Why Do Small Firms Implement Web Sales? The Italian Olive Oil Case

Promoting dairy products through the web: The case of Pecorino Siciliano PDO during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…2021; Ismea‐Fondazione Qualivita 2021), and that the Internet allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the agri‐food industry to sell ‘typical’ local foods on a global scale (Annunziata and Vecchio 2013; Polenzani et al . 2021), it is fundamental that the company website, and more recently, its SM content on such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc . are an integral part of its business strategy.…”

“…Considering that the demand for local GI foods is on the rise as they are increasingly perceived as more sustainable, containing strong identity culture and of superior quality (Di Vita et al 2021;Ismea-Fondazione Qualivita 2021), and that the Internet allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food industry to sell 'typical' local foods on a global scale (Annunziata and Vecchio 2013;Polenzani et al 2021), it is fundamental that the company website, and more recently, its SM content on such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are an integral part of its business strategy.…”

“…Already in the years before the pandemic, some agri-food companies have integrated websites and SM platforms into their corporate communication plan, leading to a profound transformation of their organisational models and marketing dynamics (Grosso et al 2021;Polenzani et al 2021;Mastronardi et al 2022). In relation to new market trends, e-commerce capacity building represents an important potential investment for those operating in the agri-food sector (Hobbs et al 2003;Manthou et al 2005;Canavari et al 2009;Schimmenti et al 2012;Annunziata and Vecchio 2013;Schimmenti et al 2014;Scuderi and Sturiale 2014;Zeng et al 2017;Polenzani et al 2021). The online channel is becoming more and more strategic for companies to reach consumers: 74% of Italians used the Internet at least once in 2021 to make purchases.…”

“…2017; Polenzani et al . 2021). The online channel is becoming more and more strategic for companies to reach consumers: 74% of Italians used the Internet at least once in 2021 to make purchases.…”

“…The spread of online agri‐food shopping has led to a significant increase in the demand for digital services, driving the strong acceleration of digital transformation and bringing to light years of backwardness and shortcomings including the limits of the current technological infrastructure of companies, their fragilities and the general lack of foresight of the entrepreneurial system (Ismea 2021; Netcomm 2021; Polenzani et al . 2021; Istat 2022). Some companies (entire supply chains in some cases), in fact, were caught unprepared and with inadequate corporate technological structures: many of them did not have their own online sales site and were not present on any third‐party online sales platform (Netcomm 2021; Istat 2022).…”