Social media influencers have established themselves as significant drivers of consumer purchasing behavior during sales periods, with nearly one in four Irish consumers reporting they have previously bought items after seeing deals promoted by influencers, according to research conducted by Ipsos B&A for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The survey of 1,034 adults, conducted between October 1 and October 14, 2025, reveals that 24% of all consumers have made a purchase during a sale following influencer advertising. Among those planning to shop during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, 28% identify influencer recommendations as likely to influence their buying decisions.
Youth Demographics Show Strongest Influencer Impact
The influence of social media promoters varies dramatically across age groups. Among 15-24 year-olds planning Black Friday purchases, 40% report that influencer recommendations are likely to affect their shopping decisions. This figure shows the highest influencer impact among all demographic segments examined in the research.
The effect diminishes substantially with age. Among shoppers aged 25 and older, only 24% indicate that influencer recommendations would likely influence their purchase decisions during the sales period.
The pattern holds consistently when examining past purchasing behavior. Among 15-24 year-olds overall, 30% report having previously made a purchase after seeing it advertised by a social media influencer. This rate matches the 30% figure for 25-34 year-olds, but drops sharply for older consumers, falling to 12-14% for those aged 55 and above.
Gender Differences Emerge in Influencer Response Rates
Women demonstrate significantly greater responsiveness to influencer marketing than men across multiple metrics measured in the research.
Among all survey respondents, 30% of women report having previously purchased items during sales after seeing influencer advertising, compared to 17% of men. This gender gap represents a nearly 13-percentage-point difference in historical purchasing behavior driven by influencer promotions.
When examining factors likely to influence purchase decisions specifically during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, 33% of women planning to shop identify influencer recommendations as influential, compared to 21% of men.
The research establishes that among intending Black Friday shoppers overall, women constitute a larger share of those planning purchases at 43% of all women surveyed versus 35% of men, creating a demographic profile where the most influencer-responsive group also shows higher overall shopping participation rates.
Influencer Marketing Ranks Behind Price and Discount Factors
While influencer recommendations show measurable impact, they rank fourth among factors likely to influence purchase decisions during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period.
The research finds that 93% of intending shoppers identify the price of an item as likely to influence their purchase decision, making it the dominant factor across all demographic groups. The amount of the discount applied ranks second at 86% of shoppers, while the limited timeframe to access sale pricing influences 64% of shoppers.
Influencer recommendations, at 28% of intending shoppers, trail these three factors – but nonetheless represent a substantial minority of the shopping population. The 28% figure indicates that more than one in four Black Friday shoppers are susceptible to social media influencer marketing during the sales period.
Among the four factors tested, influencer recommendations show the widest variation across demographic groups, indicating that this channel’s effectiveness depends heavily on audience segmentation.
Shoppers More Responsive Than Non-Shoppers to Influencer Marketing
Consumers planning to make Black Friday purchases show higher historical engagement with influencer marketing than those not planning to shop during the sales.
Among those likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, 31% report having previously bought something during a sale after seeing it advertised by a social media influencer. In contrast, only 18% of those not planning Black Friday purchases report similar past behavior.
This 13-percentage-point gap suggests that responsiveness to influencer marketing correlates with overall shopping participation during promotional periods. Consumers who find influencer recommendations persuasive are more likely to engage with sales events overall, and those who actively participate in sales events may consume more influencer content about promotional opportunities.
The research surveyed 408 consumers who indicated they are likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, representing 39% of the total sample. This group provides the most relevant insights for marketers planning influencer campaigns around the sales period.
Sharp Decline After 35
The research reveals a pronounced generational divide in influencer marketing effectiveness that extends beyond the youth demographic.
While 40% of 15-24 year-olds planning Black Friday purchases identify influencer recommendations as likely purchase drivers, the figure remains relatively stable at 34% for 25-34 year-olds. However, it drops to 29% among 35-44 year-olds and further to 23% among those aged 45 and above.
This pattern suggests that influencer marketing maintains a meaningful impact through the mid-30s before declining more sharply. The 25-34 demographic, in particular, represents a substantial consumer segment where influencer marketing remains nearly as effective as among the youngest adults.
When examining past purchasing behavior influenced by social media promoters, both the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups report identical 30% rates of having previously made influencer-driven purchases. This figure declines to 29% for 35-44 year-olds, drops to 23% for 45-54 year-olds, and reaches its lowest levels of 12% for 55-64 year-olds and 14% for those 65 and older.
Influencer Marketing Occurs Within Broader Trust Challenges
The research establishes that influencer-driven purchasing occurs amid significant consumer skepticism about the accuracy of promotional pricing.
The survey finds that 63% of all consumers do not trust that pre-sale prices or percentage discounts displayed by businesses during sales are accurate, with only 33% expressing trust in such information. This skepticism increases with age, rising to 72% among those 65 and older who do not trust discount information.
Younger consumers, who are the most responsive to influencer marketing, show comparatively higher trust in promotional pricing. Among 15-24 year-olds, 52% trust the accuracy of displayed discounts, while 43% do not.
