From Skincare to Shopping: What’s Changing in Consumer Behavior

Edition 71

Author

Luru Labs
June 02, 2025

Hello there,

As the lines blur between shopping and swiping, AI is becoming a surprisingly influential part of how we browse and buy. But while tech companies push new ways to experience commerce, marketers are still navigating the nuances of loyalty, perception, and sensory appeal. This week, we look at why points might not equal preference, why ignorance can actually boost AI adoption, and how a beauty brand is tapping into taste to sell skincare.

Let’s get into it

Will AI Change How We Shop?

Google, OpenAI, and Perplexity want you to use AI to shop — but will consumers actually buy in? This piece from LA Times explores how the biggest AI players are racing to become your new shopping assistant. From curated search results to conversational commerce, the future of retail is getting a serious upgrade. The question is: do we trust AI with our carts?

AI is changing shopping. Will consumers buy in?

Tech companies such as OpenAI and Google as well as payment services are doubling down on their efforts to get people to use AI-powered tools to shop, but the experiments are still early.

www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-05-24/google-openai-and-perplexity-want-you-to-use-ai-to-shop-will-consumers-buy-in

The Loyalty Illusion

The Loyalty Program Illusion: Why Points Don’t Equal Preference is a deep dive into a loyalty conundrum. Many brands think points mean love, but the data says otherwise. This article from CMSWire questions whether traditional loyalty programs are actually building meaningful relationships—or just encouraging transactional behavior.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Brand-Specific, Points-Based Loyalty Programs

Think your loyalty program builds brand love? Think again. This article breaks down how points-based systems inflate ROI while masking disengagement.

www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/the-loyalty-program-illusion-why-points-dont-equal-preference

When Less Knowledge = More Usage

The less people know about AI, the more they use it might sound backwards, but Science Says has the data to back it up. Turns out, a lack of technical understanding doesn’t deter usage—in fact, it may even increase it. For marketers, this has big implications for how we talk about AI-powered tools and platforms.

The less people know about AI, the more they use it

People with a limited understanding of how AI works are up to 31% more likely to use it because they see it as magical.

app.sciencesays.com/p/the-less-people-know-about-ai-the-more-they-use-it

Laneige’s Sensorial Strategy

Inside Laneige’s food-and-beverage-based sensorial marketing strategy is as juicy as it sounds. The Korean skincare brand is going all-in on sensorial marketing, using familiar flavors and textures (hello, strawberry and boba!) to create immersive experiences that blur the line between beauty and indulgence.

Inside Laneige's food- and beverage-based 'sensorial marketing' strategy

It started small in 2023, when Laneige, the Korean skin-care brand owned by Amorepacific, hosted an influencer-only "Cream Skin Café" at Los Angeles's Carrera Café, in tandem with the launch of its Cream Skin Toner. Since then, food and beverage-based activations — open not just to influencers, but also to the brand's community — have become a cornerstone for the brand.

www.glossy.co/beauty/inside-laneiges-food-and-beverage-based-sensorial-marketing-strategy

That’s it for this week! Whether you’re questioning loyalty, rethinking AI strategy, or brainstorming your next flavor-infused product drop, we hope this sparked a few ideas. If you enjoyed this edition, feel free to forward it to a friend—or an algorithm.

Catch you next week 👋

Signing off,

Team ‘Luru