Digital marketing strategy for MSMEs Jepara Go International furniture: Opportunities and challenges in Malaysia

Abstract

This study analyzes the digital marketing strategies implemented by furniture small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jepara, Indonesia, in their efforts to enter the Malaysian market and identifies the opportunities and challenges associated with internationalization. A descriptive qualitative approach was adopted within a constructivist paradigm, using the 7P Marketing Mix as the theoretical framework. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations of Jepara furniture SMEs using purposive sampling, while secondary data were obtained from Ministry of Trade export data, LPEI, and Malaysian e-commerce reports. The findings indicate that Jepara furniture SMEs are shifting from costly physical exhibitions toward integrated digital marketing strategies. Key practices include premium product positioning supported by carving-process video storytelling, value-based pricing, cross-border distribution through the Shopee International Platform and TikTok Shop Malaysia, and virtual showrooms using augmented reality. Malaysia offers opportunities as a premium ethnic niche market due to cultural similarities, e-commerce growth, and preferential tariff arrangements under ATIGA. However, SMEs face challenges related to skilled human resources, digital literacy, SVLK certification costs, logistics, and competition from China, Vietnam, and Malaysia. The study proposes a Jepara Hybrid Go-International model integrating digital 7P marketing, cross-border e-commerce, cultural differentiation, and ecosystem support to strengthen the internationalization of Jepara furniture SMEs.