7 Types of E-Business You Should Know About
E-business is a broad term that encompasses any kind of business or commercial transaction that involves sharing information across the internet. E-business can take many forms and involve different types of participants, such as businesses, consumers, administrations, or individuals. In this article, we will explore the different types of e-business models and some examples of successful e-businesses.
Business to Consumer (B2C)
B2C is the most common type of e-business model, where a business sells products or services directly to consumers through an online platform. B2C e-businesses can offer a variety of benefits to customers, such as convenience, lower prices, wider selection, personalized recommendations, and customer reviews. Some examples of B2C e-businesses are:
– Amazon: The largest online retailer worldwide, selling a wide range of products from books to electronics to groceries.
– Netflix: The leading streaming service provider, offering thousands of movies and TV shows on demand.
– Spotify: The most popular music streaming platform, allowing users to listen to millions of songs and podcasts.
– Uber: The dominant ride-hailing app, connecting drivers and passengers in over 60 countries.
Business to Business (B2B)
B2B is another common type of e-business model, where a business sells products or services to other businesses through an online platform. B2B e-businesses can help businesses reduce costs, improve efficiency, enhance collaboration, and access new markets. Some examples of B2B e-businesses are:
– Alibaba: The largest online marketplace for wholesale trade, connecting millions of suppliers and buyers from over 200 countries.
– Salesforce: The leading cloud-based software provider for customer relationship management (CRM), helping businesses manage their sales, marketing, and service activities.
– Shopify: The most popular e-commerce platform for online stores, enabling businesses to create and manage their own online shops.
– Slack: The most widely used collaboration tool for teams, allowing businesses to communicate and share files in real-time.
Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
C2C is a type of e-business model where consumers sell products or services to other consumers through an online platform. C2C e-businesses can provide consumers with an opportunity to earn money, find bargains, dispose of unwanted items, and connect with other like-minded people. Some examples of C2C e-businesses are:
– eBay: The pioneer of online auctions, allowing consumers to buy and sell a variety of goods from collectibles to cars.
– Etsy: The largest online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, connecting consumers who create and sell unique products.
– Airbnb: The leading platform for short-term rentals, enabling consumers to rent out their homes or rooms to travelers.
– Craigslist: The most popular classified ads website, offering consumers a platform to post and browse listings for jobs, housing, services, and more.
Consumer to Business (C2B)
C2B is a type of e-business model where consumers offer products or services to businesses through an online platform. C2B e-businesses can empower consumers to set their own prices, choose their own terms, and leverage their skills or assets. Some examples of C2B e-businesses are:
– Priceline: The innovative travel booking website, allowing consumers to name their own price for flights, hotels, and car rentals.
– Upwork: The largest online marketplace for freelance work, connecting consumers who offer their skills and services to businesses who need them.
– Kickstarter: The most popular crowdfunding platform, enabling consumers to raise funds for their creative projects from businesses and individuals who support them.
– YouTube: The most popular video-sharing platform, allowing consumers to create and upload videos that generate revenue from businesses who advertise on them.
Business to Administration (B2A)
B2A is a type of e-business model where businesses offer products or services to public administrations through an online platform. B2A e-businesses can help public administrations improve their efficiency, transparency, accountability,
and service delivery. Some examples of B2A e-businesses are:
– GovWorks: A software company that provides cloud-based solutions for government agencies, such as payment processing, workflow management, and citizen engagement.
– IBM: A technology giant that offers various solutions for public administrations, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
– Deloitte: A professional services firm that provides consulting, auditing, tax, and advisory services for public administrations in various sectors and domains.
– Coursera: An online education platform that partners with public administrations to offer courses and certificates for civil servants and citizens.
Consumer to Administration (C2A)
C2A is a type of e-business model where consumers offer products or services to public administrations through an online platform. C2A e-businesses can enable consumers to participate in public affairs, access public information, and benefit from public services. Some examples of C2A e-businesses are:
– Change.org: The largest online petition platform, allowing consumers to start and sign petitions for various causes and issues that affect them and their communities.
– TurboTax: The most popular online tax preparation software, allowing consumers to file their taxes easily and securely with the government.