This dynamic suggests that influencer recommendations may carry particular weight among younger consumers who already view sales promotions more favorably, or alternatively, that influencers may serve as trusted intermediaries who help validate promotional offers for audiences skeptical of direct retailer claims.
Impact Measured Against Purchase Intent Patterns
The research provides context for influencer marketing effectiveness by establishing baseline shopping behaviors and intentions.
Overall, 39% of Irish consumers indicate they are likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, consistent with 2021 figures and representing a slight increase from 36% in 2024. Women show higher purchase intent at 43% compared to 35% of men.
Purchase intent declines across age groups, with 63% of 15-24 year-olds planning to shop compared to 56% of 25-34 year-olds, 52% of 35-44 year-olds, 31% of 45-54 year-olds, 25% of 55-64 year-olds, and just 12% of those 65 and older.
These baseline figures establish that the demographic most responsive to influencer marketing – young adults – also demonstrates the highest overall engagement with promotional sales periods. The 40% influencer impact rate among 15-24-year-old shoppers applies to a group where 63% are already planning purchases, creating a substantial addressable market for influencer campaigns.
Electronics and Apparel Emerge as Primary Purchase Categories
The research identifies the product categories most likely to be purchased during the sales period, providing insight into where influencer marketing may concentrate.
Electronics tops the list of items shoppers plan to buy, at 48%, followed by clothing, footwear, and jewellery at 38%. Beauty, makeup, and cosmetics attract 14% of shoppers, and baby and children’s products draw 12%.
Men show a stronger intent to purchase electronics (56%), while women split their interest between electronics (41%) and clothing (42%). Among the youngest consumers most responsive to influencer marketing, 50% of under-25s plan clothing purchases, compared to lower rates among older age groups.
These category preferences align with content areas where social media influencers maintain established presences, particularly in fashion, beauty, and consumer electronics.
Average Spending Patterns Provide Scale Context
Consumers planning Black Friday purchases anticipate spending an average of €334, down from €431 in 2024, but comparable to €343 in 2023. Those aged 15-24 report the lowest average planned spend at €227, while 45-54-year-olds report the highest at €437.
These spending figures establish the economic value at stake in influencer-driven purchases. With 24% of consumers having previously made influencer-driven purchase decisions, and 28% of intending shoppers indicating susceptibility to such recommendations, the market segment represents a substantial opportunity for creator economy professionals and marketing agencies.
The research methodology employed computer-assisted telephone interviews with a representative sample weighted to match population estimates for gender, age, social class, and region, providing statistically reliable insights into influencer marketing effectiveness across Irish consumer segments.
Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.
Social media influencers have established themselves as significant drivers of consumer purchasing behavior during sales periods, with nearly one in four Irish consumers reporting they have previously bought items after seeing deals promoted by influencers, according to research conducted by Ipsos B&A for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The survey of 1,034 adults, conducted between October 1 and October 14, 2025, reveals that 24% of all consumers have made a purchase during a sale following influencer advertising. Among those planning to shop during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, 28% identify influencer recommendations as likely to influence their buying decisions.
Youth Demographics Show Strongest Influencer Impact
The influence of social media promoters varies dramatically across age groups. Among 15-24 year-olds planning Black Friday purchases, 40% report that influencer recommendations are likely to affect their shopping decisions. This figure shows the highest influencer impact among all demographic segments examined in the research.
The effect diminishes substantially with age. Among shoppers aged 25 and older, only 24% indicate that influencer recommendations would likely influence their purchase decisions during the sales period.
The pattern holds consistently when examining past purchasing behavior. Among 15-24 year-olds overall, 30% report having previously made a purchase after seeing it advertised by a social media influencer. This rate matches the 30% figure for 25-34 year-olds, but drops sharply for older consumers, falling to 12-14% for those aged 55 and above.
Gender Differences Emerge in Influencer Response Rates
Women demonstrate significantly greater responsiveness to influencer marketing than men across multiple metrics measured in the research.
Among all survey respondents, 30% of women report having previously purchased items during sales after seeing influencer advertising, compared to 17% of men. This gender gap represents a nearly 13-percentage-point difference in historical purchasing behavior driven by influencer promotions.
When examining factors likely to influence purchase decisions specifically during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, 33% of women planning to shop identify influencer recommendations as influential, compared to 21% of men.
The research establishes that among intending Black Friday shoppers overall, women constitute a larger share of those planning purchases at 43% of all women surveyed versus 35% of men, creating a demographic profile where the most influencer-responsive group also shows higher overall shopping participation rates.
Influencer Marketing Ranks Behind Price and Discount Factors
While influencer recommendations show measurable impact, they rank fourth among factors likely to influence purchase decisions during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period.
The research finds that 93% of intending shoppers identify the price of an item as likely to influence their purchase decision, making it the dominant factor across all demographic groups. The amount of the discount applied ranks second at 86% of shoppers, while the limited timeframe to access sale pricing influences 64% of shoppers.
Influencer recommendations, at 28% of intending shoppers, trail these three factors – but nonetheless represent a substantial minority of the shopping population. The 28% figure indicates that more than one in four Black Friday shoppers are susceptible to social media influencer marketing during the sales period.
