Consumer-to-business is a business model that entails a customer making a product that a brand uses to get a competitive advantage. It includes consumer-generated blogs, websites, videos, and social media posts that help a company accomplish specific tasks, enhance its business wellness, and reach its defined goals.
In this article, we’ll review the benefits and examples of the C2B model and compare the consumer-to-business and business-to-consumer models.
Benefits of the C2B Model
In the C2B model, everything revolves around two parties: a consumer and a business. In this scenario, a customer can have a product that might attract a company, for example, a blog, website, or account with a large following for which the consumer can create reviews, videos, or social media posts. This person can market a brand’s product for free or for a certain fee. A consumer can write a review or share a company’s product with a large following to get paid.
In their turn, companies need the C2B model because they can gain the following benefits:
- customer loyalty;
- brand awareness;
- cheap advertising;
- product development insights;
- better relationships with customers;
- higher revenue;
- trust and credibility.
Now that you know all the C2B pros, let’s take a closer look at the C2B and B2C models to compare them.
C2B vs. B2C
Consumer-to-business and business-to-consumer are two different business models that can sometimes confuse readers. That’s why we’ll uncover their main features to make this difference clear.
C2B is a business model in which a consumer becomes a product or service provider for a certain company. This person often has a certain talent and tools that can help promote someone’s business. Companies pay this customer a certain amount of money for the services rendered. Such services include:
- writing reviews for personal blogs or websites;
- sharing posts on social media;
- creating photos and videos.
The primary goal is to get closer to the brand’s audience and effectively promote and sell its product.
Let’s take food brands, for example. A company can find a food blogger and ask this person to promote the brand’s new seasoning in the blogger’s next video. If the influencer agrees, then the brand has to pay for the advertising. The company can provide the food blogger with free products or pay a certain fee.
B2C is a business model in which companies sell directly to consumers, which means there is no need for a mediator. Customers can visit a company’s website, choose a product, and have it delivered within days or weeks. The B2C model has lots of advantages, as customers from remote areas can buy products they need online at a lower cost.
For example, Amazon sells directly to customers via the internet. A customer selects a seller and delivery option and receives their ordered product.
Now when the difference between these two terms is clear, let’s proceed to the next section to explore more examples of the customer-to-business model.
Examples of the C2B Model
There are many excellent examples of the C2B model. They include paid testimonials and reviews, data sharing, and referral programs. Since the freelance market is increasing rapidly, companies can make use of freelance experts. For instance, copywriters can create compelling copies and post them on their blogs, sites, and social media profiles for an arranged fee.
Brands in the photography industry need professional photographers to get some unusual, unique, and fascinating images. They include Shutterstock and Unsplash, companies that exist thanks to user-generated content. Freelance photographers help them thrive and boost their revenue.
Another great example is a customer who receives a free sample of a product in exchange for a post on their personal social media account, which brings benefits to both parties. A customer gets a long-awaited product, and a brand gets a great review.
Congrats, you now know the basics of the C2B business model and have a clear picture of how it works. Hope this information helps you get answers to your questions.
References
- This article defines the term and provides readers with several C2B examples.
Last Updated: 05.09.2024
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