Business-to-consumer (B2C)

What is business-to-consumer (B2C)?

Business-to-Consumer (B2C) refers to the process where businesses sell products or services directly to individual customers. It’s the most common ecommerce model, used by online retailers, subscription box companies, streaming services, and more.

It’s all about reaching the end user. B2C businesses focus on delivering value, convenience, and engaging experiences to individuals who are buying for personal use, not for business needs. It involves quick decision-making, emotional triggers, and often impulse buying.

How is B2C different from B2B?

• B2C targets individuals; B2B targets companies.
• B2C sales cycles are shorter and driven by personal preferences.
• B2B often requires contracts, longer negotiation, and higher-order values

An example of business-to-consumer e-commerce

A Shopify store that sells skincare products to individuals on a monthly subscription is a classic B2C business. The customer visits the site, places an order, and the business fulfills it directly to the consumer.

Driftcharge Tip

If you’re building a B2C subscription business on Shopify, focus on personalization, fast checkout, and clear communication. Driftcharge helps automate renewals and improve retention with ease.

Ganesh Pawar

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Ganesh Pawar is the founder of Driftcharge, a subscription management app designed to help Shopify merchants streamline and scale their subscription businesses. With a deep focus on solving real-world pain points—like legacy account page support, flexible subscription options, and advanced analytics—Ganesh is passionate about building tools that drive growth and retention.