User perceptions of WeChat and WeChat pay in China
Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication
ISSN: 2514-9342
Article publication date: 7 April 2022
Issue publication date: 20 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
China has been one of these countries that followed glocalization with the establishment of Chinese social media platforms, which adopt global trends and software patterns. WeChat has been a success story that at first emerged as a social communication tool but has extended to include commercial dynamics as well. Hence, this study aims to understand WeChat user’s general perceptions of the WeChat platform as a general social platform and as a commercial business platform.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the sample (n = 400) was obtained from a specific group of people who have had experiences with different WeChat tools and their payment systems. Nonrandom purposive sampling was used by considering its higher probability of representativeness. The online survey that was given to participants through the WeChat groups included 14 questions, in which eight questions are for demographics and general WeChat use, and six questions are for WeChat payment. After descriptive statistical analysis, comparison-based tests were conducted and interpreted accordingly.
Findings
Overall, the study participants had a high frequency of using WeChat’s messaging and moments features. Moreover, users perceive WeChat and its payment tools as unsecured or not secure enough. However, that perception did not affect their intention to continue adopting the app. Hence, regardless of the unsecure perception, study participants still had high usage of WeChat pay.
Originality/value
This paper provides an example from China that is known as a high-tech country, and there are a very few studies on the WeChat app despite their high number of users and daily financial transactions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by Woosong University Academic Research in 2021.
Citation
Tinmaz, H. and Doan, V.P. (2023), "User perceptions of WeChat and WeChat pay in China", Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. 72 No. 8/9, pp. 797-812. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-12-2021-0195
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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