Legal Definitions - business-to-consumer

Business-to-consumer, often abbreviated as B2C, refers to commercial activities and transactions that take place directly between a business and individual end-users or customers. This model focuses on selling products or services intended for personal use rather than for resale or use by another business.

• Example 1: Online Retail Purchase

  Imagine a person named Emily who decides to buy a new smartphone from an electronics retailer's website. Emily browses the available models, selects one, and completes the purchase directly through the website, paying with her personal credit card. The phone is then shipped to her home for her personal use.

  This scenario illustrates B2C because the electronics retailer (a business) is selling a product directly to Emily (an individual consumer) for her personal consumption. The transaction is not with another company, but with an individual end-user.

• Example 2: Local Service Appointment

  Consider Mark, who schedules an appointment at a local hair salon for a haircut and styling. He goes to the salon, receives the service from a stylist, and pays the salon directly for the services rendered.

  This is a B2C interaction because the hair salon (a business) is providing a service directly to Mark (an individual consumer) for his personal grooming needs. The service is tailored for and consumed by an individual.

• Example 3: Digital Content Subscription

  Sarah signs up for a monthly subscription to a popular music streaming service. She pays a recurring fee to access a vast library of songs on her personal devices. The service provides entertainment directly to her as an individual user.

  This demonstrates B2C because the music streaming company (a business) is offering a subscription service directly to Sarah (an individual consumer) for her personal enjoyment and use. The company's primary customer base consists of individual subscribers.