The Life and Death of the Small Business: The COVID-19 Pandemic as Told by the Retail World

Date

2021-12

Authors

Gray, Sara

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Abstract

This paper aims to further identify and understand the effects that the COVID-19 Pandemic had on small businesses throughout the United States, through research aimed to identify different tactics businesses used to stay afloat during the pandemic and further analyze the strategic use of social media and internet commerce usage that aided some small businesses and allowed them to continue to grow and thrive while more traditional brick and mortar small businesses suffered the full extent of the pandemic. Additionally, through the analysis of strategies used by large big-box retailers when dealing with an obstacle regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and how those strategies regarding customer distribution and access to products, directly relate to the performance of small businesses in competition with those retailers. Through this study, it has become clear that the ability to adapt and be flexible with consumers changing wants and needs is what became crucial for the success of a small business.

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Keywords

small business, pandemic, COVID-19, Honors College

Citation

Gray, S. K. (2021). The life and death of the small business: The COVID-19 pandemic as told by the retail world (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.

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