Similarities and differences between B2c and B2b Websites

Visit one B2C and one B2B Web site.  Examine each carefully, identifying as many relationship building techniques as possible.  Do you find extensive differences between the B2C and B2B sites?  Discuss your findings, and the similarities and differences between programs on the two sites. 

B2B companies are entities whose major business function is to purchase goods and/or services from other business companies refer to the situations where a business purchases goods or services from another business (Kotler & Pfoertsch, 2007). For instance automobile companies need parts for their products so they buy these components from other companies, such as steel industries, paint companies, etc. – all companies that manufacture components to make a car or any vehicle. Almost all companies today, especially the big names in the business arena, venture in B2B operations to save resources, especially the time in producing outputs. Business to Consumer (B2C) companies on the other hand, are those that sell directly to customers (Lai & Wong, 2005).  A very good example of B2C company is a specialized store that sells items it specifically manufactures, such as the resin bracelets sold in Pinterest, with real fresh flowers inside them, or a company that sells its patented product or service.

For this particular exercise, the two (2) companies which will be discussed are Microsoft, a leading provider of anything about computers and related products, and therefore an active B2B player, and Amazon, the leasing e-commerce company right now, which sells directly to online consumers (B2C). Visiting their webpages, the following observations were noted:

1. The Microsoft website, in particular the Global Microsoft Operations (GMO), articles that showcase the successful ventures of Microsoft in business, particularly the assessments they made on such successes and the role of these in establishing sustainable relationship with consumers, were provided at the top of its page. Microsoft also provides good presentation of its products, their functions, and importance in modern operations in different sectors or industries. These components are both attractive and informative tools that will guide companies who want to do business with Microsoft, either as a buyer or supplier. The website provides links and features that will easily bring visitors to where they want to go to get information or answer their specific questions, which are essential qualities for a business website (Bughin & Hagel III, 2000).
2. With regards to Amazon, it will not be a leading name in the global retails business without its very effective online platform. Aside from its aesthetic taste, the Amazon website directly presents the products they offer, at various choices for brands and specifications for the consumer to choose. Ads that present discounts and other tempting deals can be seen at the bottom of the page. There is also a spot at the side of the page where the top sellers are indicated, and tick boxes are available for a more specific way of searching through the broad selections in Amazon.  Amazon provides the features that customers can use to be more specific in searching for brands, therefore saving them some precious  time in going through thousands of brands in a similar product.

Conclusion

Considering these observations, B2C companies, especially in the area of online marketing, has a much more edge in getting the best results due to its more direct and user-friendly approach, at a faster rate and wider reach due to the use of the Internet (Bughin & Hagel III, 2000). Most B2B companies nowadays, although also competitive venturers in online business strategies, need still to be traditional in manufacturing its products and selling them to customers (Albrecht, Dean, & Hansen, 2005).

References

Albrecht, C. C., Dean, D. L., & Hansen, J. V. (2005). Marketplace and technology standards for

B2B e-commerce: progress, challenges, and the state of the art. Information &        Management, 42(6), 865-875.

Bughin, J., & Hagel III, J. (2000). The Operational Performance of Virtual Communities

Towards a Successful Business Model. Electronic Markets, 10(4), 237-243.

Kotler, P., & Pfoertsch, W. (2007). Being known or being one of many: the need for brand

management for business-to-business (B2B) companies. Journal of Business & Industrial   Marketing, 22(6), 357-362.

Lai, V. S., & Wong, B. K. (2005). Business types, e-strategies, and performance. Communications

            of the ACM, 48(5), 80-85.