Business-to-Consumer (B2C) model of e-commerce

In contrast to a B2B model, a business-to-consumer (B2C) model has final consumers as customers.

B2C e-commerce often referred to as e-tailing, is about marketing and selling to individual consumers online. Consequently, B2C e-commerce is about mass marketing.

In the traditional retail setting, customers generally approach a business location (a brick-and-mortar store) with the intent of shopping or purchasing. Alternatively, customers might purchase via telephone or mail order.

E-commerce applications that focus on the consumer share an important goal: to attract potential buyer, transact goods, and services, and build consumer loyalty through individual courteous treatment and engaging community features.

Alibaba.com

On the Internet the barriers of time, distance and form are broken down, and businesses are able to transact the sale of goods and services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with consumers all over the world.

Amazon.com represents the classic B2C firm, which is directly focused on individual final consumers. B2C ventures are extremely diverse in the products they sell, with offering ranging from clothing to pet, items, computer software, toys and groceries.

In certain cases, it is even possible to convert physical goods (CDs, packaged software, a newspaper) to a virtual good (MP3 audio, downloadable software, information in HTML format).
Business-to-Consumer (B2C) model of e-commerce