B2C and B2B Marketing Differences

Increase in internet use means that marketing on the internet has also gained popularity as consumers and businesses turn towards the internet to search for basic information on anything of interest for personal or business needs and have the capability to purchase those goods from the convenience of their home or office. From the business point of view, this means companies need to pay special attention to their website, as it represents the company in cyber space. The extent of information available on their site, user friendly links, search ability, and how fast the website loads, are also important factors. These factors are dependent on the target market of the company, whether they are engaged in B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing. B2B customers are more concerned with the technical aspect of the product, the warranty provided and the customer services. B2C customers, the design and over all look of the product may be equally important as the functionalities.

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Features of Online MarketingBefore being specific about what B2B and B2C marketing should ideally target, it is important to discuss the common features that a marketing site should have. Knowing that a company is represented by one site should give all the relevant information to the target market in a manner which is easily accessible. E-information postings typically fall into these five categories, according to Etzel, Walker and Stanton (2004):Company Background and General Information: This category covers the history of the company, its mission and vision, corporate philosophy and general orientation, financial investor related information, the structure of the company, the operations and global/local divisions and branches, and profile of the management team. This portion is usually accessible to everyone and needs to be presented clearly to both categories of individual customers and business consumers.

Current Business Operations: This category caters...