Agricultural Economics

Agricultural Economics

The Role of Virtual Space and Online Sales Platforms in the Marketing of Golestan Agricultural Products in Tehran under Sanctions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Professor and faculty of Mohaghegh Ardabili University
2 .PhD Candidate in Business Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran.
10.22034/iaes.2025.2075697.2155
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the role of cyberspace and online sales platforms in promoting the production of agricultural products of Golestan Company in Tehran, and the sanctions conditions are used as a modifier in them. The pressures resulting from sanctions and structural restrictions on access to the international market have doubled the need for the use of digital channels for domestic brands. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in nature. The statistical population includes users of the platforms Digikala, Snapmarket, and Basalam, along with the audience of the official Golestan website and consumers of selected products including tea, rice, legumes, spices, and dried fruits. The sample size was determined using the Cochran formula as 384 people and the data was collected in a prepared manner. The validity of the instruments was conducted with factor analysis and reliability was examined with Cronbach's alpha, and the hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling in SmartPLS3 software. The results showed that cyberspace has the greatest effect on increasing information and credibility, and online sales platforms play an important role in purchasing and increasing conversion rates. Also, in the context of sanctions, the synergy of these two tools has further strengthened the affected paths. The path coefficients of the intermediate steps were between 0.56 and 0.80, and the statistical results were higher than 1.96, which reflects the main hypotheses of the research at a 95% confidence level. These results show that digital dynamism in restrictive conditions is the transfer of information from cyberspace communication capital to online sales platforms and the transformation into customer dependence. A mechanism that can lead to market retention and sustainable competitive advantage for agricultural brands in the context of sanctions.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 January 2026