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Review

An Overview of the Increasing Ornamental Plant Business in Indonesia Post-COVID-19 Pandemic as a Result of Social Media and Its Future Perspective

by
Syariful Mubarok
1,*,
Erni Suminar
1,
Tuti Karyani
2,
Fathi Rufaidah
3,
Dwi Novanda Sari
4 and
Bayu Pradana Nur Rahmat
5
1
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia
2
Department of Social Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia
3
Doctoral Program of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia
4
Study Program of Agro-Technopreneur, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia
5
Master Program of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14211; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914211
Submission received: 24 July 2023 / Revised: 19 September 2023 / Accepted: 24 September 2023 / Published: 26 September 2023
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
The ornamental plant is one of the important horticultural commodities in Indonesia, but its development differs from that of other horticultural commodities, such as vegetable and fruit plants. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has been ongoing since early 2020, apart from having an impact on health, has also positively impacted the ornamental plant business in Indonesia. Home confinement caused certain physiological problems that could be solved by indoor gardening activity, leading to an increase in the demand for ornamental plants, especially for leafy ornamental plants. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the growth of the ornamental production business in Indonesia in terms of psychological needs and the power of social media. There was an increase in ornamental prices due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Consumer preferences and behaviors were also altered by the pandemic, as indicated by consumers’ new motivations, perceptions, learning, and belief systems regarding ornamental plants. The government has launched several strategies to gain domestic competitiveness and maintain its sustainability in the environment. Digital transformation has been applied by ornamental plant businesses in Indonesia. The digital marketing of ornamental plants relies on social media concepts such as entertainment, customization, interactions, electronic word of mouth (EWOM), and trendiness.

1. Introduction

Coronavirus has spread worldwide, affecting 218 countries and territories, with almost 89,454,585 confirmed cases and 1,924,055 deaths by 9 January 2021. COVID-19 has impacted people’s health and other aspects, such as social, economic, and political. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy has been huge; tourism was effectively stopped during the pandemic, public transportation was restricted, and retail stores, shopping centers, restaurants, and other public facilities that attract crowds were closed. Many businesses were forced into bankruptcy during these times, leading to increased unemployment rates.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the growth of the economy. It also confined people to their homes for weeks. Home confinement stimulates multiple changes in a person’s psyche. Rajkumar [1] revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic caused people to feel anxious, depressed, and stressed more often. Brooks et al. [2] reported similar findings: limited activity due to home confinement for weeks could increase negative emotions such as fear, disappointment, uncertainty, and stress.
To cope with the psychological impact of COVID-19, people required beneficial indoor activities. One practical indoor activity was creating indoor green areas around the house. Pouso et al. [3] reported that people living inside homes with green open spaces were more resistant to the adverse psychological effects of the pandemic. Green areas are proven to be effective in inducing positive emotions. When near green places, people feel more positive and less stressed and express better cognitive skills [4]. Thus, indoor gardening offered a solution to the psychological fatigue caused by the pandemic.
The main component of indoor gardening is ornamental plants, primarily produced by the floriculture industry. The Indonesian floriculture industry has long been one of the pillars of the country’s agricultural sector [5], with a contribution to the overall Indonesian gross domestic product (GDP) of 1.47% in 2019. The main strength of Indonesia’s floriculture industry is the high diversity of flora found within the Indonesian archipelago [6]. Indonesia is home to 27,500 different species of flowers, ferns, and other types of ornamental plants [5]. Relying on this diversity, floriculture has been one of the vital agribusiness sectors of Indonesia [6]. Statistics [7] reported that ornamental plant production since 2017 had registered an increase of 5.75% by 2019 and was expected to increase even more in 2020. This diversity confirms the essential role of Indonesia in the international floricultural market [5], as indicated by the increase in the export tonnage and export destinations of Indonesian floricultural products. In addition, the demand for domestic floricultural products has also been increasing year after year [5,6]. The main driving factors of the domestic demand growth are the increased popularity of indoor gardening, the growth of the tourism and food sectors, and shifts within the Indonesian culture itself [7]. It is likely that the floriculture business in Indonesia will continue to grow after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social media prompted the growth of floriculture businesses in Indonesia amidst the ongoing pandemic. Social media is one of the most effective communication mechanisms today [8], with almost four billion active users worldwide in 2020. A previous study [9] reported that the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of social media active users in Indonesia by 17% or 25 million new active users. This was probably caused by the lockdown, which forced people in Indonesia to spend most of their time at home. Social media also displays a substantial influence on people’s buying behavior. For example, a potential customer searching for gardening information online is 19% more likely to purchase horticultural products [10]. Chen and Huang [11] reported that social media enables flower shop owners to reach and interact with new customers, increasing exposure to the shop’s products and services. Social media also allows business owners to show their proficiency to the public, increasing their trustworthiness [12] and shaping their brand’s image more easily [11]. Thus, a flower shop with a more attractive social media home page, filled with eye-catching and well-designed photos of their products, can sell more products than others [11].
In this article, we review the effects of ornamental plants on people’s psyches and the role of social media in ensuring the continuous growth of the floriculture agribusiness sector in Indonesia during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has impacted consumers’ values and preferences, increasing interest in sustainable and nature-focused lifestyles. Ornamental plants have become popular, not only for their visual appeal but also due to their perceived mental and emotional well-being advantages. This literature can reveal how these changing consumer attitudes manifest in their buying choices and emerging trends. Furthermore, examining the ornamental plant industry in conjunction with social media offers valuable insights into the potential use of digital approaches for expansion and engagement in a post-pandemic era, which can contribute to the development of ornamental production in Indonesia.

