A STUDY ON MARKETING STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY LOCAL HANDLOOM BUSINESSES

The handloom industry occupies a distinctive position in India's cultural economy, blending artisanal heritage with contemporary market demands. This study examines the marketing strategies adopted by local handloom businesses, with particular emphasis on promotional methods, pricing practices, distribution channels, digital adoption, and competitive challenges. Data were collected from 100 respondents using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through simple percentage and ranking methods. Findings reveal that social media has emerged as the dominant promotional channel (78.4%), with online marketplaces (particularly Amazon and Flipkart) accounting for 92.2% of digital selling activity. Market-based pricing (47–51%) is the most prevalent pricing approach, and the majority of businesses (66.7%) report affordable pricing perceptions among customers. High production cost (39.2%) and lack of customer awareness (37.3%) are the principal marketing challenges. The study concludes that integrating modern digital strategies with traditional craftsmanship-led branding can substantially enhance the market competitiveness and socioeconomic sustainability of local handloom enterprise

Keywords: handloom industry, marketing strategy, digital marketing, social media promotion, pricing strategy, artisan enterprise, textile marketing, rural economy

handloom industry marketing strategy digital marketing social media promotion pricing strategy artisan enterprise textile marketing rural economy