Business-to-business (B2B) describes relations of commercial partners, without serving the end consumer.

B2B is the abbreviation for Business to Business and stands for relations between (min. two) enterprises, contrary to relations between enterprises and other groups (consumers, thus private people than customer, coworkers or public administration) particularly in marketing business relations is generally described. While in former times one spoke primarily of industrial goods or capital goods marketing, today one speaks of B2B-Marketing, in order to distinguish itself from consumer goods marketing or B2C-Marketing. B2B-Marketing covers all products and achievements (thus makes no difference whether the property as investment is meant) their common characteristic being the sales market. Such constituted products and achievements create again business increase in value. With the arising of the Internets and many English terms also B2B for (electronic) communication relations between enterprises was established. Particularly in connection with the support of business processes by electronic means of communication the business processes are in this way categorized. B2B is the oldest and a large part of the e-business. Main application range is the electronic purchase of B and C articles (see electronic procurement). For the realization of B2B e-Business depending upon requirement different technologies and standard are used, for example of market places, EDI, Web services, Business Suchmaschine.

B2B marketing is considered more complex than B2C marketing because of the number of influencers/purchasers typically involved in a B2B sale. For example, in B2C marketing, a special offer is made in a retail setting and an individual makes a financial choice. B2B marketing is focused on reaching several decisionmakers who are often, in a corporate setting, part of a group focused on making buying decisions. This sort of buying process is "committee-driven" and complicated. B2B sales are based on needs, not wants as they are in B2C sales.

B2B: Vertical vs. Horizontal e-Marketplaces

Vertical e-Marketplace: A Vertical e-Marketplace spans vertically up and down every segment of one specific industry. Each level of the industry has access to every other level, which greatly increases collaboration. Buyers and Sellers in the industry are connected to increase operating efficiency, and decrease supply chain costs, inventories, and cycle times. This is possible because buying/selling items to customers in a similar industry standardizes needs, therefore reducing the need for outsourcing many products.

Horizontal e-Marketplace: A Horizontal e-Marketplace connects buyers and sellers across many industries. The most common type of materials traded horizontally across industries are MRO’s (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations materials). These items are so popular because they are crucial to the daily running of a business, no matter what industry (or what level of that industry) you are in.

See also

• B2C business-to-consumer
• C2B consumer-to-business
• B2A business-to-administration
• B2E business-to-employee
• C2C consumer-to-consumer

Electronic commerce

• business-to-business electronic commerce, automated processes of electronic commerce

Marketing

B2B | B2B | Business-To-Business | B2B | Business to business | B2B | B2B | B2B | B2B | Бізнес до бізнесу | B2B