The narrative dominating the Indonesian digital business landscape throughout the first half of 2026 has been one of mass exodus—a perceived flight of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from major marketplaces in response to mounting operational costs. However, a granular analysis of transaction data from the payment services sector suggests that the reality is far more nuanced. Rather than abandoning the e-commerce ecosystem, local brands are undergoing a strategic "rebalancing" of their digital presence, moving away from total reliance on monolithic platforms toward a more resilient, diversified distribution model.
The Anatomy of the Digital Shift
Pribadi Hasto Kusumo, Head of SME Business at DOKU, provides a crucial corrective to the prevailing discourse. In a recent industry briefing, Hasto clarified that the term "exodus" is a misnomer for the current market behavior. According to his assessment, SME owners are not shuttering their stores on major marketplaces; instead, they are deliberately scaling back their dependence on a single platform to mitigate the risks associated with unpredictable fee structures.
"It is essential to clarify that SMEs are not fleeing the market. What we are witnessing is a rebalancing of business operations," Hasto explained. "Brands are not closing their stores; they are simply ensuring that they do not rely 100 percent on one platform. This is a strategic move to build a safety net."
This shift comes against a backdrop of significant financial pressure. Throughout 2026, major e-commerce platforms in Indonesia have implemented multiple adjustments to their fee structures. These changes have affected both administrative costs and logistics, creating a cumulative burden that has forced many business owners to re-evaluate their profit margins. When operational costs increase two or three times within a single fiscal year, the predictability of business becomes compromised. For many merchants, the deciding factor is not the immediate cost of the hike, but the uncertainty regarding future adjustments.
Chronology of the 2026 Cost Escalation
The friction between merchants and marketplace operators reached a fever pitch in early 2026, though the groundwork for this tension was laid in the final quarter of the previous year.
- Q4 2025: Marketplaces announce revisions to seller service fees, citing infrastructure investments and logistics integration costs.
- January 2026: New fee structures go into effect. Standard service fees increase from an average of 1.5% to 2%. High-margin categories, such as fashion, experience a sharper spike, moving from 5.5% to 7.5% per transaction.
- February–March 2026: Initial complaints emerge on social media platforms, with merchant groups discussing "platform fatigue" and the viability of independent web-stores.
- April 2026: The Ministry of SMEs reports a surge in grievances submitted via direct messaging channels, prompting government intervention.
- May 2026: The Ministry of Trade accelerates the revision of Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) No. 31 of 2023, aiming to enforce greater transparency in fee disclosure.
Data-Driven Insights: The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Channels
While DOKU does not track activity within internal marketplace ecosystems, its data on direct merchant transactions provides a clear window into how businesses are diversifying. By analyzing transaction volumes from January to July 2025 compared to the same period in 2026, the company observed a significant trend toward "Direct-to-Consumer" (DTC) growth.
For merchants who maintained an active presence in both periods, the volume of transactions on their independent, direct channels more than doubled. This indicates that SMEs are increasingly investing in their own brand websites and social commerce solutions, leveraging payment gateways to bypass the high transaction costs inherent in the marketplace model.
The growth is not limited to large-scale enterprises. DOKU’s internal data reveals that over one-third of their active merchant base successfully doubled their transaction volume on independent channels within the last year. Furthermore, approximately 50% of the total active merchant population recorded a minimum 20% growth in transaction value during the same timeframe. These figures suggest that the "rebalancing" is a widespread phenomenon, driven by a growing awareness among local brands of the importance of owning their customer data and controlling their own sales margins.
Government Intervention and Regulatory Pressures
The widespread discontent among SMEs has forced the Indonesian government to take a more active role in regulating the digital economy. Minister of SMEs Maman Abdurrahman has acknowledged the scale of the issue, noting that complaints regarding platform fees have become a daily occurrence across various government communication channels.
In response, the Ministry of Trade has taken decisive action to address the lack of transparency in fee structures. Minister of Trade Budi Santoso confirmed that the revision of Permendag No. 31 of 2023 is in its final stages. The primary objective of this regulatory update is to compel e-commerce platforms to provide granular, itemized breakdowns of all costs charged to sellers. By mandating transparency, the government hopes to create a fairer playing field and prevent platforms from unilaterally imposing hidden or excessive fees that threaten the sustainability of SMEs.
Implications for the Indonesian Digital Economy
The transition toward a multi-channel strategy has profound implications for the future of Indonesian e-commerce. Historically, the convenience of the "all-in-one" marketplace model facilitated rapid growth for millions of SMEs. However, the current environment has highlighted the fragility of this dependency.
As merchants shift toward a hybrid model—maintaining a presence on major marketplaces for traffic acquisition while funneling loyal customers toward direct, lower-cost channels—the competitive landscape is evolving. Platforms that prioritize merchant retention and fair pricing are likely to thrive, while those that view merchants as a captive audience may face significant attrition as SMEs become more technologically savvy.
Furthermore, the rise of independent channels necessitates a higher level of digital maturity among SMEs. Businesses are now required to manage their own logistics, marketing, and customer support, moving beyond the "plug-and-play" nature of established marketplaces. This transition, while challenging, is expected to produce a more robust and professionalized SME sector in the long term.
The Road Ahead: Balancing Growth and Sustainability
The data indicates that the narrative of a total departure from marketplaces is an oversimplification. Instead, the Indonesian market is entering a phase of maturity where brand independence is becoming a key performance indicator for success.
The "rebalancing" strategy is, in essence, a hedge against the volatility of the digital economy. As SMEs continue to navigate these shifts, the role of payment infrastructure providers, logistics partners, and government regulators will be critical. The focus for the remainder of 2026 will be on whether the planned regulatory interventions can stabilize the market or if further industry-led innovations will be required to ensure that the cost of doing business remains conducive to growth.
Ultimately, the goal for the Indonesian digital economy is to strike a balance between the convenience offered by massive platforms and the necessity for sustainable, independent growth for the SMEs that form the backbone of the nation’s economy. The current period of adjustment is a vital part of this evolution, signaling that while the digital landscape is changing, it remains a robust engine for commerce, provided that the participants—merchants, platforms, and regulators—can find a sustainable equilibrium.
