Digital Marketplace Based Marketing Strategy to Improve MSMEs Competitiveness

Abstract

This study aims to analyze marketplace-based digital marketing strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a specific focus on the highly dynamic Food and Beverage (F&B) sector within the youth-dominated urban market of Malang City. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were gathered through a triangulation of in-depth interviews, non-participant observations, and documentation. Informants were strategically selected using purposive sampling, with data saturation serving as the parameter for methodological rigor. The collected data were evaluated using SWOT analysis to systematically map internal capabilities against external digital market dynamics. The findings reveal that while MSMEs exhibit inherent strengths in product authenticity and operational flexibility, they encounter critical structural weaknesses, notably in digital literacy and consistent customer engagement management. Furthermore, the exponential growth of digital shopping habits presents significant opportunities, which must be leveraged to mitigate emerging threats such as intense predatory pricing and volatile platform algorithms. The study concludes that achieving optimal competitiveness requires a paradigm shift beyond a passive online presence; it necessitates aggressive interactive engagement, the cultivation of strong brand authenticity to capture Generation Z consumers, and strategic institutional collaborations to bridge the operational digital divide.