Supervisor

Tracy Gallagher

Programme

MA in International Business

Keywords

Country-of-Origin Cues, Indian Consumers, Purchase Intention

Abstract

This study investigated how Indian consumers perceive the "country-of-origin" (COO) cue when evaluating skincare products from Tira Beauty. Specifically, this study focused on COO for both Indian-origin and foreign-origin skincare to determine if there is a link between origin, consumer trust in brands, attitudes toward brands, and intentions to make purchases. Using a qualitative methodology and three semi-structured online zoom interviews with Indian consumers who are familiar with Tira Beauty, the study identified themes within the interview responses and analysed them using manual thematic analysis in Microsoft Excel. Results indicate that COO influences initial perceptions of products; however, it does not solely influence purchase intent. Products made by Indian manufacturers were associated with perceived natural ingredients, affordability, and suitability for skin types prevalent in India. Foreign-made skincare products were perceived as having higher-quality components, greater amounts of research and development (innovation), and overall value. Additionally, results suggest that trust in products made by Indian or foreign manufacturers depends on reviews, ingredients, brand reputation, suitability for specific skin types, and price. Therefore, this study suggests that Tira Beauty should utilize COO as one of several supporting cues for trust building along with providing clearer product information and utilizing customer-generated content such as reviews that have been verified.

Date of Award

2026

Full Publication Date

2026

Access Rights

open access

Document Type

Capstone Project

Resource Type

thesis

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.63227/652.299.162

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Business Commons

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