ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 pandemic causes all activities carried out online and increases the demand for natural skincare products. E-business is a promising business model during the pandemic and post-pandemic for MSMEs that sell skincare products made from natural ingredients. This research aimed to define the influence of quality and price of natural skincare products on customer satisfaction, which can support the sustainability of MSMEs' E-business. The object of this research is Zavennie, an MSME that sells green skincare products using the B2C E-business model. This study uses a quantitative approach by employing a survey distributed through an online questionnaire. The respondents of this research are customers who have bought Zavennie products. The data analysis method applied in this research is multiple linear regression. The results revealed that product quality and price partially and simultaneously had a significant influence on customer satisfaction. The findings in this study also indicate that improving product quality and determining the proper selling price could support the sustainability of MSMEs' E-Business which produces skincare products made from natural ingredients. The findings of this study will provide a reference for MSMEs that operates E-Business to enhance product quality and determine appropriate selling price to maintain customer satisfaction. For further study, it is suggested to apply a wider research object and involve more respondents to gain a deeper insight regarding factors that influence customer satisfaction and its impact on the sustainability of MSMEs E-Business model. © 2023 EDP Sciences. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
In Indonesia, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) cover nearly 90% of the business entities and become the backbone of national economic growth. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they encountered challenges in their marketing, which impacted their sales volume. Jember Regency has the highest number of MSMEs in East Java, Indonesia, and is renowned for agro-industry products such as peanut cookies (Kue Kacang). However, most MSMEs in Jember are lacking in applying digital marketing. It is not in line with the acceleration and development of the technology and information flows in 4.0, which has required MSMEs to adapt to these developments in their business. The purpose of this study was to reveal the implementation of digital marketing and the obstacles encountered in improving their sales performance. This study applied a qualitative approach. The research data was collected through semistructured in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The informants involved in this study are business owners of peanut cookie MSMEs in Jember. This study found that they use the owner's private account on Facebook and WhatsApp as their primary digital marketing platforms, while others used Instagram and TikTok. Surprisingly, none of them used e-commerce platforms such as due to their cluelessness with the system. In addition, the shortage of input production during the peak season has been a recurring issue for decades. Further, the result discovered that digital marketing makes it easier for MSMEs owners to communicate with consumers, provide information, and expand the market during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023 IEEE.