The Cycle- B2C

Hey readers!

I remember first learning about online shopping. I grew up in a small town, fairly isolated from any big city shopping. I was a young teenager and I can recall scouring websites for items that I liked and would love to buy. But I was without a credit card, so looking was as far as it went. Since then, I have purchased several things through online shopping means. In a future post, I intend on documenting an online shopping process for this blog.

Today, I'm going to discuss the aspects of the B2C (Business-to-Consumer) Cycle.

1. Information sharing- Businesses share information about their business online, through mediums such as websites, emails, and advertising on other websites (Google, Facebook, message boards, etc).

2. Ordering- Businesses may use electronic forms or emails to allow customers to order items that would like.

3. Payment- In order to receive payment from customers, most businesses rely on credit cards. Many advancements have been made in this area in recent years and in general the security on reputable websites is very high.


4. Fulfillment- This section of the process is the fulfillment of customer orders and the delivery of the ordered products or services. If it is a service that was purchased, delivery can be done by digital means. For physical products, delivery is achieved by air, sea or ground. How a business completes this section of cycle is dependent on the individual business and the industry and customer they serve.

5. Service and support- Lacking a physical location, it is imperative for e-commerce businesses to have a strong focus on support after the purchase was made. This is important to ensure that customers return and spread positive word-of-mouth to others.

It is the combination of all these steps that make the B2C Cycle and all sections are necessary each time the cycle begins. Next time you make an online purchase, I encourage you to think about this cycle and your involvement.