Consumer perception and commercial viability of local products from the San Eloy Commune of the Jipijapa Canton

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze consumer perception and the commercial viability of products made with local raw materials by women entrepreneurs from the San Eloy commune, La Unión parish, Jipijapa canton, within the framework of a community outreach project focused on the inclusion of rural women in entrepreneurship. The research followed a quantitative, descriptive approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design. A structured Likert-scale survey was applied to a sample of 196 consumers from the urban and rural areas of Jipijapa canton, calculated using the finite population formula. The results showed a positive assessment of the products' local origin, freshness, and price, along with a predominantly favorable purchase intention, although limitations remained regarding availability, packaging, and marketing channels. The cross-tabulation of variables revealed an association between prior knowledge of the product's community origin and purchase intention. It was concluded that San Eloy's products have favorable commercial viability, supported by positive local consumer perception, provided that promotion, packaging, and distribution strategies are strengthened to consolidate their market positioning.