Among the four factors tested, influencer recommendations show the widest variation across demographic groups, indicating that this channel’s effectiveness depends heavily on audience segmentation.
Shoppers More Responsive Than Non-Shoppers to Influencer Marketing
Consumers planning to make Black Friday purchases show higher historical engagement with influencer marketing than those not planning to shop during the sales.
Among those likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, 31% report having previously bought something during a sale after seeing it advertised by a social media influencer. In contrast, only 18% of those not planning Black Friday purchases report similar past behavior.
This 13-percentage-point gap suggests that responsiveness to influencer marketing correlates with overall shopping participation during promotional periods. Consumers who find influencer recommendations persuasive are more likely to engage with sales events overall, and those who actively participate in sales events may consume more influencer content about promotional opportunities.
The research surveyed 408 consumers who indicated they are likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, representing 39% of the total sample. This group provides the most relevant insights for marketers planning influencer campaigns around the sales period.
Sharp Decline After 35
The research reveals a pronounced generational divide in influencer marketing effectiveness that extends beyond the youth demographic.
While 40% of 15-24 year-olds planning Black Friday purchases identify influencer recommendations as likely purchase drivers, the figure remains relatively stable at 34% for 25-34 year-olds. However, it drops to 29% among 35-44 year-olds and further to 23% among those aged 45 and above.
This pattern suggests that influencer marketing maintains a meaningful impact through the mid-30s before declining more sharply. The 25-34 demographic, in particular, represents a substantial consumer segment where influencer marketing remains nearly as effective as among the youngest adults.
When examining past purchasing behavior influenced by social media promoters, both the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups report identical 30% rates of having previously made influencer-driven purchases. This figure declines to 29% for 35-44 year-olds, drops to 23% for 45-54 year-olds, and reaches its lowest levels of 12% for 55-64 year-olds and 14% for those 65 and older.
Influencer Marketing Occurs Within Broader Trust Challenges
The research establishes that influencer-driven purchasing occurs amid significant consumer skepticism about the accuracy of promotional pricing.
The survey finds that 63% of all consumers do not trust that pre-sale prices or percentage discounts displayed by businesses during sales are accurate, with only 33% expressing trust in such information. This skepticism increases with age, rising to 72% among those 65 and older who do not trust discount information.
Younger consumers, who are the most responsive to influencer marketing, show comparatively higher trust in promotional pricing. Among 15-24 year-olds, 52% trust the accuracy of displayed discounts, while 43% do not.
This dynamic suggests that influencer recommendations may carry particular weight among younger consumers who already view sales promotions more favorably, or alternatively, that influencers may serve as trusted intermediaries who help validate promotional offers for audiences skeptical of direct retailer claims.
Impact Measured Against Purchase Intent Patterns
The research provides context for influencer marketing effectiveness by establishing baseline shopping behaviors and intentions.
Overall, 39% of Irish consumers indicate they are likely to make purchases during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, consistent with 2021 figures and representing a slight increase from 36% in 2024. Women show higher purchase intent at 43% compared to 35% of men.
Purchase intent declines across age groups, with 63% of 15-24 year-olds planning to shop compared to 56% of 25-34 year-olds, 52% of 35-44 year-olds, 31% of 45-54 year-olds, 25% of 55-64 year-olds, and just 12% of those 65 and older.
These baseline figures establish that the demographic most responsive to influencer marketing – young adults – also demonstrates the highest overall engagement with promotional sales periods. The 40% influencer impact rate among 15-24-year-old shoppers applies to a group where 63% are already planning purchases, creating a substantial addressable market for influencer campaigns.
Electronics and Apparel Emerge as Primary Purchase Categories
The research identifies the product categories most likely to be purchased during the sales period, providing insight into where influencer marketing may concentrate.
Electronics tops the list of items shoppers plan to buy, at 48%, followed by clothing, footwear, and jewellery at 38%. Beauty, makeup, and cosmetics attract 14% of shoppers, and baby and children’s products draw 12%.
Men show a stronger intent to purchase electronics (56%), while women split their interest between electronics (41%) and clothing (42%). Among the youngest consumers most responsive to influencer marketing, 50% of under-25s plan clothing purchases, compared to lower rates among older age groups.
These category preferences align with content areas where social media influencers maintain established presences, particularly in fashion, beauty, and consumer electronics.
Average Spending Patterns Provide Scale Context
Consumers planning Black Friday purchases anticipate spending an average of €334, down from €431 in 2024, but comparable to €343 in 2023. Those aged 15-24 report the lowest average planned spend at €227, while 45-54-year-olds report the highest at €437.
These spending figures establish the economic value at stake in influencer-driven purchases. With 24% of consumers having previously made influencer-driven purchase decisions, and 28% of intending shoppers indicating susceptibility to such recommendations, the market segment represents a substantial opportunity for creator economy professionals and marketing agencies.
The research methodology employed computer-assisted telephone interviews with a representative sample weighted to match population estimates for gender, age, social class, and region, providing statistically reliable insights into influencer marketing effectiveness across Irish consumer segments.
Image credit: CCPC
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