Consumer Perceptions of the Facebook-Based Social Commerce Market for Agri-Food Products: A Focus on Women Entrepreneurs Selling Rice and Shrimp in Bangladesh

Social commerce via social media platforms is an increasingly popular branch of e-commerce in developing countries. In Bangladesh, the popularity of Facebook-based social commerce (“f-commerce”) has created new opportunities for women entrepreneurs, including in the market for agri-foods. To gain insights into consumer attitudes towards f-commerce, and specifically towards women entrepreneurs in this market, this paper presents findings from five online audio-visual focus-group discussions with forty-one consumers from Dhaka, Bangladesh about their perceptions of women f-commerce entrepreneurs selling rice and shrimp. Qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis. The results indicate that convenience is the main general reason for consumers purchasing from f-commerce platforms. Consumers are also attracted by the availability of rice from preferred growing areas and ready-to-cook shrimp on these platforms. Product quality, service, and price are found to be the most important purchase criteria, while reviews and recommendations influence consumers' purchase decisions and build trust in f-commerce entrepreneurs. While consumers appreciate that f-commerce provides economic opportunities for women, product quality and service are more important than gender in deciding which seller to buy from, meaning women entrepreneurs must meet consumer expectations to succeed in the f-commerce agri-food market. The research findings provide valuable suggestions for women entrepreneurs which is of great importance to adapt to consumers' demand as well as to enter the f-commerce market.