Google Play review analysis on Sharia pawnshop applications in Indonesia

Abstract

Digital transformation opens opportunities for Sharia pawnshops to develop innovative application-based services following Sharia principles. This study analyzes the perception and experience of users of the Sharia pawnshop application on the Google Play Store using a netnography approach. It collects and analyzes 395 user reviews between June and December 2024, which consist of 219 positive reviews and 176 negative reviews. The analysis shows that 59.82% of users gave positive reviews regarding satisfaction with using the application, especially regarding transaction security and ease of use. As many as 17.35% of positive reviews emphasized the benefits of the application in transforming Islamic financial services. The main challenges identified included update system problems (35.23%), technical and server problems (30.11%), and registration complexity (5.68%). There was also a discrepancy between numerical ratings and review content. Important concerns include service problems (9.66%) and limited choice of Islamic banks (5.11%). This research provides important insights for the development of digital Islamic finance applications in the future, especially in the aspects of improving technological infrastructure, simplifying processes, and improving the quality of customer service. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of user needs in the context of the digitization of Islamic financial services in Indonesia.