2. Growth of Ornamental Plant Business in Indonesia

2.1. New Trends in Ornamental Plant Preferences and Behavior: A Classification

Changes in human behavior resulting in negative emotions (stress, sadness, fearfulness, and depression) commonly occurred during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This was due to restrictions on activities outside the home, where people were forced to remain at home for several weeks without the possibility of moving around freely [12]. Since the early 1970s, the benefits of plants for humans have been widely studied, especially in influencing mental health. Individuals living near green spaces exhibit fewer mental disorders and higher well-being [13]. This shows a good relationship between the role of plants and human emotions. These psychological benefits may be related to the so-called concept of biophilia (i.e., a preference for interacting in the natural environment as a consequence of our evolutionary course) and based on the theory of restorative effects (i.e., regaining psychological, social, and physical capacities) [4,14].
Consumers are willing to buy an agribusiness product based on a desire to satisfy their needs and wants [15]. Cultural, social, personal, and psychological elements significantly shape consumer buying choices. Many factors are beyond one’s control, but it is crucial to consider them to assess their impact on purchasing behavior [15,16]. One of the factors that most affects ornamental plant consumption is psychological aspects. Psychological aspects that impact an individual’s selection of products are motivation, perception, knowledge or learning, and belief systems [14,17]. Motivation is a genuine desire that compels an individual to seek means to fulfill their requirements. Perception is how an individual articulates, organizes, and interprets information to construct a meaningful understanding of the world. A motivated individual is prepared to take action. Learning pertains to alterations in an individual’s conduct resulting from their experiences. Robust incentives, motivational cues, and favorable role models represent crucial applications of learning theory for marketers when generating demand for a product [14,15,17]. A belief system refers to the convictions, principles, and values that shape an individual’s perspectives and influence their purchasing choices. These beliefs can encompass many factors, including personal values, cultural norms, social influences, and previous experiences. Consumer belief systems are pivotal in guiding how people perceive products, brands, and marketing messages, ultimately impacting their buying decisions [17,18]. Table 1 shows the evolution of Indonesian consumer preferences and behaviors after the COVID-19 pandemic, marked by relevant changes based on consumers’ new motivations, perceptions, learning, and belief systems regarding ornamental plants [19,20,21].

