Question

Topic: E-Marketing

What Is The Core Difference Between B2b And B2c?

Posted by Anonymous on 3/10/2007 at 9:29 AM ET 125 Points
Please i need some help!!!

I need to discuss...The core difference between B2B and B2C products and how these products are classified?

Thanks
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  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 3/10/2007 at 9:31 AM Member
    Um...B2B is sold to business, and B2C is sold to consumers?

    Is it April 1?
  • Posted by wnelson on 3/10/2007 at 10:04 AM Accepted
    The difference is who the products are purchased by. B2B products are sold to other businesses (thus, business to business) who (most generally) use those products to make other products that may be sold to another business or a consumer. B2C products go directly to a consumer - regular people.

    An example of B2B products: Ball bearings, steel, most chemicals, integrated circuits. Examples of B2C products: iPods, televisions, jewellery.

    There are some "crossover" products. For instance, computers - they are purchased by both consumers and business. Furniture - Consumers purchase furniture and businesses purchase furniture also.

    Examples of companies:
    B2B: DuPont, Intel, Boeing, GE Plastics Division
    B2C: Walmart, Mattel, Revlon, Nike

    Many companies are both. Most of the Fortune 20 companies sell to both consumers and businesses.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 3/10/2007 at 10:38 AM Member
    It's a good question because it raises a question: how can B2C and B2B not describe a product marketed from a business? The first initial is redundant.

    A more effective description would be a 'business or consumer' product.

    In publishing we use the acronyms b2b magazines and b2c magazines and I usually shorten the description to 'business' or 'consumer' magazines.
  • Posted by wnelson on 3/10/2007 at 11:00 AM Member
    Well, Peter, technically, if I sold my 1988 Yugo to Subscriptions Strategy, this would be a C2B product. Or, instead, if Randall offered me a higher price, then I'd sell it to him and it would be a C2C product. eBay facilitates C2C sales. So the "B2" is, of sorts, a short hand for "originally manufactured." If Randall knitted afghans and sold them on the side, I suppose that would make him a business. If he sold one to me and then, because I moved to Florida and didn't need an afghan any more, I sold that same afghan to you, I'm still a consumer.

    Admittedly, this whole line of reasoning is a stretch. Not because of the designation of "C2" - more because who would want to buy a 1988 Yogo?

    One other interesting point: Kraft foods sells their product to a grocery chain. The grocery chain is a business. Doesn't that make Kraft foods a B2B product? The answer is "no" because the grocery chain is a "channel of sale" partner for Kraft foods to be able to reach their target - the consumer.

    :)

    Wayde
  • Posted by Phoenix ONE on 3/10/2007 at 1:42 PM Accepted
    You have be given some really great info above, I hope this also helps-

    "B2B" is contemporary shorthand for a long time sales practice called business-to-business. B2B transactions primarily target companies and other wholesale buyers, while transactions targeting individuals are called B2C, or business-to-consumer.

    Many organizations have both B2B and B2C components, but it's not unusual for a company to specialize in either B2B or B2C services or sales.

    Many companies distribution or sales channels define whether they are B2B or B2C ----manufacturing clothing but not selling directly to the consumer is a business model that is B2B distribution by B2C product.

    The dilemma becomes where and how you market and build your brand when you have a mix model.

    Hope this helps

    Good Luck & Happy Marketing ~
  • Posted on 3/11/2007 at 9:43 PM Author
    Thank you very much all for your comments!! I will let you know how my disscussion went in the near future.
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