The Internet as an Alternative Distribution and Communication Channel for Smes Producing Quality Agro-Food Products

Abstract

Este trabajo analiza el uso de Internet como canal de comunicación y distribución entre SEMs en el sector agroalimentario. La investigación se centra en la incorporación de este canal de marketing por empresas de una región española, que comercializa productos bajo el distintivo de calidad, estimulados por la ventaja competitiva que este medio proporciona. Con este objetivo, se investigaron 259 empresas, utilizando 62 variables descriptivas para evaluar sus websites.This work analyses the use of the Internet as a communication and distribution channel among SMEs in the agro-food sector. The work focuses on the incorporation of this marketing channel by firms from a Spanish region commercializing products under a quality sign, encouraged by the competitive advantage this medium provides. With this objective, 259 firms are investigated, using 62 descriptive items to evaluate their websites. RESUMEN ABSTRACT

Internet use as a form of direct sales for agro-food products- Empirical evidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The growing need to use the Internet to reach customers in the last two decades is evident (Teo and Pian, 2003). Besides, the use of Internet technology by SMEs is gaining more ground (Stevenson and Hamill, 2002), but the agro-food sector is somewhat lagging behind this adaptation to modern business trends (Santos and Blanco, 2011). The main limiting factors for the use of Internet sales for agro-food products are the specific features of a product that typically requires particular storage conditions, the uncertainty of customers for this form of agro-food sales, and the risks associated with the legal framework of online business, as well as the uncertainty of transactions (Santos and Blanco, 2011).…”