2.2. The Indonesian Competitive Environment and the Evolving Marketing Strategy of the Ornamental Plant Business

The trend in using ornamental plants to decorate homes has been popular since the 1980s. Aside from decorating homes, ornamental plants also used to decorate offices, hotels, and restaurants. Ornamental plants are widely used in ceremonies, parties, holidays, etc. There are increasing types of ornamental plants in the collections of hobbyists and gardeners, along with the emergence of various trends for ornamental plants from abroad. The increase in production and demand for ornamental plants continued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various ornamental plants that were rarely seen before now have high economic value. Ornamental plant production during the pandemic increased. For example, the production of the Dracaena plant in 2019 (before the pandemic) was only 8,017,348 trees, while, in 2021 (after the pandemic), production increased up to 12,410,655 trees [32]. The increase in ornamental plant production during the pandemic could have been due to the boredom experienced by people forced to remain at home; thus, caring for ornamental plants became a remedy for boredom and stress relief [8]. The global economy was influenced by COVID-19 in three main ways: directly impacting production and demand, developing a supply chain and disrupting the market, and having a financial effect on businesses and financial markets.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the turnover of ornamental plant traders has increased dramatically to 40% from normal conditions, with a price increase of around 100–300% compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (Table 1). This increase is influenced by people’s lifestyles, as they spend more time at home. Many people try to explore new activities or hobbies that are ongoing, one of which is cultivating ornamental plants at home [33]. Leafy ornamental plants are the most popular ornamental plants in Indonesia. For example, the Aglaonema has experienced great demand among many people. Aglaonema is the most popular plant because it has a variety of leaf colors and leaf motifs. In addition, Aglaonema can survive even under minimal sunlight [34]. Besides Aglaonema, Monstera also attracted many enthusiasts during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially Monstera adansonii, also known as ‘Janda Bolong’ [35]. ‘Janda Bolong’ is in great demand because of the shape of the leaves, which are perforated in the middle and also easy to propagate.
In addition to the increasing domestic demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for ornamental plant exports, especially seeds. Several ornamental plants that experienced increased demand during the pandemic included Monstera, Aglaonema, Syngonium, Caladium Sansevieria, and Anthurium [23] and also increased the price of ornamental plants especially for leafy ornamental plants (Table 2). After the pandemic, the export value of ornamental plants in Indonesia experienced a significant increase, reaching 69.7% from January to September 2021, compared to the same month in the previous year, which reached USD 10.77 million. Cut flowers dominate the number of ornamental plant exports in Indonesia, with a percentage of 26.92%, followed by mosses and lichens at 22.54% and other types of ornamental plants at 50.53%. From January to September 2021, Japan was recorded as the leading export destination for ornamental plants from Indonesia at 32.23%, followed by Singapore (15.55%), the United States (13.12%), the Netherlands (13.03%), and China (5.60%) [21]. Damayanti and Susanti [24] stated that the trends of ornamental plants, lifestyle farming, and the uniqueness of ornamental plants are the determining factors in buying ornamental plants. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in both domestic production capacity and its market demand at a local and international level boosted the growth of the ornamental plant industry in Indonesia.
In this regard, developing effective marketing strategies is essential in targeting new high-value consumer profiles and emerging market niches. Specifically, we consider that the selection of marketing strategies should seek to (i) identify and qualify ornamental plants’ localities and territorial linkage; (ii) enhance and promote their specific functionalities for quality of life, including by the integration of intelligent technologies and DIY; (iii) communicate the commitment of businesses to the protection of the environment (e.g., circular supply chain, circular economy, organic farming, and reduction of CO2 emissions) and the pursuit of higher social fairness (e.g., protection of intellectual property rights and varietal innovation, promotion of human and labor rights, fair distribution of value, etc.) [13].

2.3. Indonesian Competitive Environment: The Governance Role

The pandemic negatively impacted product volume and value. It soared at a rate equal to or even higher than that of the peers’ and traders’ costs due to the shortage of labor and higher prices of raw materials during the pandemic (e.g., energy, potting soils, peat, and construction materials) [19,22,25,26,27,36]. Consequently, the unprecedented increase in flower and plant purchases, in both quantity and price, was demonstrated to be only sometimes capable of improving the profitability of the Indonesian ornamental business, thus requiring a change in their marketing strategies and organization. Companies and institutions are now enhancing their efforts to pursue sustainable differential advantages to maintain the competitiveness of high-cost domestic producers and supply systems.
The described evolution of marketing strategies in the Indonesian ornamental plant sector is connected with the development adequate organizational strategies and governance settings. The Ministry of Agriculture in Indonesia has issued the Guidelines for Good Floriculture Cultivation, known as Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) [37]. In cultivation, business actors must guarantee preservation, land fertility, and the use of resources and production systems that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. The implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) is designed to be plant- and site-specific, and it is also combined with integrated pest management (IPM) to produce environmentally friendly products with high quality and competitiveness.
The government’s support for the development of floriculture was realized by the presence of an ornamental plant competition. This event promoted local Indonesian ornamental plants to compete in the broader market—for example, the Aglaonema competition held by the Association of Aglaonema Nusantara (ASA) [38]. Ministerial Decree No. 104/KPTS/HK.140/M/2/2020, concerning Commodities Fostered by the Ministry of Agriculture [28], also evidenced this government support. The Ministry of Agriculture fosters 361 ornamental plants to meet the market demands of ornamental plants worldwide and also maintain its sustainability.

