Businesses that sell directly to consumers (B2C)
The goal of B2C marketing is to drive consumers to the product and maximize the value of the transaction through activities that provide incentives to buy additional products. Relationships between companies and consumers are based on the consumer’s experience during the purchase process. Value of the transaction will be determined by the quality of the experience or the transaction.
The following characterizes the consumer market buying process.
- Cares about product benefits and how they relate to them personally
- Wants a simple, single-step buying process
- Can be influenced by merchandising and point of purchase activities
- Primarily makes an emotional buying decision based on status, desire or price
B2C Marketing
Marketing activities must focus on getting people to buy quickly.
- B2C companies employ more merchandising activities like coupons, displays, store fronts and offers to entice the target market to buy.
- B2C marketing campaigns are concerned with the transaction. They are shorter in duration and need to capture the customer’s interest immediately. These campaigns often offer special deals, discounts, or vouchers that can be used both online and in the store.
For example, the goal of an email campaign for a B2C company is to get consumers to buy the product immediately. The email will take the consumer to a landing page on the website. This landing page is designed to sell the product and make purchasing very easy by integrating the shopping cart and checkout page into the flow of the transaction. Any more than a couple of clicks and the customer is likely to abandon the shopping cart.
One interesting aspect of B2C marketing is the importance of loyalty. Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples combine merchandising and education to keep customers coming back. Add great customer service, and you get a winning combination.