What is B2C Ecommerce? (With Examples)

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

B2C is听one of听the听most popular business models in听the听retail landscape. In听2020, B2C and听is听expected to听expand at听a听rate of听9.7% through 2028.

The online shopping industry is听powered by听convenience; consumers can browse for听products and听services from the听comfort of听their own homes rather than going to听a听brick-and-mortar store.

The rise in听B2C ecommerce has made it听much more possible to听create an听online business. Regardless of听the听products you鈥檙e selling or听your location, anyone can successfully run an听online storefront, thanks to听technology and听the听help of听an听ecommerce platform.

What is听B2C Ecommerce?

B2C, or听business-to-consumer, is听a听business model where businesses sell products directly to听consumers.

B2C companies range from retailers like Target and听Amazon to听streaming services like Netflix or听Hulu, services like cable networks, phone companies like Verizon, or听ride-sharing apps like Uber.

As听you can see, B2C commerce encompasses a听massive amount of听the听market because of听the听sheer number of听players in听the听industry.

B2C electronic commerce, or听ecommerce, is听the听most common form of听B2C in听today鈥檚 business landscape. B2C ecommerce refers to听businesses selling their products online via a听B2C store.

The common types of听B2C ecommerce companies include:

Direct sellers (Target, Apple, and听H&M)
Intermediaries (Poshmark, eBay, Etsy)
Ad-based (HuffPost, BuzzFeed)
Community-based (Facebook)
Fee-based (Netflix, Hulu, Spotify)

Common B2C Ecommerce Challenges

As听consumer behavior changes, B2C ecommerce companies must adapt to听stay relevant. In听turn, this presents many new challenges for听companies in听the听ecommerce space. Let鈥檚 explore those here.

Customer expectations

From new competitors to听competing in听an听already saturated market, ecommerce companies must provide a听premium experience to听keep customers happy. This includes a听seamless, personalized shopping experience, easy order tracking, and听consistent communication.

Channel consistency

Every interaction with your brand should feel consistent and听cohesive across the听board. This means social media platforms, your website, customer service interactions, and听more.

To听ensure the听customer experience remains the听same across the听board, check in听with the听critical components of听your company. Branding, messaging, copy, and听the听interactions on听your website, social media platforms, and听teams should all feel cohesive and听consistent.

Security

Despite the听technology available today, data security is, unfortunately, still a听prevalent issue for听ecommerce companies. There鈥檚 simply so听much to听consider when collecting customer data online.

From fraud protection to听data encryption and听compliance, data security can be听a听serious challenge for听businesses of听all sizes.

How to听Find the听Best B2C Ecommerce Platform for听Your Business

An听ecommerce platform is听a听powerful software solution that supports B2C companies to听manage and听operate an听online store. From listing products to听processing payments,听 tracking orders, and听more, B2C companies need an听ecommerce platform to听offer the听best customer experience.

Various B2C platforms offer unique features and听advantages designed to听serve different businesses. Above all, the听platform should focus on听the听customer experience first and听foremost.

As听you shop around, ask yourself what features and听functionality in听an听ecommerce platform will set your business apart from the听rest.

Here鈥檚 what you should consider as听you search for听the听best B2C ecommerce platform.

Functionality

Platform functionality ensures your visitors get an听optimized experience every time. The best platforms will offer advanced functionality like site search, opt-in emails, multiple payment options, and听a听mobile responsive design.

Scalability

Every B2C business wants to听experience growth, right? As听you prepare for听it, you鈥檒l need an听ecommerce platform that supports your growth. Scalability supports increased website traffic, inventory, sales, and听every other facet of听your business. As听your B2C ecommerce development needs grow, your platform should grow alongside you.

Tools and听analytics

From website performance to听shopper behavior, your selected platform should offer robust marketing and听data analytics for听your business. You鈥檒l gain access to听valuable insights that will support future promotions and听campaigns while getting an听inside look at听what your customers want.

Integrations

To听enhance your efficiency as听a听business, many ecommerce platforms offer integrations with other solutions. From email marketing tools to听CRM and听inventory management, shipping and听fulfillment, social media management, and听more, integrations make managing your business easy from one platform.

Customer experience

Selecting the听best ecommerce platform for听your business should ultimately center around the听experience it听offers customers. You want visitors to听be听able to听easily browse your site, find products, make a听purchase, and听track their goods. Features that boost the听customer experience include simple site navigation, easy search, and听more.

You鈥檒l also want access to听a听user interface that is听easy to听navigate and听customize to听your brand. The best platforms offer various site templates to听create a听memorable shopping experience for听customers.

Personalization

On-site personalization ensures every visitor feels like your most important customer. Your ecommerce platform should offer segment tools so听you can target various demographics, including age, gender, location, shopping behaviors, and听more.

Some platforms offer personalized product recommendations based on听previous interactions with your website. Offering a听unique, tailored shopping experience for听visitors increases the听user experience and听will drive more sales.

B2C Ecommerce Examples

Here are a听few examples of听popular B2C companies that expanded into ecommerce to听follow the听market trends and听cater to听a听wider audience.

Target

Target has done a听fantastic job adapting to听ecommerce alongside its customer base. Offering intelligent shopping solutions online and听through a听mobile app, Target鈥檚 ecommerce offering is听convenient, easy to听use, and听consistent.

Amazon

The online shopping behemoth Amazon is听an听excellent example of听adapting to听the听times (or even ahead of听the听curve) and听staying relevant. Amazon prioritizes customer experience in听impressive ways. The company offers same-day shipping, tailored product recommendations, and听a听fee-based subscription model to听create an听air of听exclusivity.

Power Up听Your Ecommerce Business With 51视频

Every B2C business needs a听powerful, solution-oriented platform to听find success and听reach its target audience online. 51视频 is听committed to听offering companies of听all sizes the听platform they need to听grow.

Don鈥檛 wait to听have an听ecommerce platform on听your side听鈥� and听start growing your online business with 51视频!

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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