Pricing Practices on Digital Platforms from the Perspective of Islamic Business Ethics: A Study of Marketplace Operators in Indonesia

Fadhila Sukur Indra; Miftahul Huda

doi:10.2711/jidef.v2i01.584

Authors

Fadhila Sukur Indra Universitas Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5256-3686
Miftahul Huda Universitas Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-4816

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2711/jidef.v2i01.584

Keywords:

Digital platform; Islamic business ethics; Price determination; Price transparency; Marketplace.

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to analyze the pricing mechanisms on digital platforms, identify the factors influencing price volatility, and examine these mechanisms from the perspective of Islamic business ethics. Method: This study employs a qualitative field case study approach in Indonesia. Primary data was collected through in-depth interviews with marketplace business operators selected via purposive sampling. Data analysis applied the interactive model proposed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. Results: Research findings indicate that pricing on digital platforms is dynamic (dynamic pricing) and highly responsive to platform structure, moving beyond the conventional cost-plus pricing method. Prices are determined through real-time interactions between internal cost calculations, competitive strategies among stores, platform algorithms, promotional momentum (such as flash sales or date-matching promotions), and consumer perceptions of value. This strategy is crucial for sellers to maintain product visibility and competitiveness. However, this pricing structure is often not fully understood by buyers, leading to information asymmetry. Implications: Ethically, price flexibility aligns with the principle of al-’adl and free-market mechanisms. However, this paper emphasizes the need for transparency (bayān), mutual consent (tarāḍin), and trustworthiness; thus, psychological manipulation such as raising prices before applying a discount is deemed ethically flawed. Accountable platform governance and the strengthening of consumer digital literacy are required. Novelty: This study lies in a shift in the focus of academic analysis from a previous tendency to treat price solely as a static economic variable influencing purchasing decisions to an analysis of socio-technological processes. This study examines how digital prices are constructed as the result of complex negotiations mediated by socio-economic technologies (algorithms and platform interface design) and are empirically evaluated using the substantive principles of Islamic mua'malah ethics.

References

Abdulsalam, T. A., Omolaja, R. A., Tajudeen, R. B., & Abdulazeez, S. O. (2024). Efficacy of Digital Pricing Strategies on Customer Buying Decisions in the E-Commerce Industry: A PLS-SEM Approach. African Journal of Stability and Development (AJSD), 16(1), 73–123. https://doi.org/10.53982/ajsd.2024.1501.03-j

Alam, N., & Ali, S. N. (2020). Fintech, Digital Currency and the Future of Islamic Finance: Strategic, Regulatory and Adoption Issues in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Fintech, Digital Currency and the Future of Islamic Finance: Strategic, Regulatory and Adoption Issues in the Gulf Cooperation Council, 1–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49248-9

Andriyani, A. (2025). The Role of Emotion in the Purchase Process of Generation Z. PARADE RISET, 3(1), 43–48. https://ejurnal.ubharajaya.ac.id/index.php/PARS/article/view/4754

Anggraeni, R., Saebah, N., & Fathiya, D. N. (2025). Analyzing Pricing Strategy in Competitive E-Commerce Ecosystems Like Tokopedia and Shopee. Journal of Strategic Marketing and Applied Economics, 1(2), 53–60. https://doi.org/10.59261/jsmae.v1i2.9

Choirun Nisak. (2023). Etika Bisnis Perspektif Etika Bisnis Syariah. Journal of Economics and Business, 1(2), 107–118. https://doi.org/10.61994/econis.v1i2.204

Elmaghraby, W., & Keskinocak, P. (2003). Dynamic pricing in the presence of inventory considerations: Research overview, current practices, and future directions. Management Science, 49(10), 1287–1309. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.49.10.1287.17315

Faehnle, A., & Guidolin, M. (2021). Dynamic Pricing Recognition on E-Commerce Platforms with VAR Processes. Forecasting 2021, Vol. 3, Pages 166-180, 3(1), 166–180. https://doi.org/10.3390/FORECAST3010011

Hartawati, Wiraatmaja, J., Jeffrie, & Nurbasari, A. (2023). The Influence of Online Customer Reviews, Prices, and Sales Promotions on Buying Interests in the Tokopedia Marketplace. The Journal of Management, Digital Business, and Entrepreneurship, 1(1), 40–49. https://doi.org/10.58857/JMDBE.2023.v01.i01.p04

Hasiloglu, M., & Kaya, O. (2021). An analysis of price, service and commission rate decisions in online sales made through E-commerce platforms. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2021.107688