– OpenStreetMap: A collaborative project that creates and maintains a free and editable map of the world, allowing consumers to contribute and use geographic data for various purposes.
– Khan Academy: A non-profit organization that provides free online education for anyone, anywhere, allowing consumers to learn and improve their skills with the help of public administrations.
E-business is a term that covers a wide range of online business activities and models. In this article, we have discussed seven types of e-business models:
| Type | Description | Examples |
| B2C | Business to consumer | Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, Uber |
| B2B | Business to business | Alibaba, Salesforce, Shopify, Slack |
| C2C | Consumer to consumer | eBay, Etsy, Airbnb, Craigslist |
| C2B | Consumer to business | Priceline, Upwork, Kickstarter, YouTube |
| B2A | Business to administration | GovWorks, IBM, Deloitte, Coursera |
| C2A | Consumer to administration | Change.org, TurboTax, OpenStreetMap, Khan Academy |
Each type of e-business model has its own advantages and challenges, and requires different strategies and skills to succeed. By understanding the different types of e-business models, you can choose the one that best suits your goals and needs.
Types of E-Business and Their Global Demand
E-business is the term used to describe any kind of business or commercial transaction that involves sharing information across the internet. E-business can take place between different market participants, such as businesses, consumers, or administrations. There are four main types of e-business models: business to consumer (B2C), business to business (B2B), consumer to business (C2B), and consumer to consumer (C2C). Each type has its own characteristics, advantages, and challenges.
B2C E-Business
B2C e-business is the most common and well-known type of e-business. It refers to the online transactions of selling and buying products or services between a business and a consumer. Examples of B2C e-business include online shopping stores, online travel agencies, online education platforms, and online entertainment services. B2C e-business has grown rapidly in the past decades, as more consumers have access to the internet and prefer the convenience, variety, and lower prices of online shopping. According to Statista, global B2C e-commerce sales reached 4.28 trillion US dollars in 2020, and are expected to grow to 6.38 trillion US dollars by 2024.
B2B E-Business
B2B e-business is the type of e-business that involves online transactions of selling and buying products or services between two or more businesses. Examples of B2B e-business include online wholesale platforms, online procurement systems, online marketplaces for raw materials, and online software as a service (SaaS) providers. B2B e-business can help businesses reduce costs, increase efficiency, enhance collaboration, and expand their market reach. According to Grand View Research, the global B2B e-commerce market size was valued at 12.2 trillion US dollars in 2019, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% from 2020 to 2027.
C2B E-Business
C2B e-business is the type of e-business that involves online transactions of selling and buying products or services between a consumer and a business. Examples of C2B e-business include online platforms for freelancers, online platforms for influencers, online platforms for crowdfunding, and online platforms for user-generated content. C2B e-business can benefit consumers by allowing them to set their own prices, offer their skills or opinions, and access a wider range of opportunities. C2B e-business can benefit businesses by enabling them to access a large pool of talent, feedback, and funding. According to Research and Markets, the global C2B e-commerce market size was estimated at 5.8 billion US dollars in 2019, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.3% from 2020 to 2027.
C2C E-Business
C2C e-business is the type of e-business that involves online transactions of selling and buying products or services between two or more consumers. Examples of C2C e-business include online platforms for second-hand goods, online platforms for peer-to-peer lending, online platforms for carpooling, and online platforms for social networking. C2C e-business can empower consumers by allowing them to sell their unwanted items, borrow or lend money, share resources, and connect with others. C2C e-business can also create social value by promoting sustainability, trust, and community. According to Technavio, the global C2C e-commerce market size was valued at 1.86 trillion US dollars in 2019, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9% from 2020 to 2024.
References:
https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdf
https://books.google.com/books?id=cmvmTgt93vcC&pg=PT32
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_business)
https://www.temok.com/blog/what-is-e-business/)
https://bizfluent.com/types-of-e-business-models.html)
https://www.koombea.com/blog/what-are-the-four-main-types-of-ebusiness-models/)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/379046/worldwide-retail-e-commerce-sales/)
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/business-to-business-b2b-e-commerce-market)
https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5304579/consumer-to-business-e-commerce-market-size)
https://www.technavio.com/report/c2c-e-commerce-market-industry-analysis)