What Is C2C? How Does the Customer-to-Customer Model Work? (2024)

What Is Customer to Customer (C2C)?

Customer to customer (C2C) is a business modelwhereby customers can trade with each other, typically in an online environment.Two implementations of C2C markets are auctions and classified advertisem*nts. C2C marketing has soared in popularity with the arrival of the internet andcompanies such as eBay, Etsy, and Craigslist.

Key Takeaways

  • Customer to customer (C2C) is a business modelthat enables customers to trade with each other, frequently in an online environment.
  • C2C businesses are a type of business model that emerged with e-commerce technology and the sharing economy.
  • Online C2C company sites include Craigslist, Etsy, and eBay, which sell products or services through a classified or auction system.
  • Some C2C companies have problems, such as a lack of quality control and payment guarantees.
  • C2C can be contrasted with B2C and B2B business models.

How Customer to Customer (C2C) Works

C2C represents a market environment where one customer purchases goods from another customer using a third-party business or platform to facilitate the transaction. C2C companies are a type of business model that emerged with e-commerce technology and the sharing economy.

Customers benefit from the competition for products and often find items that aredifficult to locate elsewhere. Also, margins can be higher than traditional pricing methods for sellers because there are minimal costs due to the absence of retailers or wholesalers. C2C sites are convenient because there is no need to visit a brick-and-mortar store. Sellers list their products online, and the buyers come to them.

The "Amazon effect" is named after the popular global online retailer and refers to the competitive gains e-commerce businesses have made as more shoppers make purchases online instead of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores.

Types of Customer to Customer (C2C) Businesses

Craigslist is an e-commerce platform that connects people advertising products, services, or situations. Craigslist not only provides a platform for buying, selling, and trading products but posts monthly classified ads, such as employment opportunities and property listings. This platform requires the seller to deliver items directly to the buyer in person.

Etsy allows company owners to create their custom website on which to market their products to consumers. The C2C site offers guidance and tools for growing a business that ranges in price according to a company's stage of development. There's also a "Sell on Etsy" app that helps to manage orders, listings, and customer queries efficiently.

eBay features two types of product listings: fixed-price items and auction items. Fixed price items can be purchased quickly by selecting the Buy It Now button. Auction items feature a Place Bid button for entering bids and show a current bid price. These items are open to bids for a predetermined time and are declared "sold" to the highest bidder.

Revenue and Growth of the C2C Market

C2C websites and similar platforms make money from fees charged to sellers for listing items for sale, adding on promotional features, and facilitating credit card transactions. These C2C transactionstypicallyinvolve used products sold through a classified or auction system.

The C2C market is projected to grow in the future because of its cost-effectiveness. The cost of using third parties is declining, and the number of products for sale by consumers is steadily rising. Retailers consider it to be anessential business model because ofthe popularity of social media and other online channels. These channels showcase specific products already owned by consumers and increase demand, which drives increased online traffic to C2C platforms.

However, C2C has problems such as a lack of quality control or payment guarantees. In some cases,there is little support for credit card transactions, although the emergence of PayPal and other such payment systems over the years has helped simplify payments on C2C platforms.

Special Considerations

The C2C marketplace has increased over time, as more companies have entered the space to facilitate C2C transactions. Many companies target niche markets andlist specific products toattract unique consumers.

The C2C marketplace is increasing in popularity among sellers looking to maximize their sales potential by connecting with customers that they otherwise would not reach using traditional selling methods.

Online platforms such as Etsy, eBay, and Craigslist appeal to customers who can locate mostly any product or service at a price they are willing to pay.

What Are Some Examples of C2C Companies?

In e-commerce, some big names in C2C include eBay, Etsy, Craigslist, Ali Express, and Amazon Marketplace. Some C2C payments companies include Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle.

How Does C2C Differ From P2P?

C2C stands for customer-to-customer; P2P stands for peer-to-peer. Both concepts involve consumers or individuals dealing with one another. The main difference is that with C2C, there is a company or other third party in between the buyer and the seller (or sender and receiver). In a P2P platform, counterparties transact directly with one another without that intermediary.

What Is a B2C Company?

Most companies around are B2C (business-to-consumer). This means that a business produces and markets a product for household consumption. This differs from B2B (business-to-business) or C2C (customer-to-customer).

What Is C2C? How Does the Customer-to-Customer Model Work? (2024)

FAQs

How does C2C work? ›

C2C represents a market environment where one customer purchases goods from another customer using a third-party business or platform to facilitate the transaction. C2C companies are a type of business model that emerged with e-commerce technology and the sharing economy.

What is C2C model with example? ›

C2C is consumer-to-consumer or customer-to-customer transactions. In a C2C model, buyers and sellers transact directly instead of through an intermediary. Online C2C firm sites include Quikr, OLX, and eBay, which sell products or services through a classified or auction system.

What is C2C business model? ›

C2C stands for Customer to Customer. C2C E-commerce is an online platform where customers can buy and sell their products/services to each other. In this business model, e-commerce acts as an intermediary that facilitates transactions between customers.

