Business Performance of Small-scale Online Sellers in Manila: A Proposed Marketing Strategies

Abstract

The study assessed and evaluated the conditions and difficulties faced by online food vendors in running their operations during and post-COVID-19 address the gaps in the efficacy of various marketing strategies contributing to the long-term e- commerce economy through the business performance of the online sellers. The significant difference in the marketing strategies of the online food sellers with respect to their demographic profile underscores the influence of the respondent’s demographic profile and their strategies in tailoring marketing approaches to fit one’s capacity, lifestyle and audience that ensures a more efficient and effective engagement. This is attributed to the significantly different business environment during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic which influenced the buying behavior and preference of the customers and forced the online food sellers in Manila to indulge in the application of digitalization to cope with this drastic change. The significant relationship between the respondents’ business performance and marketing strategies on the other hand indicates the pivotal role of the marketing strategies on their daily operations and business performance during and after the pandemic. The proposed marketing strategy in this study was presented as a marketing strategy matrix that serves as a guideline for small-scale entrepreneurs to align their promotional efforts with their personal resources as constrained by the challenges being encountered and their market conditions.