Husin Lubis, A. (2026). Price Dynamics and Demand Elasticity in the Platform Economy Era: A Quantitative Analysis of the Online Retail Sector in Indonesia. International Journal of Economics (IJEC), 5(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.55299/ijec.v5i1.1720

Juniantara, I. M. A., & Sukawati, T. G. R. (2018). Pengaruh Persepsi Harga, Promosi, Dan Kualitas Pelayanan Terhadap Kepuasan Dan Dampaknya Terhadap Loyalitas Konsumen. E-Jurnal Manajemen Universitas Udayana, 7(11), 5955. https://doi.org/10.24843/ejmunud.2018.v07.i11.p06

Kannan, P. K., & Kopalle, P. K. (2001). Dynamic pricing on the Internet: Importance and implications for consumer behavior. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 5(3), 63–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2001.11044211

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2021). Marketing Management. In Pearson Practice Hall (Vol. 2, Issue 1). Pearson.

Kumari, A., & S, M. K. (2023). A Cloud Native Framework for Real-time Pricing in e-Commerce. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2023.0140457

Lestari, P. S., & Jubaedah, D. (2023). Prinsip-Prinsip Umum Etika Bisnis Islam. J-Alif : Jurnal Penelitian Hukum Ekonomi Syariah Dan Budaya Islam, 8(2), 220. https://doi.org/10.35329/jalif.v8i2.4514

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1984). Drawing Valid Meaning from Qualitative Data: Toward a Shared Craft. Educational Researcher, 13(5), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X013005020

Nurfitriani, N., & Nugroho, M. A. (2023). Customer Perception and Price Sensitivity: A Study of Muslim Consumers Behavior on Shopee. International Journal of Islamic Economics, 5(01), 30–37. https://doi.org/10.32332/IJIE.V5I01.7620

Rakib, M. R. H. K., Pramanik, S. A. K., Amran, M. Al, Islam, M. N., & Sarker, M. O. F. (2022). Factors affecting young customers’ smartphone purchase intention during Covid-19 pandemic. Heliyon, 8(9), e10599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10599

Rofiudin. (2025). Personal Communication.

Saputri, S. A., Berliana, I., Berliana, I., & Nasrida, M. F. (2023). Peran Marketplace Dalam Meningkatkan Daya Saing Umkm Di Indonesia. Knowledge: Jurnal Inovasi Hasil Penelitian Dan Pengembangan, 3(1), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.51878/knowledge.v3i1.2199

Schiliro, D. (2022). Digital Economy and Digital Transformation (pp. 26–42). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-4265-4.ch002

Shofiyah, Z., & Faishol, M. (2024). Korelasi Aksioma Etika Islam Dengan Perilaku Ekonomi Islam. At-Tasharruf “Jurnal Kajian Ekonomi Dan Bisnis Syariah,” 6(1), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.32528/at.v6i1.1632

Taymiyyah, I. (2001). Al-Hisbah fi al-Islam.

Togar Mulia Sirait, R., Ginting, M., & Suryani, W. (2024). Dynamic pricing and consumer inertia: An empirical analysis. Journal of Innovation in Business and Economics, 8(02). https://doi.org/10.22219/jibe.v8i02.36013

Triwibowo, A., & Adam, M. A. (2023). Etika Bisnis Islam Dalam Praktek Bisnis Di Era Digital Ekonomi. Margin: Jurnal Bisnis Islam Dan Perbankan Syariah, 24–36. https://doi.org/10.58561/MARGIN.V2I1.65

Ummah, M. S. (2019). Towards Understanding Islam. In Sustainability (Switzerland) (Vol. 11, Issue 1). Islamic Publications.

Waoma, S., . R., . A.-A., . Z., Izmuddin, I., & Judijanto, L. (2024). Perceptual Mapping Marketplace Tiktok Shop, Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, Blibli: Positioning Marketplace Based on Indonesia Online Shopper Preferences. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(4), 2726–2737. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i4.3786

Widyastuti, A. N., Pujiharto, P., Tubastuvi, N., & Santoso, S. B. (2020). The Effect of Marketing Mix on Purchase Decisions. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 11(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.18196/MB.11295

Xhema, J., Metin, H., & Groumpos, P. (2018). Switching-Costs, Corporate Image and Product Quality effect on Customer Loyalty: Kosovo Retail Market. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 51(30), 287–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2018.11.303