3. Roles of Digital Platforms and Social Media in Ornamental Agribusiness Growth

3.1. Digital Transformation of Ornamental Plant Businesses in Indonesia

The ongoing pandemic forced several cities in Indonesia to enter a lockdown to prevent the further spread of the virus [29]. The lockdown limited the capability of producers to commercialize their products, causing small businesses’ sales to plummet as a result [30,31]. During the lockdown, 52% of customers avoided visiting physical stores and crowded areas [39], leading to a massive reduction in annual profits amongst SMEs primarily relying on in-store purchases such as flower shops [40]. A similar case was observed in Brazil, where a flower shop owner complained about customers’ absence during the COVID-19 pandemic [41]. Further losses occurred due to the government ban on crowd-gathering events such as weddings and graduation ceremonies [31]. These two factors contributed to massive losses in ornamental plant agribusiness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social media’s influence on people’s buying behavior is substantial; for example, a potential customer who searches for gardening information through the Internet is 19% more likely to purchase horticultural products [10]. Chen and Huang [11] reported that social media platforms like Facebook allow flower shop owners to reach and interact with new customers, increasing the exposure of the shop’s products and services. Social media also enables business owners to show their proficiency to the public, increasing their trustworthiness [12] and shaping their brand’s image more easily [11]. Serman and Sims [42] reported that trustworthiness, credibility, and social attractiveness are the main factors that lead a customer to buy a product. Thus, it is not a coincidence that a flower shop with a more attractive home page filled with carefully and beautifully designed photos of its products will garner more attention than others [11]. Advertising a product using the Internet is cheaper than other alternatives, so online advertising is more prevalent among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) [43].
Some SMEs in Indonesia have successfully adapted to the situation by relying more on e-commerce. Sugiarti et al. [44] reported that SMEs that could sell their products online were able to obtain a profit amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. SMEs that sold products from the hobby categories, including ornamental plants, enjoyed a 70% increase in online sales during the pandemic [40]. However, the implementation of new strategies can further improve this number of sales. A marketing campaign aimed at highlighting the benefits of having ornamental plants at home as a form of psychosocial therapy is one of these strategies [41]. Rajkumar [1] reported that anxiety, depression, and self-reported stress rose due to the compulsory home confinement [45]. The benefits of having a green space inside or outside our living space are well documented. White et al. [13] reported that individuals living near green spaces exhibit lower mental distress; in contrast, people living in an environment devoid of plants are more irritable and hostile [46]. Hernandez and Hidalgo [47] reported that urban environments with natural elements reduce our mental fatigue and stress. Research conducted by Pérez-Urrestarazu et al. [12] revealed that indoor vegetation enhanced people’s well-being and positivity during the pandemic, increasing their willingness to have more plants indoors. This type of marketing campaign to boost floriculture sales has already been implemented in Brazil, achieving excellent results [31]. Other strategies that can be implemented are a virtual movement to raise awareness regarding ornamental plants [48,49], online courses on gardening and the cultivation of flowers [50], and the use of social media to sell more derivative items such as bouquets, flower arrangements, and cachepots [41].

3.2. Social Media Activity (SMA) Affecting Ornamental Agribusiness Growth

To survive the pandemic, Indonesian SMEs, especially ornamental plant businesses, had to adapt to the situation. The proper use of social media and other digital platforms, such as digital marketing platforms, offered a solution for ornamental plant businesses to survive during the pandemic [40]. Social media is one of the most effective mechanisms of communication in today’s world [8], with almost four billion active users in 2020, reflecting an annual growth rate of 10.5% and a penetration rate of over 51% globally [11]. This number was expected to have increased significantly during the pandemic [8]. The strict social distancing regulations forced people to spend more time at home and rely more on social media as a source of information [51]. Slisco [52] reported a sharp 20% increase in web traffic marked by Verizon between 8 and 15 March 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive rise in Internet users was observed at around 17%, or 25 million new users, compared to last year in Indonesia [9]. Saud et al. [53] reported that most Indonesians spent their spare time during the pandemic web surfing and using social media. Thus, it is unsurprising that Indonesia registered 12 million new social media users during the pandemic. The average Indonesian’s screen time on social media was 3 h and 26 min each day; it was 62 min longer than the global average [9]. This probably explains why e-commerce in Indonesia grew 5–10 times during the pandemic [54].
Social media is essential in promoting products and services [55,56], including the marketing of ornamental plant businesses [57,58,59,60]. Some methods of utilizing social media are described in Table 3. Entertainment is an attitude and a continuous pursuit that leads to favorable perceptions regarding the brand [61]. Customizations enable the customer to specify their order to the business, which makes it possible to obtain customer satisfaction because of the exclusivity of the product and service [53,62]. Interaction refers to the space that social media platforms provide to discuss and exchange ideas and engage in bidirectional interactions and data sharing [63,64]. Electronic word of mouth (EWOM) is a powerful marketing tool since, before buying products or services, consumers look for written online reviews by previous customers [57,65,66]. Trendiness is related to obtaining the latest information related to a service or a product [67].

