Literasi Digital Konsumen Gen Z dalam Mengevaluasi Informasi Produk Kecantikan di Platform Digital dan Hubungannya dengan Keputusan Pembelian

Abstract

This study aims to examine the level of digital literacy among Gen Z consumers in evaluating beauty product information on digital platforms and its relationship with their purchasing decisions. The research is motivated by the increasing exposure to beauty product content online and the rising demand for such products among Gen Z. The theoretical framework employed includes Digital Literacy and Consumer Purchase Decision theories. The digital literacy indicators refer to the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) 2.1 by the European Commission, specifically focusing on Competence Area 1.2: Evaluating Data, Information and Digital Content under the broader domain of Information and Data Literacy. This is a quantitative study involving 100 Gen Z respondents aged 13–28 who use digital platforms to seek beauty product information. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 25 through descriptive statistics, inferential analysis, and Spearman’s rho correlation test. The research findings indicate that the digital literacy level of Gen Z consumers is predominantly at the Foundation level, with the highest percentage reaching 83.4%. This suggests that the majority of respondents are capable of detecting and recognizing the credibility of information. However, they have not fully reached the stage of creating and developing solutions to complex problems related to the analysis and evaluation of the credibility and reliability of data sources, digital content, and beauty product information on digital platforms. The purchasing decision level is relatively high at 85.11%, with the alternative evaluation stage (88.40%) being the most influenced by digital content. The Spearman’s rho test shows a significant positive correlation between digital literacy and purchasing decisions (sig. = 0.000 < 0.05; r = 0.591). This implies that higher digital literacy leads to more rational and well-informed purchasing decisions. These findings highlight the crucial role of digital literacy in shaping smart consumer behavior in the beauty product sector.