Influencer Marketing and Its Impact on Customer Engagement and Purchase Intention Among Female Customers in Delhi NCR

This article aims at exploring the effects of the following influencer marketing traits: authenticity, appeal, trust, competence, and inventiveness on customer engagement and customer purchase intention in the fashion retail sector among female customers in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). In the recent past, social media influencers have emerged as the most effective means of influencing the customer’s perception and purchase decisions. A self-administered survey was employed to gather data from female customers who follow fashion influencers on social media platforms. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the measurement model and ensure reliability. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of influencer attributes on purchase intention. Reliability and validity tests, such as Cronbach’s alpha, were performed to enhance the credibility of the results. The findings of the study establish that authenticity and trust are the most important factors that influence customer engagement, while appeal and inventiveness are the most important factors that influence customer purchase intention. These findings offer important implications for fashion brands seeking to improve their collaborations with influencers and, therefore, enhance their marketing efforts. The study provides concrete recommendations for the brands to increase engagement and induce purchase in the fragmented fashion retail market of Delhi NCR.