Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa
Social media has facilitated interaction between businesses and consumers, and consequently, has seen rapid growth as a communication channel by a number of smaller retailers in South Africa. Hence, the primary research objective of this study is to explore social media usage as a marketing communic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Asociación Española de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas (AECA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT)
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Small Business International Review |
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| Online Access: | https://sbir.upct.es/index.php/sbir/article/view/392 |
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| author | José dos Santos Rodney Duffett |
| author_facet | José dos Santos Rodney Duffett |
| author_sort | José dos Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social media has facilitated interaction between businesses and consumers, and consequently, has seen rapid growth as a communication channel by a number of smaller retailers in South Africa. Hence, the primary research objective of this study is to explore social media usage as a marketing communication strategy by independent food retailer small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The study used a qualitative data collection strategy and in-depth interviews were conducted among eleven independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa. The study revealed that the level of social media activity by the respondent retailers was influenced by enabling factors such as cost effectiveness, accessibility, reach and relationship building, whereas perceived risk and resources such as time, knowledge and human resources were inhibiting factors. The research contributes to the available literature exploring social media usage as customer contact points for promotional purposes, as well as provides insight for further studies on the use of social media conduits by independent food retailer SMEs or similar businesses in a developing country. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7227d42d064453d8f6266dc6d74fc6a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2531-0046 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Asociación Española de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas (AECA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Small Business International Review |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7227d42d064453d8f6266dc6d74fc6a2025-08-20T03:24:43ZengAsociación Española de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas (AECA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT)Small Business International Review2531-00462021-09-0152e39210.26784/sbir.v5i2.392392Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South AfricaJosé dos Santos0Rodney Duffett1Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Marketing Department. Cape TownCape Peninsula University of Technology, Marketing Department. Cape TownSocial media has facilitated interaction between businesses and consumers, and consequently, has seen rapid growth as a communication channel by a number of smaller retailers in South Africa. Hence, the primary research objective of this study is to explore social media usage as a marketing communication strategy by independent food retailer small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The study used a qualitative data collection strategy and in-depth interviews were conducted among eleven independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa. The study revealed that the level of social media activity by the respondent retailers was influenced by enabling factors such as cost effectiveness, accessibility, reach and relationship building, whereas perceived risk and resources such as time, knowledge and human resources were inhibiting factors. The research contributes to the available literature exploring social media usage as customer contact points for promotional purposes, as well as provides insight for further studies on the use of social media conduits by independent food retailer SMEs or similar businesses in a developing country.https://sbir.upct.es/index.php/sbir/article/view/392independent food retailersmessmall businessessocial mediacommunication strategysouth africadeveloping country |
| spellingShingle | José dos Santos Rodney Duffett Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa Small Business International Review independent food retailer smes small businesses social media communication strategy south africa developing country |
| title | Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa |
| title_full | Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa |
| title_short | Exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer SMEs in South Africa |
| title_sort | exploring social media usage as a communication channel among independent food retailer smes in south africa |
| topic | independent food retailer smes small businesses social media communication strategy south africa developing country |
| url | https://sbir.upct.es/index.php/sbir/article/view/392 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josedossantos exploringsocialmediausageasacommunicationchannelamongindependentfoodretailersmesinsouthafrica AT rodneyduffett exploringsocialmediausageasacommunicationchannelamongindependentfoodretailersmesinsouthafrica |