Discover the eCommerce Spectrum: Beyond B2B and B2C

Typically, when we think of eCommerce, we picture an online business deal between a supplier and a customer. Although this concept is sound, we may be more precise and categorize eCommerce into six main categories with their unique features. By categorizing eCommerce into these distinct categories, we can better understand the diversity and variations within the industry. These categories, which highlight the varied nature of eCommerce, include business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), consumer-to-consumer (C2C), consumer-to-business (C2B), business-to-administration (B2A), and consumer-to-administration (C2A).

Business-to-Business (B2B)

The term "business-to-business" (B2B) eCommerce refers to all electronic exchanges of goods and services between businesses. This kind of electronic commerce is primarily used by producers and traditional wholesalers. B2B websites typically design their shopping experiences to accommodate substantially larger customer order quantities between 1 or 10 products versus 1000+. Additionally, they frequently provide more alternatives for personalized orders and greater "white glove" customer service, which means a delivery service that goes beyond the basic pick-up and drop-off, encompassing additional services such as product installation or placement within the customer's home. Exemplary businesses in this model include Sony, IBM, and FedEx.

Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

The development of electronic business interactions between businesses and consumers are Business-to-Consumer kind of eCommerce. It refers to the area of eCommerce devoted to retail, which is where conventional retail trade often takes place. Due to the development of the internet, this sort of commerce has rapidly expanded, and there are now several online virtual shops and stores that sell a wide range of consumer items, such as computers, software, books, shoes, vehicles, food, etc. As eCommerce was based on providing services to the end consumer, this form has long been the largest in turnover. B2C business examples include Amazon, Alibaba, and online sites of stores such as Target and Walmart.

Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)

Online marketplaces, known as C2C businesses, let customers sell their products to other customers directly.  In eCommerce, this includes any electronic exchanges of goods and services between customers. This form typically represents a business connection between persons. Individuals sell goods and services directly to consumers through specially designed platforms, and the platforms charge sellers for advertising their products for sale, adding promotional features, and enabling credit card transactions. The most well-known example of this is eBay, while other platforms such as Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, and Grailed also operate under a similar model.

Consumer-to-Business (C2B)

A consumer or end user gives a good or service to an organization in a consumer-to-business model, or C2B, of commerce.  The use of this kind of e-commerce is widespread in projects that rely on crowdsourcing. Many people offer their goods or services for sale to businesses that are specifically looking for these kinds of goods or services.  Examples include websites where designers submit multiple proposals for a company logo, but only one is ultimately chosen and paid for. The markets that sell royalty-free photos, images, media, and design components, such iStockphoto, Freepik, and Pixabay, are another example of this kind of business.

Business-to-Administration (B2A)

All interactions between businesses and public administrations or government agencies are referred to as "business-to-administration" (B2A), also known as "business-to-government" (B2G). Government institutions trade and exchange information with diverse corporate organizations using centralized websites. A lot of different services are provided in this sector, especially those related to finances, social security, employment, legal records, and registrations, among other things. Investing in e-government has resulted in a significant expansion of these services in recent years. Businesses that use this B2A model include, Accela, OpenGov, SeamlessDocs, and more.

Consumer-to-Administration (C2A)

The C2A model refers to eCommerce activities between individuals and the government. This means eCommerce from the consumer to the government (C2A) includes online transactions between private citizens and the government. The C2A eCommerce concept enables customers to submit inquiries and obtain details about the public sector from their regional/local authorities. Examples of this model include distance learning, distribution of social information, making payments, filing tax returns, health appointments, information about illnesses, payment of health services, etc. To learn more about the world of eCommerce, make sure to immerse yourself in our eCommerce Online Training.