What are B2B, B2C, C2C, C2B? (2024)

B2B- As the name suggests is a business model which facilitates business transactions from one company to the other. Like an engineering equipment manufacturing company which provides equipment to the Construction Company. This type of websites for businessis suitable for the companies which perform business transactions via the Internet. B2B websites allow these companies to build commercial interrelations on a new and higher level. They provide an advantageous basis for the development of partnership between the companies. As a one liner, I can say the exchange of products, services or information (aka e-commerce) between businesses, rather than between businesses and consumers can be termed as B2B. Examples- IndiaMart, Alibaba, Sulekha, CRM systems, Salesforce.

B2C- Here a company provides services to individual customers. Like selling consumer goods directly to the customers. This type of websites for business is the most popular. Such websites are suitable for the companies which perform direct sales via the Internet. B2C websites remove the need for middlemen and thus reduce the cost of the goods for the ultimate consumers and increase the competitive ability of the goods. The consumers find it profitable to receive goods without the middleman's markup, and they will be more interested in purchasing products with the help of a B2C website. Example- E-commerce company, Amazon, FB, Twitter

C2C-Consumer to consumer model. It is also called peer to peer.Here one individual provides service to other individuals. This type of sitesis suitable for the companies which act as mediators between the clients and sellers. C2C websites provide private individuals with an opportunity to sell or purchase goods directly.Example- Ebay, OLX.

C2B-A consumer to business model here a consumer sells goods to a company (mostly used goods). This type of sites is the least widespread among the types of sites for business under consideration.C2B websites allow the consumers to set prices for the goods they want to purchase themselves. The selling company can make the final decision being guided by the information about the current purchase requirement. The C2B website acts as a mediating broker which finds the seller who is eager to sell the goods for the price formed according to the consumers' propositions.