# Business development

Website for B2B vs B2C company

Red Rocket team
Red Rocket teamAug 13, 20246 min read
You've likely heard acronyms like B2B and B2C many times. However, a lot of ordinary users don't know what it means. Moreover, you should realize that building a website will depend on what form of business you choose. It would seem that if a website sells products or services, they should look roughly the same everywhere. However, this is not true at all, and website development for business depends on what you are targeting - business clients or end customers?
Today we will help you understand the difference between B2B vs B2C website design and understand the key features of both. This article will be useful for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to develop a website to promote a brand and sell products or services.
Website for B2B vs B2C company

B2B – What Is It?

Before we get into the details of analyzing B2B and B2C website features, we need to define each type of website. Let us start by defining B2B. It's actually more than a website, as B2B (Business to Business) refers to models of running a commercial activity.
In simple words, this is a form of business when one company supplies its goods or services to another firm. Such companies do not work with ordinary consumers and are business-oriented only. For example, AZO is a manufacturer of machinery for making sauces, bags, packaging, and more. Their model is B2B as it only sells their products to other companies. Another feature of a Business to Business company is their long sales cycle. Typically, a single B2B transaction can take much longer than the other model. In general, B2B and B2C models usually differ also in the terms of the transaction, including the amount of the purchase, the cost per unit, and the quantity of the product.

B2C – What Is It?

The B2C (Business to Customer) model is what regular customers are used to see. It means that a company sells its goods or services to an end customer. What example can we give for the B2C model?
  • SPA salon. Such places provide services to end users, i.e. ordinary people.
  • Gas station. You come to a gas station to get the required amount of fuel. Therefore, gas stations usually work in the Business to Customer format.
  • Grocery store. Almost all supermarkets work to sell goods to the end consumer. Although, supermarkets follow a blended business model as they may sell goods for other companies.
As you may have already realized, the Business to Customer model includes any activity where a company sells goods or services to the end customer. In fact, this form is simpler than B2B, because there is a short sales cycle and there is no need to negotiate a long purchase. Such companies have to rely on emotions and also personal preferences of users to sell goods or services as quickly as possible.

Why Are B2B Websites Different From B2C Websites?

Now you know the key differences between B2B and B2C forms of doing business. It's time to move on to how a Business to Business website differs from a platform that focuses on end consumers. Read on to learn about the top five differences.

1. Related content of a long term purchase

It's not hard to guess that the duration of purchases in B2B and B2C models are very different. In the second variant, they can be quick and impulsive when it comes to inexpensive goods. Certainly, that if a person decided to purchase a car from a dealership, such a purchase cannot be quick. However, this is just an exception to the rule. To put it simply, B2C customers can quickly decide whether to buy a product or not. That is why many sellers create landing pages to sell the product without spending a lot of money.
Goods from the B2B segment are usually characterized by a higher cost, so you have to build a special approach to the customer on the website. Take into account that the decision to buy in this case will not be made by one customer, but by several people from another company (for example, a specialist from the department and a senior manager).
Why should you implement useful content on a website that will follow a long B2B buying cycle? Statistics show that most such purchases begin with a search for an answer to their question or problem. For example, a business owner may be searching the internet for an answer on how to improve the efficiency of his firm. He may find articles about implementing various software, including CRM and ERP. Once he is interested in this, your website should have more content about such systems so that the potential client does not turn to your closest competitors.

2. Clear information about the product or service

As we said above, B2B and B2C websites differ in the length of the sales cycle. And the representatives of a company that is looking for products or services for their work should know all the detailed information. Moreover, this will help relieve your managers who may explain the same points several times.
Another thing to consider is the integration of products or services. There are a large number of products that B2B sites sell as an add-on to the main system. For example, printers, ventilation systems, machinery, and more should be integrated with other systems. You should create a separate block related to product integrations, specifying such data:
  • What the product integrates with.
  • Required versions or modifications (if needed).
  • The full range of features.
  • Whether you provide comprehensive assistance, including support for integrating purchased products or services.
  • What is required for integration.
In general, you should provide complete information to the user about the product and of course about the integration of the product with other systems. This is especially true for products that are purchased by large manufacturing companies.

