What is B2C?
The abbreviation B2C (or B-to-C or BtC) stands for Business-to-Consumer and therefore describes business relationships between a company and an individual (consumers, customers). This type of business relationship is therefore different from business relationships between companies (B2B or business-to-business). A practical example of a B2C business would be if a company producing leather goods does not sell its products to wholesalers or other retailers but offers them in a shop or online marketplace for private individuals. The business transaction then takes place between the company and the consumer, i. e. from “Business to Consumer”.
The term B2C should be considered in the context of marketing. Marketing, which refers to a business relationship with private individuals or consumers, was formerly primarily referred to as consumer goods marketing or. In the meantime, however, the term B2B marketing has established itself. This sets the company apart from traditional industrial goods marketing (B2B marketing)
Differences to B2B
The type of business, whether B2B or B2C, also has an impact on the marketing of a company. Usually private customers have to be addressed in a different way than companies. However, marketing in the B2C sector is no longer as different from B2B marketing as it used to be. After all, marketing to other companies now extends far beyond the mere provision of information on products and services. In the area of B2B marketing, too, targeted marketing measures, brand development and an emotional appeal to target groups are increasingly being used. It is precisely these measures that are traditionally used primarily in the area of B2C marketing. Here an emotional impact can be particularly effective, as consumers are usually less focused on rational arguments than companies.
Digitization in B2C
With the advancing digitalization, electronic communication between companies and consumers has improved steadily in recent years. It’s much more than just communicating via email or Skype. Companies are increasingly intensifying their commitment to online and performance marketing, where mostly click- and keyword-based campaigns are run via Google, Facebook, Amazon & Co. The particular advantage here is that the effectiveness of a campaign can be measured individually, in contrast to traditional advertising media, and thus the profitability of marketing can always be monitored and controlled.