B2C Definition

As a new business owner, what are you selling and who is your target patron? Is your business a B2C? What does that mean? A B2C, by definition, is a “business-to-consumer” business—this means a B2C sells its products and services to consumers in the general public instead of to other businesses or the government. 

The B2C definition encompasses much more than a description of who buys your wares. Let’s take a look at key characteristics of operating a B2C. 

What is a B2C? 

As we noted above, a B2C is a business that sells to consumers. B2Cs can come in many forms, including:

• Direct sales
• Online marketplaces
• Subscription services

The purely B2C business owner does not sell their products and services to other businesses or government entities that will ultimately provide a product or service to the public. The B2C owner makes money by dealing with the public directly. 

If you seek to sell to as many consumers as possible, your B2C can sell to other businesses and government entities as well. It’s best to speak to legal, financial, and business professionals in your industry to help you decide how many communities you want your business to reach with your services. 

B2C Advantages

Doing business with consumers in the general public can have many benefits that you might want to consider. 

B2C product development can be quicker and cheaper

Developing products or services for your business to sell to consumers can be a less expensive and quicker process. Many consumers in the general public don’t have to worry about meeting industry standards and regulations the way businesses and governments do, so the products you sell to them don’t have to be tailored to specific industry needs. If you don’t have to worry about your products meeting industry standards for business or government use, you don’t have to spend as much time on product development. 

B2C marketing and sales can be simpler  

A big part of successfully running any business is proper marketing. To properly market your business, you need to know what your target patron wants or needs and you need an effective way to reach them. 

Once again, much of the general public doesn’t have concerns about meeting industry standards and regulations, so your marketing doesn’t have to be as complex or heavily researched as for businesses and governments. Also, selling to the general public doesn’t require you to get approval from specific business and government agents before you close a deal. Through online ads, flyers, billboards, etc., you can easily reach all those who make the final decision on general consumer purchases. 

B2C Disadvantages

B2C business is often quicker and easier, but that can mean it’s less stable and less lucrative. If you’re selling to other businesses or the government, your buyer has more money and more need to make consistent purchases of the same product than the average consumer. You’ll likely need to sell more and make sales more often to keep a steady stream of income for your B2C business. 

Summary

B2C businesses focus on selling directly to the general public. It might take less effort to research and develop products and services for the general consumer, but the general consumer might have less money and less regular need for what a B2C sells. 

We can help

When you’re ready to launch a new business idea, you can turn to us for assistance. We have multiple business support services that can help you realize your dreams as an entrepreneur. Our Business Formation Service can help you get your business off the ground quickly. And our Worry-Free Compliance Service can make it easy for you to keep your business legally compliant. We’re here to make entrepreneurship less stressful and more fun!