A CASE STUDY OF A THAI START-UP’S JEWELRY MARKET ENTRY VIA CHINESE TIKTOK

Abstract

This study explores how Thai jewelry startups leverage the Chinese version of TikTok to address key challenges in cross-border marketing, particularly breaking the homogenization of the “Buddhist amulet narrative” and addressing long-standing consumer trust issues. The study employs a mixed-methods approach centered on structured questionnaires, combined with descriptive statistics to explore user engagement with cultural content, purchasing behavior, and trust processes. The findings indicate that the Chinese version of TikTok plays a pivotal role in reshaping consumers' perceptions of Thai jewelry. By disseminating diverse cultural content, the platform effectively breaks down the cognitive bias that equates Thai jewelry solely with religious symbols. Cultural uniqueness emerged as the core driver of consumer interest, with narrative content focusing on cultural heritage and design stories resonating strongly with users, highlighting the importance of cultural narratives in stimulating purchasing intent. Official accounts also emerged as key anchors of consumer confidence. A comparative analysis with Instagram revealed that TikTok outperforms in terms of user engagement and follower growth, attributed to its interest-based algorithm aligning with users' preferences for cultural content. This study highlights that a “diverse cultural content matrix” and a “hybrid trust system” are key to the success of Thai jewelry entering the Chinese market. These insights provide practical strategies for niche cultural products in the interest-driven e-commerce era, emphasizing the synergistic relationship between cultural value transmission and trust mechanism construction.

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