Why Tanah Abang Market is No Longer Packed Before Ramadan
Jakarta – The atmosphere at Tanah Abang Market in Central Jakarta is beginning to attract more visitors as Ramadan approaches. A number of visitors can be seen walking through the clothing kiosk lanes, with some pausing to browse the merchants’ wares.
However, this increase in foot traffic is reportedly not yet comparable to the period before the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors appear to be able to walk fairly comfortably without the crowding that was common in previous years.
Several merchants attribute the change to shifts in consumer shopping behaviour since the pandemic. Nowadays, many buyers have switched to online shopping, including through live shopping features on social media platforms such as TikTok.
Verni, a clothing merchant at Tanah Abang, acknowledged that this situation has forced traders to adapt by selling online as well.
“I also sell (online), but on Shopee. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t make a profit relying solely on sales here. But thankfully it’s getting busy before Ramadan, though it’s very different from how it used to be,” Verni told CNBC Indonesia when met at the location on Tuesday (10 March 2026).
According to her, Tanah Abang used to be the primary destination for people seeking clothing because of its very comprehensive selection.
“Perhaps in the past people really had to come to Tanah Abang for the wide variety of choices. But now things are more modern – everything is available on devices, so people can shop via their mobile phones,” she said.
Another merchant, Oong, also observed similar changes. According to him, an increasing number of consumers prefer shopping through digital platforms because it is more practical.
“We here lose out to online sellers. Tanah Abang looks quiet, not as busy as before, because people have already switched to online,” Oong said.
According to Oong, TikTok’s live shopping feature makes the online shopping experience increasingly appealing to consumers. In fact, according to him, shopping online now is almost as good as shopping in person.
“That’s the thing – it has quite an impact. People can now buy clothes whilst lying in bed. The sellers do a good job of explaining the material details, style and sizing,” he said.
This phenomenon is also acknowledged by visitors. Ledis, a shopper from Bandung, admitted that she has been buying clothes online more frequently in recent years.
“Actually, I’ve been buying online for some years now, because I’m tired of having to come here to shop while fasting. It’s just that I’m looking for bulk purchases this time, so I had no choice,” Ledis said.
According to her, the live shopping feature allows buyers to see products more clearly before making a purchase.
“I’d definitely prefer to buy online. The prices aren’t much different. And now there’s also the live feature, so we can ask about the style first, the seller can show us the material and sizing,” Ledis said.
Meanwhile, based on monitoring of TikTok social media, several live broadcasts offering products such as clothing or Ramadan outfits appear to have quite impressive viewer numbers, reaching up to around 800 viewers.
The live shopping feature process indeed offers convenience for users. While scrolling through TikTok, users can directly discover live broadcasts showcasing products being sold.
Users simply need to watch the broadcast, then can ask questions and interact directly with the seller about product details, ranging from material, style, to size. Once they feel satisfied, buyers can proceed directly to the payment process without leaving the application.
However, if the product or price on offer is not suitable, users simply need to scroll back to find another live shopping broadcast. In this way, buyers no longer need to walk far around a shopping centre looking for the items they want.