B2C - what does it mean and what does this type of sale involve?
For business
17 June 2025
When setting up a business, an entrepreneur is faced with a choice: he has to determine which customer he would like to target. Who is this ideal consumer that will allow him to survive and grow, multiplying his capital? The choice of market is therefore crucial. Sales channels, marketing strategy, as well as messages and product types depend on it. Find out what B2C is and how it differs from the B2B market.
What does B2C stand for?
What is B2C and how does it differ from B2B? Which customer is visible at the end of the sales process? A B2C marketplace is nothing more than business-to-customer, i.e. a relationship between a company (or shop) and an individual customer who is also that end customer. This means that he or she is responsible for the purchasing decision and is the one who finalises it. The initiator of the process, however, is the company that owns the good.
The essence of maintaining a B2C relationship is constant contact with the customer. According to many data and statistics, the cheapest consumer is the one who returns and has confidence in the brand. Hence, a company operating in such a model faces many tasks - from searching for and offering the right products (or services) to maintaining constant and positive relations with existing customers. The latter task can be difficult, as the company has to attract a new group of customers at the same time, and this is quite costly. This is why companies follow a policy of discounts and occasional prices. 
Tasks for the B2C model
Companies operating in the B2C model have many tasks ahead of them. These will differ from those adopted in the B2B model, due to the different offerings to consumers. Let's start with the purchasing process, which here is divided into four stages.
The first is to build awareness, which should develop into interest, a purchase decision and then purchase and payment. The seller aims for the buyer to take action under the influence of emotion.
This is where the next task posed by the B2C model comes in - that is, to use good marketing and many different sales channels. Why? In this model, you need to operate on a larger scale to achieve the desired number of orders. The customer can be anywhere - at the strategy-building stage, the persona and the ideal consumer should be defined, and then it is the entrepreneur who seeks him or her out by taking appropriate advertising measures.
B2C - where is it used?
B2C is a transactional model between a company (e.g. a shop) and a consumer. It is the kind of invisible link that allows you to make a quick purchasing decision, place an order, pay for it and receive it. Thus, any shop that is in a market geared towards the 'fast' customer who does not require special treatment operates on a B2C basis.
Manufacturers can operate in the B2C model, shortening the route to the customer, maximising their profits (they do not share, have a direct impact on the price and limit competition), as well as intermediaries. They can use their own platforms, stationary shops, but also platforms such as Allegro, eBay or Zalando. From this it follows that everyone becomes part of the B2C model when buying everyday products. 
B2C model - what does sales look like in this business model?
B2C sales can take place both online and in stationary form. As the consumer can increasingly be found online, we will focus here on the e-commerce market. The barrier to entry here is low. Shops tempt with various promotions, give out discounts and try to build long-term relationships.
It is cheaper to keep an existing buyer by tempting with various add-ons, creating loyalty programmes than to look for another. Why? Because the competition doesn't sleep and new shops with similar offers are created every day.
In the B2C model, customers can be reached in different ways.
- Good marketing is essential! The web offers endless possibilities - from working with influencers who show products in a positive light, to targeted advertising, remarketing, sponsored articles or even product placement in popular series. B2C marketing is a land that offers endless opportunities for specialists.
- Direct selling, which will only work if the customer knows the shop. Getting shoppers for an unfamiliar shop can be difficult, but a returning consumer is like gold.
- Using intermediaries, which are also called marketplaces. The barrier to entry is low - all you need is a good offer, but the cost of the shopping basket can be high. These services are based on commission-based cooperation.
- B2C subscriptions - all platforms that require payment for access are another sales model.
Differences between B2B and B2C models
What are the differences in generating B2C versus B2B leads? What does it look like to work in these two models and does order acquisition require a different sales approach? The B2B model is nothing more than a relationship between two companies (distributors, suppliers). B2C allows you to offer the company's goods to customers. This is the first significant difference, although the answer needs to be approached slightly differently.
The difference is the definition of a need and its satisfaction. In the case of B2C, orders are designed to satisfy basic - life - needs. In the B2B model, business needs (i.e. sales targets to achieve certain profits) are satisfied.
Marketing is also approached differently in each of these cases. B2B is a thoughtful process where different offers are compared and the customer requires special treatment. He or she receives a structured offer that is perfectly tailored to his or her needs.
B2C is a fast process, usually based on emotions and strong, momentary needs. Purchases are made impulsively, although this is not the rule. The seller does not approach the customer individually and all marketing is done collectively.
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