B2C (Business to Consumer)

B2C (Business to Consumer) is when a business targets an individual consumer to sell to (rather than another business). B2C businesses sell products directly to the consumer. Examples of B2C businesses are clothing stores, supermarkets, and department stores.

What is the difference between business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C)?

B2C "business to consumer" businesses will sell products and services directly to the end customer (for personal use). B2B "business to business" businesses (whew, that's a mouthful) sell products and services to other businesses.

Can a business be both B2B and B2C?

Historically, companies who start as either B2B or B2C discover opportunities to serve other audiences. Amazon discovered this with their hosting and fulfillment services. Similarly, IBM started as a B2B company and moved into consumer (B2C) computers in the 1980s.