Exploring Customer Loyalty in Islamic Traditional Markets: Insights from Relationship Marketing and Experiential Marketing Theories

The Islamic traditional market, a traditional public space in Islamic cities, has always been a vital component of urban life, largely revolving around commercial activities, but it goes beyond this as it also serves as an important forum for political, cultural, social, and religious communication (Bin Lahuri et al., The development of traditional market by the government of special region of Yogyakarta in Islamic economics perspective, 2021. 10.13140/RG.2.2.19823.15520). This research explores the complex relationship between traditional markets and customer loyalty using qualitative research techniques that draw insights from relationship marketing theory (RMT) and experiential marketing theory (EMT). By summarizing the principles and strategies derived from these theories, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of how traditional markets strategically build customer loyalty, following a rigorous search, resulting in the selection of a portfolio of 48 articles from scientific databases. Nvivo 12 was used to collect and analyze the data. Qualitative analysis based on EMT shows how important personalized interactions, building trust, and mutual value creation are to maintaining long-term customer relationships. This understanding forms the basis for comprehending the fundamentals of customer retention in traditional market conditions. His qualitative assessment of EMT based on RMT highlights the importance of creating memorable and engaging experiences for your customers. By creating unique sensory, emotional, and cognitive experiences, traditional markets can create emotional connections and strengthen customer loyalty. These experience elements play a central role in shaping customer perception and building loyalty. Based on qualitative insights, this article describes how traditional markets are integrating relationship-building activities and experiential marketing strategies to create a holistic approach to fostering loyalty. It highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing these theories in a rapidly changing market environment. The implications of this theoretical article are based on qualitative information and offer practical advice for traditional markets to build customer loyalty. By employing relationship-building techniques and experiential marketing strategies, businesses can build lasting and meaningful relationships with their customers, driving loyalty, repeat purchase behavior, and positive word of mouth. This paper highlights the need for future research in this area, especially the exploration of new technologies and changing consumer preferences. By incorporating qualitative techniques, researchers gain new insights and gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between traditional markets and customer engagement.