B2C - Business to Consumer

What is business to consumer (B2C)?

B2C is one out of three models that show who the target audience of a business is. A business-to-consumer model presupposes selling products from a manufacturer directly to a customer, avoiding interactions with retailers. The B2C model is typical of online marketplaces, where people buy goods directly from manufacturers. The other types of business communication involve B2B (business to business) and B2G (business to government).

Understanding business to consumer (B2C)

With the advent of the Internet, it has become easier for manufacturers to deliver their goods to consumers. People today prefer to order goods online rather than spend their time going to a nearby retailer shop. This tendency has forced a lot of retailers to leave the market. However, companies like Amazon, eBay, and Priceline managed to survive and even flourish. A company may be involved in two or more models simultaneously if, first, it deals with the supplier of raw materials (B2B); second, it produces a product itself; and finally, it sells it to the consumer (B2C).

Business to consumer (B2C) model examples

Sole entrepreneurs producing handmade goods work in the B2C domain. They order raw materials from suppliers, produce their products, and sell them to end users, therefore participating in the B2C type of interaction. Other common examples of the B2C type of business are shopping malls, restaurants, pay per view movies, and other products and services in the e-commerce domain.