Abstract
<p><em>Traditional market as a major resource of inexpensive goods for countless middle and low-income classes as well as an essential source of livings for many persons is one of the crowded places having high risk of SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) transmission. In a one hand, working in packed, precarious conditions, and becoming sick due to COVID-19 will have devastating effects on sellers’ entire households. In the other hand, markets must remain open so that customers may buy goods and sellers and their supply chains may preserve their livings. By taking location in Gede Market, Cilacap Regency, Central Java Province, this research aims (i) to analyze the social and economic vulnerability of sellers to COVID-19 pandemic, and (ii) to identify the coping strategy of sellers to deal with COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data were retrieved towards 50 traditional market sellers and related keypersons. AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) was used to measure the weight of each variable and factor of social and economic vulnerability. Multi scenarios analysis of socioeconomic vulnerability were conducted (social scenario, economic scenario, and equal scenario) resulting 18 percent, 48 percent, and 34 percent respondents having high level of vulnerability, respectively. There are as many as 18 percent of respondents who are always categorized in high vulnerability regardless of the scenario. Different coping strategies used by sellers to deal with economic problems during COVID-19 Pandemic such as reducing the number of commodities, conducting online selling, saving expenses, borrowing money, reducing the number of workers, transforming the fresh food commodities (perishable goods) into frozen food (more durable goods), and selling the commodities around neighborhood. However, this study also observed that some respondents did not undertake any coping strategy.</em><strong></strong></p>
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