The service image of pawnshop services in the digital environment: A google reviews analysis

Abstract

Background: Online customer reviews are increasingly important for evaluating service quality and shaping organizational image, particularly for state-owned financial institutions. While prior studies emphasize their role in capturing customer satisfaction, research analyzing service image at a national scale using online review data remains limited. This study aims to examine Pegadaian’s digital service image across all regional offices in Indonesia based on Google reviews. Methods: This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach using online review content analysis. Secondary data were obtained from Google reviews of Pegadaian branch offices across all regional offices, collected on 8 January 2026 at 14:11 WIB, and supported by outlet data from the 2024 Annual Report of  Pegadaian. Data were collected through documentation techniques and analyzed descriptively to examine rating distributions and dominant service-related themes at the regional level. Findings: The findings show that  Pegadaian’s digital service image is generally positive, as indicated by high average ratings, although variations exist across regional offices. Notably, a regional office with fewer outlets recorded the highest proportion of five-star ratings, indicating that perceived service quality outweighs network size in shaping digital evaluations and reflecting an anchoring effect in customer assessments. Conclusion: The study concludes that Google Reviews provide meaningful insights into collective customer perceptions and can be utilized as an alternative data source for evaluating service image across regions. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study offers a novel contribution by presenting a comprehensive national-level analysis of Pegadaian’s service image using Google Review data combined with outlet distribution, providing a new perspective on digital reputation assessment in the financial services sector.