for information dissemination, brand

building and marketing. More and more brands see

social media as a strategic resource to increase brand

awareness, enhance customer interaction and drive

sales growth. The popularity of social media has had

a profound impact on the brand communication

model. Brands are connecting more directly,

interactively and personally with consumers through

social media. Especially with the dominance of image

and video content, social media platforms such as

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter have

become central platforms for brands to showcase their

culture, products and ideas. Compared with

traditional media, social media not only enables wider

Corresponding author

audience coverage, but also enables effective reach to

specific consumer groups through accurate user data

analysis and algorithmic pushing (Godey et al.,

2016). In this environment, the sports and leisure

industry has particularly benefited from the wide

spread effect of social media. The presence of

athleisure brands on social media is becoming more

and more important as people's focus on health, sports

and lifestyle increases. Lululemon, one of the world's

leading athleisure, has successfully leveraged social

media to build a strong brand presence and loyal

consumer base. Since its inception in 1998,

Lululemon has been committed to providing

consumers with high-quality sportswear.

Furthermore, over the past few decades, it has

evolved into a brand with global reach (Lululemon,

2024). During its rapid development, Lululemon has

not only attracted consumers through innovative

product design, but also successfully communicated

its brand values through social media platforms,

further consolidating its market position. The success

of Lululemon's social media strategy has important

implications for the athleisure industry. Through its

precise marketing on platforms such as Instagram and

TikTok, Lululemon not only promotes celebrity

items, but also creates a unique brand culture

Chen, H.

The Impact of Social Media on Consumer Behaviour: Lululemon.

DOI: 10.5220/0013845700004719

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on E-commerce and Modern Logistics (ICEML 2025), pages 395-400

ISBN: 978-989-758-775-7

395

(Freedman, 2021). The brand has deepened

consumers' emotional connection to the brand by

sharing user-generated content, collaborating with

well-known influencers, and posting customised

fitness challenges. In addition, Lululemon has

enhanced the user experience by collecting consumer

feedback through social media platforms to optimise

product design and customer service. These strategies

have enabled Lululemon to stand out in a competitive

market and gradually become one of the

representatives of high-end athleisure brands.

Through effective social media strategies, Lululemon

not only enhances brand awareness, but also

strengthens consumers' brand loyalty and purchase

intention through accurate content marketing.

Therefore, this paper selects Lululemon as a research

object, aiming to analyse how its social media

marketing strategy influences consumers' purchasing

behaviours and to explore its successful experience in

expanding brand influence and driving sales growth.

In addition, this study will fill the research gap of

strategies of sports and leisure brands in the social

media era. By studying the social media strategy of

Lululemon, it can provide practical guidance for other

brands to better use social media to enhance brand

influence and consumer purchasing power.

This study focuses on how Lululemon, an

athleisure brand, influences consumers' purchasing

behaviours through its social media strategy, thereby

expanding Lululemon's brand awareness and driving

product sales growth.

The research method is a combination of

quantitative and qualitative analysis. The quantitative

analysis will be based on Lululemon's sales data and

questionnaires to analyse the relationship between

social media strategies and consumers' purchasing

behaviour. The qualitative part of the analysis will

explore the influences of social media on consumers'

purchasing decisions through a literature review.

Most of the literature focuses on exploring

Lululemon's social media marketing strategy. It

consists of Lululemon's commitment to developing

celebrity singles to expand the brand's spiritual

connotation and expand the market (Qian & Zou,

2021). In addition, this paper will examine how

Lululemon uses social media strategies to maintain its

market share in a highly competitive market, taking

into account the characteristics of the athleisure

industry, and provide social media marketing lessons

that can be learnt by other brands.

2 RESEARCH METHODS

The research methodology of this report used

questionnaire research in quantitative analysis. The

number of people who completed this questionnaire

was 477. Its main purpose was to explore which

social platforms consumers mainly use to purchase

Lululemon products and how often they use social

media. This makes it possible to identify more

quickly what consumers are buying from Lululemon

as a brand. Moreover, it shows where Lululemon can

attract consumers in order to promote sales growth.

Specifically, this survey focused on the following

areas: which social media platforms consumers use to

learn about and purchase Lululemon products; the

frequency of social media use and its impact on

purchasing decisions; which forms of content on

social media are most likely to promote consumers'

willingness to purchase; and how Lululemon can

further optimise its social media marketing strategy to

increase sales and brand awareness.

