C2C stands for “consumer to consumer” or “customer to customer,” and it refers to a business model that encourages private individuals to conduct business with one another, typically online. C2C businesses serve as middlemen to promote interaction and assist customers in reaching wider audiences.
This e-commerce category facilitates transactions between people, regardless of whether a C2C platform focuses on products or services. We will examine C2C trade and describe how this business model functions.
Describe C2C commerce
In the C2C model, a consumer, not a business, transacts with another consumer to sell goods or services.
Today, e-commerce and online selling platforms like Craigslist or Etsy are frequently linked to the C2C business model. Some C2C platforms, such as OfferUp, prioritize app-based mobile commerce. However, any company that develops a market between consumers can be referred to as C2C. C2C businesses can also include an actual auction house or the classified ads section of a newspaper.
C2C businesses facilitate consumer interactions by assisting buyers and sellers in finding and interacting with one another. They are particularly helpful in niche markets. For instance, you might not be aware of anyone who is searching for a particular make and model of used car. A C2C marketplace, however, can assist you in reaching out to and closing the sale with your target client.
Customers can access difficult-to-find products and compare prices from various sellers using the C2C model.
Did you realize? Some vendors purchase products for their online resale businesses, such as high-quality used clothing, using C2C platforms as an arbitrage opportunity.
What distinguishes C2C from B2C?Business-to-consumer companies sell directly to consumers while C2C platforms assist consumers in selling to other consumers. Today, the term “business-to-consumer” (B2C) usually refers to online retailers, but traditional retailers like mall stores also use this model.