4. Future Perspective of Ornamental Plant Agribusiness

The COVID-19 pandemic limited community mobilization. Therefore, most activities were conducted at home, including cultivating ornamental plants. Regarding ornamental plant businesses, a higher profit is obtained when the business is able to culture and propagate its ornamental plants. Zameda et al. [73] reported that purchasing plants from outside the region represents the highest cost in the ornamental plant business, and some people are less experienced in cultivating ornamental plants [74]. However, the cultivation of ornamental plants in Indonesia is favorable, due to the high suitability of its climatic and edaphic factors. Technically, ornamental plant cultivation is simple and does not require large capital.
Moreover, the world market for ornamental plants is so large that the export activity is promising. The preference of the international market for tropical ornamental plants has also become a support. Surya et al. [75] confirmed the importance of the marketing of ornamental plant products overseas, such as in the United States and Canada.
To survive in the market, business actors must optimize their marketing by using digital technology to reach more customers. Digital marketing could also be combined with promotions, improved product quality, and attractive packaging. The place of marketing also needs to be considered, to reach a broader market. New services, such as delivery services and cash-on-delivery (COD) payment methods, can also be added. Ramanathan et al. [76] highlighted the recent high demand for delivery services, and marketing factors, such as place, product, price, and promotion, influenced it.
Business actors also face challenges in the spending priorities of ornamental plants as they are not considered necessary compared to primary expenditures. Thus, an adjusted pricing method is required. The demand-based pricing method is applied to certain ornamental plants with high sensitivity to customer tastes and preferences—for example, Monstera and Caladium. Cost-based pricing is applied to goods supporting ornamental plant needs, such as pots and planting media.
The ornamental plant business is unique in its management, i.e., dynamic business management. Changes to the business plan and business roadmap can be made whenever needed. Efforts to parse a problem can be made with an accurate problem analysis method, such as the fishbone analysis method. Problems in the ornamental plant business can be solved starting from the most important aspects based on values such as actuality, the extent of the problem, and feasibility.

5. Conclusions

Apart from its impacts on health and the global economic balance, the COVID-19 pandemic positively impacted the development of the ornamental plant business, especially in Indonesia. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in home confinement, leading to an increase in people’s anxiety and boredom. These conditions facilitated the emergence of new hobbies, e.g., home gardening with ornamental plants. The pandemic also increased people’s digital activity, especially the use of social media. Social media allowed the massive promotion of gardening activities, leading to an increase of ornamental plant hobbyists and eventually strengthening the ornamental plant industry, as indicated by the rise in the demand for and selling prices of ornamental plants. The evolution of marketing strategies in the Indonesian ornamental plant sector is closely linked with the establishment of appropriate organizational strategies and governance structures. The Ministry of Agriculture in Indonesia has issued an advisory indicating that businesses should apply Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) to ensure the preservation of land fertility, sustainable resource utilization, and environmentally friendly production systems. Additionally, the government provides financial support through annual competitions for the Indonesian ornamental plant business. Furthermore, there are 361 ornamental plants as commodities fostered by the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the country’s ornamental plant needs are met and to sustain their availability. The present overview highlights the influence of psychological conditions and social media in promoting the growth of the ornamental plant sector in Indonesia during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.M. and B.P.N.R.; methodology, S.M., E.S., T.K., F.R., D.N.S. and B.P.N.R.; validation, S.M.; investigation, E.S., F.R. and B.P.N.R.; resources, S.M., E.S., T.K., F.R., D.N.S. and B.P.N.R.; writing—original draft preparation, S.M., E.S., T.K., F.R., D.N.S. and B.P.N.R.; writing—review and editing, S.M., D.N.S. and B.P.N.R.; visualization, S.M.; supervision, S.M.; project administration, S.M.; funding acquisition, S.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia, for supporting the APC.

Data Availability Statement

It is not data availibility.

