Types of E-Commerce
B2B (Business-to-Business)
Internet-based business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce is conducted through industry-sponsored
marketplaces and through private exchanges set up by large companies for their suppliers and customers.
Of course, companies also sell to business customers through their own web sites.
B2B commerce is done through negotiated contracts that allow the seller to anticipate and plan for how
much the buyer will purchase.
In some cases, B2B is not so much a matter of generating revenue as it is a matter of making connections
with business partners.
Examples
Online companies that specialize in marketing strategies, advertising. Email companies, internet
consultants, website development etc.
Also, as an offshoot of these companies, there are various internet resources such as online magazines,
including the E-Commerce Times and BtoBOnline.com.
Websites using B2B
http://www.ec21.com/?gclid=CKv48NTdrKMCFdFR6woddm8J5Q
http://www.b2btrademy.com/
http://www.intoweb.co.za/et-online-shopping.html
http://www.gxs.com/
B2C (Business-to-Consumer)
Business-to-consumer (B2C, sometimes also called Business-to-Customer) describes activities of
businesses serving end consumers with products and/or services.
In B2C transactions, online transactions are made between businesses and individual consumers.
Businesses sell products and services through electronic channels directly to the consumer
An example of a B2C transaction would be a person buying a pair of shoes from a retailer.
The transactions that led to the shoes being available for purchase, that is the purchase of the leather, laces,
rubber, etc. as well as the sale of the shoe from the shoemaker to the retailer would be considered (B2B)
transactions
B2C E-Commerce involves what is known as electronic retailing or e- tailing.
-E-tailing involves online retail sales. E-tailing makes it easier for a manufacturer to sell directly to
a customer, cutting out the need for an intermediary (retailer).
With B2C transactions there is no need for retailers and therefore, no need for a physical store from which
to distribute products.
Examples
Amazon.com is an excellent example of a B2C company.
Dell selling me a laptop
Mc Donald’s selling me a Big Mac
DrugStore.com
eBay.com
C2B (Consumer-to-Business)
Consumer-to-business (C2B) is an electronic commerce business model in which consumers (individuals)
offer products and services to companies and the companies pay them.
This business model is a complete reversal of traditional business model where companies offer goods and
services to consumers (business-to- consumer = B2C).
A consumer posts his project with a set budget online and within hours companies review the consumer's
requirements and bid on the project.
The consumer reviews the bids and selects the company that will complete the project. Examples of this
include
-CTB
-SpeakOut.com
These sites provide consumers with market strategies and businesses also use them to gain insight into
consumer wants.
These groups may be economically motivated, as with demand aggregators, or socially orientated
C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer)
Consumer-to-Consumer or Peer-to-Peer is defined as exchanges between/among consumers.
These exchanges can involve a third-party involvement, which can facilitate and provide the infrastructure,
place and governance for the transactions/exchanges.
There are many sites offering free classifieds, auctions, and forums where individuals can buy and sell
thanks to online payment systems like PayPal where people can send and receive money online with ease.
EBay's auction service is a great example of where person-to-person transactions take place every day since
1995.
-Here consumers can bid for and sell items of any description, for any price
An example of P2P exchanges are file swapping sites/programs, such as Kazaa and eDonkey
An intra business network which allows companies to provide products and/ or services to their employees.
Companies generally use B2E networks to automate employee-related corporate processes.
B2E portal is a customized home page or desktop for everyone within an organization One URL. for
everyone in the organization • A mixture of organization-specific and employee-defined components
The potential to be customized and altered to suit the needs of a particular employee
Examples of B2E applications include:
-Online insurance policy management
-Corporate announcement dissemination
-Online supply requests
-Special employee offers
-Employee benefits reporting
