B2B markets to individuals acting on behalf of organizations, while B2C consumer marketing targets single individuals who pay for their own transactions.

A business marketing, or business-to-business (B2B) marketing, sale is made to a business or firm.

Consumer marketing, or business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing, sales are made to individuals who are the final decision makers, though they may be influenced by family members or friends.

 

B2B purchasing decisions are less emotional and more task-oriented.

Whereas emotional factors play a large part in a consumer's decision to purchase a product.

B2B sales are driven by facts and numbers.  Because of the slower sales cycle (often taking months or even years) B2B sales can potentially be worth millions of dollars.  Likewise, the ordering process takes more time and is more involved.  A B2B sale typically won’t be a one-off credit card order online, but rather a purchase order process with approval from top decision-makers.
B2C sales are primarily governed by emotions.  Brand recognition and loyalty play a key part on the success of the sale.   Orders are processed online and the transaction is generally completed with a credit card.

B2B primarily focuses on customizable products or items that can be configured, such as building custom computers for a large office.  The recipient in a B2B may never have heard of the company they’re ordering from, so brand loyalty generally isn’t a manageable factor.

B2C products are generally not customizable and are more readily available for instant purchase.  The total amount per sale is considerably smaller than B2B transactions.

Can a Company Be Both B2B and B2C-Oriented?

Yes – but the marketing approaches will need to be tailored to each particular marketing segment.  Dell Computer is a perfect example of a company which serves both B2B and B2C clients.  Their “Dell for Consumers” site has all the features you’d expect of a user-friendly site:  popular deals, desktops for gamers or for the family, and a “help me choose” option to let the customer narrow down their options.

The business component of Dell offers customizable options with added filtering and sorting by price, operating system, and so on.  Other add-ons, such as printers and upgrades, are also prominent.  The B2C side of the site focuses on what customers want – the best value for their money, bundled offers and support along the way.  The B2B version understands that businesses are more likely to invest in more expensive solutions because of their perceived quality and durability.