GROWTH PATTERNS OF MSMEs THROUGH THE USE OF DIGITAL PLATFORMS: A CASE STUDY OF MARKETPLACE ADOPTION IN THE FASHION SECTOR

The digitization of MSMEs is commonly understood through a dichotomy that positions marketplaces as neutral instruments, while business actors are viewed as the sole source of agency. This perspective overlooks how entrepreneurs’ goals, strategies, and decisions are shaped through their interactions with digital platforms. This article examines the adoption of the Shopee marketplace by two fashion SMEs in West Java, Fameloriginal and Naylatuhijab, through the lens of Actor–Network Theory (ANT), using Bruno Latour’s concept of translation as the primary analytical framework, complemented by Michel Callon’s concept of market performativity. A qualitative case study approach was employed, with data collected through in-depth interviews with both business owners. The findings indicate that, in these two cases, the shift to Shopee constituted a detour that not only changed sales channels but also redirected entrepreneurs’ goals toward new strategies, including social media integration, influencer collaborations, multiple store accounts, and official websites. Shopee’s visibility algorithm appeared to mediate sellers’ decisions, while differences in resource capacity were associated with distinct adaptation patterns between the two SMEs. These findings suggest that, in the cases examined, marketplaces functioned not merely as neutral transaction platforms but as market agencements that shaped entrepreneurial practices while exposing limitations in platform support. Accordingly, policies promoting MSME digitalization should move beyond encouraging onboarding toward strengthening platform governance, particularly by improving transparency and the distribution of algorithmic visibility to better support the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of MSMEs.