A Conceptual Study on Potential Applications of E-Marketing Tools in Food Businesses amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In a challenging era where the COVID-19 pandemic has severely beaten the industries all over the world, many businesses were on the verge of closure due to shortage of labour, decline of revenues and weighty demand drops. As a result, many businesses were keen on finding latest technologies to secure the tie with existing customers and to prevent potential customers from abandoning their businesses. One such industry can be highlighted as the food industry which is a global network of multiple businesses, engaging in catering to the world population’s hunger. On this point, greater attention was drawn on the applications of the e-marketing concept as an effective technology to sustain global food businesses without collapsing amidst the pandemic situation. E-marketing simply refers to marketing products, services and brands with the help of internet. Many of the conventional retailers and wholesalers of the food sector in many developing countries are not fully aware about the concept of e-marketing where in many developed countries, it is one of the key means of achieving marketing targets. Based on previous literature, this conceptual paper attempts to underpin potential applications of e-marketing tools in food businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper specifically focusses on eliciting advantages of e- marketing and the challenges to be faced with its adoption with the intention of popularising the e-marketing concept in the global food businesses to combat the challenges faced by them and to sustain it in the long run amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this will identify the potential and inclination of people to launch, manage and organise business ventures with e-marketing approaches in the present as well as in the future world. Thereby this work may facilitate existing as well as potential entrepreneurs in the food sector to productively engage their businesses even under the restrictions of global pandemic contexts like COVID-19.

Keywords: E-Marketing, Food Business, Advantages, Challenges, COVID-19