GENDERED MEANINGS OF BEAUTY TECH ACROSS THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY: HOW FACIAL SKIN ANALYZERS SHAPE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AT SKINCARE BRAND COUNTERS

Abstract

This study examines how male and female customers perceive a facial skin analyzer as a service innovation across the customer journey at skincare counters. Although beauty technology is increasingly used to personalize retail service encounters, limited research explains how customers interpret diagnostic tools at different journey stages or how interpretations vary by gender. Using an interpretive qualitative design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with sixteen customers and one beauty advisor in Bangkok, supported by staff meeting notes for triangulation. The analysis is organized around four customer journey stages: reach, act, convert, and engage. The findings show that the same technology carries different meanings for customers. In the reach stage, women are more receptive to the analyzer as an attractive touchpoint, whereas men approach it more cautiously, expressing concerns about cost, credibility, and sales pressure. In the act stage, women are more likely to seek information and accept invitation, while men tend to remain passive unless the value is clearly explained. In the convert stage, both groups may be influenced by results, but women are more likely to view the analyzer as decision-enabling and purchase immediately, whereas men are more likely to delay purchase and compare alternatives. In the engage stage, women show stronger intentions to return for follow-up scans and recommend the service, while men tend to return only when product results are visible. The study shows that technology-enabled diagnostic touchpoints are socially interpreted rather than neutral, offering implications for customer journey theory, service innovation research, and retail practice.

Keywords: Beauty Technology, Customer Journey, Facial Skin Analyzer, Gender, Skincare Retail