Author(s)

Xiaoye Huang¹, Yan Wu²

¹Marxism School, Hohai University, Nanjing, China.
²Opentext, Montreal, Canada.

The advent of mobile internet has introduced many innovative transaction models, among which the Tuangou model on the WeChat platform is particularly noteworthy and calls for detailed insight. By analyzing a WeChat Tuangou group, “Foodie Group”, creatively established by community residents to meet their specific needs, this study delves into the trust-building mechanisms of this model. In the context of relatively lacking formal institutions, this WeChat group utilizes mobile internet technology to create a robust and adaptable network of relationships. This network integrates trust relationships among group members, between members and the group initiator, between the initiator and merchants, and between members and merchants, creating a stable and interconnected structure of trust. Consumers, initially dispersed, connect through the WeChat group to form a network with common needs. This connection empowers them in transactional relationships, enhancing their influence through mechanisms of reputation constraints and diffusion. This model constrains dishonest behavior from merchants and effectively addresses the loopholes in initiative-taking empowerment typically found in general internet companies. The successful implementation of the “Foodie Group” Tuangou model proves how the new characteristics of mobile internet fundamentally transform the dynamics between individuals and organizations. This model fosters a synergistic blend of social, corporate, and individual needs, offering valuable insights for addressing trust issues in internet companies and innovating trust production methods.

Trust, Mobile Internet, WeChat, Tuangou Group, Self-Empowerment

Huang, X. Y., & Wu, Y. (2024). Unveiling Trust Mechanisms in WeChat Tuangou: A Case Study of a Community-Based Tuangou Group in China. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 12, 1-13. doi: 10.4236/jss.2024.1212001.