3. Answers to questions

Of course, B2C websites should only focus on the end consumers and their interests. There is nothing special, as you should fully try to answer possible questions of the customer about the product or service you are selling.
It is typical for B2B websites that a whole group of people make a purchase decision. A common mistake of such websites is to focus only on the person who is responsible for the final decision. Your site should be tailored to both those who make the decision and those who use your product. Provide information and answers to questions for persons who will actually use your product or service with another company.

4. Pricing

It is not hard to guess that products from the B2C segment have simpler pricing. As a rule, it is one single price for a particular product or its modification. This looks familiar, for example, when you go to an online bookstore and see a single unit price.
What about B2B? Pricing in such companies is more complicated, and you need to find a solution to apply these features to the site. We are talking about Business to Business companies that can have multiple prices for one product. Just imagine that a company sells machine tools for business to business. However, these machine tools can be added with different features or have several modifications. Another example is a provider of SaaS solutions for businesses. The price of getting the software may depend on the size of the company, the number of its employees, and the functionality required. You can ask how to implement sophisticated pricing on B2B websites.
Remember the sales scenarios used by famous companies such as Apple and Netflix. They allow the customer to choose their own subscription option, including a separate price. You can take the same approach to website pricing by dividing your target customers into several categories. When it comes to selling products with add-ons, you can create a price builder on the site. The price the user will see will vary depending on the set of features they have selected.

5. The information architecture needs to reach different audiences

What do we mean by different audiences here? For the B2C model, it doesn't matter at all what kind of customer you have because your product or service is the same for everyone. But for B2B websites, things are different.
If you own a B2B company, your customers may be firms of different sizes or even industries. This makes it a little more difficult to properly design a website so that all customers can understand if a product or service is right for them. For example, some hardware or software may only be compatible with the work of a company of a certain size.
Your website should help potential customers find a solution for their company as quickly as possible. There should be markings or indications on the platform that certain types of products are only compatible with specific businesses. The solution for B2B websites is to create visitor segments in the navigation. This will save customers time and help them find the right product or service for their situation faster.

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Website Optimization and Performance

It's time to discuss optimization and other points that apply to B2B and B2C websites. We highlight two key points you should know about before website development for business:
  • Mobile optimization. Statistics show that today, a large portion of individual customers visit websites using mobile devices. That's why including a B2C mobile optimization item for a website is on the to-do list. Since in the B2B segment, employees of the firm are searching for goods, they mostly use corporate laptops.
  • CTA elements. Text and buttons that entice customers are powerful tools in website performance, including B2C and B2B. However, there are some differences in the two. For B2C websites, it is best to use CTAs that incentivize the customer to make a direct purchase. At this time, for the B2B segment, it is recommended to use enticing text for a consultation to discuss more details with the customer.
In any case, you should optimize your website for mobile devices and work on its performance. Check the loading speed of your website and try to stick to 2 seconds.
Both B2C and B2B websites are focused on selling products or services. That's why you should follow modern practices in both variants. For example, B2C e-commerce trends can include omnichannel, where a user can make a purchase through different platforms.
What examples can you point to for B2B e-commerce trends? You can integrate your own website with an advanced CRM system to simplify customer interactions. This is especially relevant for the B2B segment, as it is characterized by a more complex process of selling products or services.
Another popular trend today for e-commerce websites is the implementation of technologies with Artificial Intelligence. For example, you can replace a technical support team of real people with a smart chat bot that can recognize customer questions and give appropriate answers.

Final Thoughts

As you might have already realized, B2B and B2C website features have many similarities and also many differences. When creating a B2C website, you should focus on a short cycle and a quick sale to the end customer. It is common for B2B websites to actively populate the platform with necessary content and information that customers may need to make a decision. Don't forget that utilizing CTA elements is great for both.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a B2B and B2C website?

The difference between these sites is the potential customers. The B2B website model focuses on selling goods to other companies. While B2C sites sell goods to end customers (individuals).

What are some methods of promoting a B2C website?

Today's marketers use many techniques to increase the performance and number of sales of a B2C website. One option is B2C SEO techniques that aim to attract a large amount of organic traffic and raise the site's places in Google rankings.

What to know about B2B online sales?

Sales in the B2B segment are characterized by a long cycle and special customer attention. Decision makers consult with other specialists in the company and check a lot of information. On the other hand, B2B sales can generate more profit than B2C sales.

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