Acknowledgments

We thank all of the members of our laboratory for the helpful discussions throughout the work. We also thank Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia, for supporting the APC.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Table 1. Classification and description of the drivers of the shift in ornamental plant consumption trends in Indonesia after COVID-19.
Table 1. Classification and description of the drivers of the shift in ornamental plant consumption trends in Indonesia after COVID-19.
Psychological DeterminantsDrivers of Shift in Ornamental Plant Consumption Trends
Motivation
  • Consumers show an increasing desire for nature (AIPH, Sustainability Group) [20].
  • Consumers consider that planting flowers or ornamental plants affects their health and well-being positively [22]; the main motivation for planting for most individuals is the pleasure of nurturing plants and the feeling of satisfaction in seeing a plant grow.
Perception
  • The perception of the function of a plant and the planting activity has shifted in Indonesia, especially during the pandemic, as plants are treated as collections and shown off through social media. The demand for plants becomes higher, and so does the price.
  • The evolution of the perception of ornamental plants has become the consumption of signs, hyperreality, and fetishism that occurred in ornamental plant collectors’ activities through social media during the pandemic.
Learning
  • Due to the expansion of education and technology about urban gardening and the increasing number of people working from home, consumers’ demand for ornamental plants is higher in order to achieve a qualified green home workspace.
  • The use of online channels and digital devices (e.g., web and social media) is rapidly spreading among ornamental plant consumers of all ages. At the same time, online sales have experienced significant growth, which has been accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belief System
  • The high visual appeal in the rise of consumerism culture supports the occurrence of hyperreality, placing a strong emphasis on aesthetics, leading to excessive behavior when displaying their ownership and experiences [18]; consumers’ beliefs and trust are triggered by social media influencers.
  • Flowers and rare ornamental plants are increasingly believed by society to be primary commodities to improve quality of life and well-being.
Source: elaboration on [15,18,19,20,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31].
Table 2. The change in ornamental prices before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia [18].
Table 2. The change in ornamental prices before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia [18].
NoOrnamental PlantBefore COVID-19 (IDR)After COVID-19 (IDR)
1Aglaonema ‘Snow White’20,00060,000–70,000
2Philodendron15,00050,000
3Alocasia ‘Silver Dragon’40,000200,000
4Anthurium crystalinum10,000100,000–200,000
5Monstera100,000>1,000,000
6Syngonium10,000100,000–700,000
7Sansivieria spp.4500–6000100,000
Table 3. Methods of utilizing social media based on social media activity.
Table 3. Methods of utilizing social media based on social media activity.
Social Media Activity (SMA)Methods of Utilizing Social Media
Entertainment Many ornamental plant businesses upload entertaining content while using an aesthetic background and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) sound effects, to gain more digital interactions. Many collectors also have TikTok accounts to interact with other plant collectors.
CustomizationThis allows businesses to deal individually with customers’ problems and direct the advertising and services, as well as personalized messages for value creation, to a certain set of individuals.
Interaction Replying instantly to consumers’ personal questions, for example, builds customer contentment [67]. The use of the e-commerce chat feature or directly using WhatsApp is the usual method.
Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM)Consumers of ornamental plants look for written online reviews by previous customers to evaluate the products. This can hugely impact the interest of other customers.
TrendinessTraders implement endorsement strategies for the social media influencer or adapt the ways in which they take photos of their ornamental plant collections. The attractiveness of their Instagram account is not only related to the specific plant, encompassing its beauty and uniqueness, but also is supported by the use of accessories such as pots, garden backgrounds, or furniture. They also maintain the attractiveness of their clothes, make-up, physique, accessories, and poses.
Source: elaboration from [8,54,55,56,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72].
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Mubarok, S.; Suminar, E.; Karyani, T.; Rufaidah, F.; Sari, D.N.; Rahmat, B.P.N. An Overview of the Increasing Ornamental Plant Business in Indonesia Post-COVID-19 Pandemic as a Result of Social Media and Its Future Perspective. Sustainability 2023, 15, 14211. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914211

AMA Style

Mubarok S, Suminar E, Karyani T, Rufaidah F, Sari DN, Rahmat BPN. An Overview of the Increasing Ornamental Plant Business in Indonesia Post-COVID-19 Pandemic as a Result of Social Media and Its Future Perspective. Sustainability. 2023; 15(19):14211. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914211

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Mubarok, Syariful, Erni Suminar, Tuti Karyani, Fathi Rufaidah, Dwi Novanda Sari, and Bayu Pradana Nur Rahmat. 2023. "An Overview of the Increasing Ornamental Plant Business in Indonesia Post-COVID-19 Pandemic as a Result of Social Media and Its Future Perspective" Sustainability 15, no. 19: 14211. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914211

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