Ethnographic Market Analysis: Cross-Cultural Marketing Communication and Service Strategies of Kakiyah Market Traders Toward International Hajj Pilgrims

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the marketing communication practices and cross-cultural service strategies employed by traders in Kakiyah Market toward international Hajj pilgrims through a market ethnography approach. Kakiyah Market is positioned as a socio-economic and religious space that brings together local traders and Hajj pilgrims from diverse countries with varying cultural backgrounds, languages, and consumption preferences. This research employs a qualitative method with an ethnographic design through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the traders’ marketing communication strategies are adaptive and interpersonal, characterized by the use of multicultural languages, emotional-religious approaches, and flexible price negotiations. Meanwhile, cross-cultural service practices demonstrate the traders’ ability to adjust to the diverse expectations of pilgrims, although challenges remain in the form of language barriers and variations in intercultural service standards. The study confirms that interactions within Kakiyah Market are not merely economic in nature but also contain complex social and cultural meanings within the context of the religious consumption practices of international Hajj pilgrims. This research implies the importance of strengthening intercultural communication competencies among traders, as well as maintaining a balance between service modernization and the preservation of the traditional religious market character