A Dual-role Trust Model for Social Commerce: A Guanxi Perspective

Abstract Different from traditional e-commerce platforms, friend-to-friend (Fr2Fr) social commerce transactions occur among friends within a private network on social media. In this particular context, users assess their friend with dual roles in the decision-making process: friend role and seller role. Based on role theory, this study develops a dual-role trust model for exploring trust mechanisms within multiple roles. Furthermore, this study adopts a unique Guanxi perspective to explore the behavioral interplay among friends. The moderating effects of Guanxi on role-based trust are tested using a survey of 317 WeChat users. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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