2.1 Questionnaire Design

This questionnaire was designed around the social

media marketing of the Lululemon brand. It aims to

collect consumers' perception of the brand on social

media, their purchasing behaviours and the factors

that influence their decisions. The questionnaire is

divided into the following sections: Basic

Information, which includes basic data such as

gender, age, and social media usage habits of the

respondents; Social Media Usage Behaviour, which

investigates the frequency of the respondents' use of

social platforms, the length of their use and their

exposure to Lululemon advertisements on social

media; Customer Purchase Behaviour, which

explores whether respondents are motivated by the

recommendations or reviews on social media to

purchase Lululemon products. Additionally, it

examines which social media content (e.g. celebrity

endorsements, user-generated content, promotions)

has the greatest impact on purchase decisions; With

the Brand Interaction and Satisfaction, which

analyses the reasons why consumers pay attention to

Lululemon's social media accounts, the frequency of

interactions, and the brand's overall satisfaction, to

further understand the brand's performance on social

media platforms.

2.2 Questionnaire Distribution

The questionnaire was distributed through online

channels, mainly using WeChat to share links.

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2.3 Population of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire was administered to consumers

over the age of 18 who were interested in the sports

brand and had purchased Lululemon products via

social media within the past year. These criteria

ensured that the questionnaire was representative of

the sample, particularly of active social media users

and brand loyalists.

2.4 Scope of the Survey

The geographical scope of the questionnaire survey is

mainland China. This sample scope was chosen to

help the researcher to analyse the consumer behaviour

of the Lululemon brand in the Chinese market. The

core group of the survey is the young people who

focus on sports and healthy lifestyle, which is in line

with the target customer profile of Lululemon.

2.5 Questionnaire Recovery and

Sample Size

The questionnaire recovery period was two weeks,

during which the recovery rate was increased by

several reminders and follow-ups. Of the 477

questionnaires recovered, the efficiency and

effectiveness of the data were ensured. The amount of

valid questionnaires is 477, accounting for 95.4% of

the total recovered questionnaires.

2.6 Questionnaire Design

This questionnaire analysis begins with a frequency

analysis of all questions, outlining the basic profile of

the respondents and the findings. For example, the

percentage of choices for each question is counted to

understand the basic characteristics and behavioural

patterns of consumers. In addition, to gain insight into

the impact of social media content on purchase

decisions, this questionnaire uses factor analysis to

extract the main factors that influence consumers'

purchase intentions. This can help brands understand

which forms of content are most attractive, such as

celebrity endorsements, user-generated content

(UGC), and promotional offers.

3 INTERPRETATIONS OF THE

FINDINGS

Through data analysis, this study will explore the role

of social media in marketing the Lululemon brand. It

will assess which social media platforms, content

types and marketing approaches are most effective in

increasing consumer purchase intent. In addition,

based on the results of the study, recommendations

will be provided for Lululemon to optimise its social

media marketing strategy. This will help them to

further enhance their brand presence, attract potential

customers and drive sales growth.

Figure 1: What content on social media do you think has the most influence on your purchasing decisions?

55,97%

57,23%

64,57%

55,14%

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

Celebrity

endorsement

User

Generated

Content

(UGC)

Promotional

offers

Product

review

Other

Proportion

Options

What content on social media do you think has the most influence

on your purchasing decisions？

The Impact of Social Media on Consumer Behaviour: Lululemon

397

Figure 2: Have you purchased a Lululemon product because of a recommendation or review on social media?

The questionnaire results were analysed to show

that Lululemon has a diverse audience. As shown in

figure 1 and figure 2, the main customers focus on

young people who love sports and want to maintain a

healthy body, as well as the middle-aged group. From

the feedback of the above questionnaire results, it can

be found that consumers are usually influenced by

social media (UGC, celebrity endorsement, brand

promotions) to buy the brand's products. This shows

that social media has a great influence on the brand's

consumer buying behaviour.

Nowadays, Lululemon continues to promote the

brand concept on social media as well as special

offers to attract consumers, which makes consumers'

purchase intention increase. However, there is still a

need to further improve consumer satisfaction.

4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This study used qualitative and quantitative methods

to collect data on consumer perceptions and

purchasing behaviours towards the brand

Lululemon's social media content and used it to

analyse its impact. By analysing consumer feedback

and purchase behaviour data, a number of key

findings were made about how social media shapes

brand perceptions, facilitates purchase decisions and

increases brand loyalty.

Firstly in terms of brand perception, Lululemon

has a high level of brand recall on social media.

Participants were able to easily associate Lululemon

with references to yoga, fitness, and high-end athletic

apparel, and this brand awareness was built due to

Lululemon's consistent exposure and precise brand

positioning on social media. The interactive and real-

time nature of social media allows Lululemon to

quickly communicate its brand concepts to a wide

range of consumers, reinforcing brand memory

(Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). The role of social media

is not only in the presentation of brand content, but

also in its high level of user interaction and

engagement. Brands are able to communicate with

consumers instantly through social media, sharing

brand stories, healthy lifestyles and sports ideas, thus

deepening consumers' emotional identification with

the brand. For example, Lululemon shares sports and

healthy content through its Instagram and other

platforms, presenting a positive attitude towards life,

and this kind of content can stimulate consumers'

