Abstract
This study examines how beekeepers perceive the benefits of digital platforms for customer relationships and strategic outcomes, and whether these perceptions differ based on their digital experience. Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected in 2024 in Poland through a survey of 949 beekeepers and 30 expert interviews. Quantitative results show that digitally experienced beekeepers reported higher perceived benefits across all customer relationship dimensions and most strategic ones, particularly in transparency and honey quality, as confirmed by Mann-Whitney U tests and a random forest model. No significant difference was found for customer loyalty, indicating that loyalty depends more on long-term relationships than digital proficiency. Qualitative insights revealed that digital platforms foster trust, support quality improvement, and strengthen beekeeper–customer connections. The study enhances our understanding of how digital experiences shape perceived benefits, and it also provides practical guidance for prioritizing platform features that promote transparency, quality monitoring, and effective communication.