emotional resonance, thus deepening the brand's

impression ((Dahlen et al., 2010). This enhancement

of brand perception illustrates the importance of

social media in the construction of consumer brand

perception. Therefore, Lululemon needs to

continuously enhance its content updates on social

media platforms to ensure that the brand’s image is

always distinct and attractive. At the same time,

Lululemon can enhance brand awareness by

increasing interactive content with consumers, such

as through live broadcasts and interactive quizzes to

increase engagement with fans. In addition, the brand

should optimise the content presentation for the

78,83%

21,17%

0,00%

10,00%

20,00%

30,00%

40,00%

50,00%

60,00%

70,00%

80,00%

90,00%

Yes No

Proportion

Options

Have you purchased a Lululemon product because of a recommendation or

review on social media?

ICEML 2025 - International Conference on E-commerce and Modern Logistics

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characteristics of different platforms to achieve the

best communication effect.

Regarding the influence of social media on

purchase decisions, according to the questionnaire

data, about 78.83% of consumers said they purchased

Lululemon products due to recommendations or

reviews on social media. This result shows that social

media plays an important role in consumers’ purchase

decision, especially the factors of celebrity

endorsement, user-generated content (UGC) and

brand promotions have a greater influence on the

purchase decision. Social media can effectively

stimulate consumers’ desire to purchase by

displaying content such as celebrity endorsements,

real experiences shared by users and limited-time

offers. This is because social media provides a

platform where consumers can see real user reviews

and others’ experiences, and this social proof

enhances consumers’ trust in brands (Schmidt &

Eisend, 2015). This result illustrates that in the digital

age, UGC and interactions between consumers on

social media platforms have become a central factor

influencing purchase decisions. Therefore, brands

that can build a strong social proof effect through

social media will be able to greatly increase the

conversion rate of consumer purchases. Lululemon

can actively encourage users to share their

experiences on social media. Brands can further

stimulate consumer purchase behaviour through

accurate social advertising and personalised

recommendations to boost sales.

The survey results also show that Lululemon has

successfully enhanced brand loyalty through social

media. About 57.02% of consumers said they share

Lululemon related content on social media. This

indicates that Lululemon's social media content can

inspire consumers' willingness to recommend the

brand. Social media plays an important role in

enhancing brand loyalty by providing a platform for

consumers to establish an emotional connection and

a sense of belonging to a brand (Laroche et al., 2013).

This social interaction promotes ‘word-of-mouth’

about the brand, increasing consumer stickiness and

the likelihood of repeat purchases. In addition,

Lululemon should further strengthen the brand

community on social media to encourage consumers

to share their exercise results and experiences.

By analysing Lululemon's social media

marketing, this study found that social media has

played a positive role in driving brand awareness,

purchase decisions and brand loyalty. However, the

brand still needs to make improvements in pricing

strategy, customer satisfaction enhancement, and

emotional interaction with consumers (Xu, 2022).

Social media is not only a channel for brand

communication, but also a key platform for building

long-term relationships with consumers.Lululemon

should continue to optimise its social media strategy

in order to further consolidate its market position and

drive the brand's long-term growth.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative

methods, this study examines how Lululemon

enhances brand influence through social media. And

further influence consumers’ purchase behaviour and

brand loyalty. The results of the study show that

Lululemon’s continuous marketing activities on

social media have effectively enhanced brand

awareness and market influence. Specifically,

Lululemon has successfully stimulated consumers’

purchase desire and brand loyalty through strategies

such as celebrity endorsement, user-generated

content (UGC), and promotional activities. In

addition, user interactions and authentic product

reviews on social media have greatly contributed to

the positive word-of-mouth spread of the brand,

making consumers more inclined to choose the brand

when making decisions. This study not only provides

an empirical analysis of Lululemon’s social media

marketing, but also provides valuable lessons for

other sports and leisure brands on how to enhance

brand influence and consumer loyalty through social

media in the digital era. Social media has become an

important platform for brands to communicate with

consumers, and future brand marketing needs to pay

more attention to social interaction and user

experience in order to create more attractive and

lasting brand value. However, this study also has

some limitations. Firstly, the sample of the

questionnaire survey mainly focuses on a specific

group of people, which may not fully represent the

opinions of all consumers. Second, this study did not

delve into the details of the differences between

different social platforms and their specific impact on

brand marketing effectiveness. Future research could

further expand the sample to analyse the differences

in marketing strategies across social platforms, as

well as explore how brands can personalise their

content strategies on different platforms to optimise

the way they interact with consumers.

This study provides lessons for other brands,

suggesting that social media marketing strategies play

an important role in modern consumer decision-

making. Future research could further explore the

differences in marketing strategies across social

The Impact of Social Media on Consumer Behaviour: Lululemon

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platforms to optimise the way brands interact with

consumers.

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