What are C2C marketing strategies? ›

How to create a C2C marketing plan
  • Find your audience. The most critical element of a successful C2C marketing campaign is people. ...
  • Make it about them. ...
  • Get it in writing. ...
  • Watch and learn.
May 2, 2022

What are the benefits of working on C2C? ›

Some of the advantages to being an independent contractor with a corp to corp arrangement include: Increased pay, as most C2C preparations generate a pay increase of 10 percent+ over W-2 salaries. Leverage your business for tax savings that you simply couldn't have as a W-2 worker or a sole proprietor.

Why do people work C2C? ›

C2C employment is when a company hires a contractor to do work for them instead of hiring someone full-time. It can be an excellent way for companies to get work done without having to take on the responsibility of hiring and paying someone full-time, and it can also be a great way for contractors to find work.

What are examples of C2C marketing quizlet? ›

Garage sales and online classified ads are examples of C2C marketing.

Is Uber a C2C model? ›

Blablacar, Airbnb or Uber are examples of C2C marketplaces.

Which of the following is the best example of C2C model of digital marketing? ›

Auction sites are a good example of C2C model. C2C model means consumers to consumers which is suitable for the companies which act as a third party seller. They work as the mediator between clients and sellers.

How to start a C2C business? ›

How to start a C2C business
  1. Consider the purpose of your business.
  2. Choose a platform.
  3. Build your consumer network.
  4. Use organic advertising methods.
Mar 30, 2020

What is C2C communication? ›

C2C communication refers to “the transfer of information from one customer (or a group of customers) to another customer (or group of customers) in a way that has the potential to change their preferences, actual purchase behavior, or the way they further interact with others” (Libai et al., 2010, pp. 269).

Is Airbnb a C2C business model? ›

The C2C model has also benefitted from the rise of the sharing economy, where goods and services are shared on a community-based online platform. Companies in this space include Airbnb, Uber, Spacer, Airtasker, and Gumtree.

What is meant by C2C quizlet? ›

- Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) E-commerce: consumers selling to other consumers.

What is the difference between B2B and C2C? ›

B2B features transactions between established businesses while the C2C model involves consumer trading mostly done through various online platforms. There are legal requirements to be met by the organizations in the B2B business model while the C2C involves individuals, hence there is no paperwork required.

Who will pay the taxes on C2C? ›

The consulting company would be paying its employee who works for the company, an amount after deducting taxes,its rate of profit for the contract and any other legal charges. Essentially, the employee is an employee of the consulting comp and he or she will get a W2 from the consulting company.

Can C2C work for multiple employers? ›

A C2C consultant cannot work for more than one employer. W2 employees cannot claim reimbursem*nt for some of their expenses. C2C consultants can claim reimbursem*nt of their expenses as they are operating their own business. The benefits, such as paid sick leave and vacation are provided to a W2 employee.

Is C2C the same as 1099? ›

The major difference between C2C and 1099 is that with C2C, you don't have to pay self-employment taxes on your income. However, you do have to pay yourself a salary and with it both employer and employee taxes. More Info: Consultants: W-2, 1099 or Corp-to-Corp?

How much does C2C pay? ›

The estimated salary at C2C ranges from approximately $37,417 per year for Entry Level Customer Service Representative to $104,000 per year for Direct Sales Representative....

What is corp to corp rate? ›

If you've ever asked yourself, "What is Corp to Corp Rate," in a nutshell, “corp to corp” means that a corporation is paying your corporation instead of paying you directly as an individual.

Is C2C same as W2? ›

Employers must send the statement to employees and the Internal Revenue Service. A Corporation-to-Corporation (C2C) contract works differently than a W-2. The contract enables two corporations to interact with each other when making new hiring choices. Either a recruiter or an employer will handle the associated taxes.

What is the difference between a b2b and C2C quizlet? ›

B2B:both the sellers and the buyers are businesses B2C: sellers are org. and the buyers are the individuals. C2C: individuals sells products/ services to other individuals. G2C: deliver info and public services to public.

Is Facebook a C2C? ›

One way to conduct such commercial activities is by using Facebook's group function, and since such activities will most likely involve one user (as a seller) and another user (as a consumer), the group is considered as conducting the consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commercial activities.

Which of the following is C2C e-commerce platform? ›

C2C activities are carried out via online marketplaces such as eBay, Etsy, or Taobao, as well as auction websites and forums such as Craigslist. These platforms allow consumers to sell and resell new goods and preowned items.

Is PayPal a C2C business? ›

PayPal users can send or receive money using their email addresses. It is widely used in customer-to-customer (C2C) transactions but can be also used in business-to-customer (B2C) transactions [Sorkin 2001; González 2004 ].

Is Amazon B2B or B2C? ›

Amazon Business (B2B) is a marketplace to serve the needs of Business Customers. For sellers, Amazon Business provides one of India's largest opportunities to reach businesses across the country.

Is Airbnb B2B or B2C? ›

Airbnb is a successful example of B2C businesses in the travel.

What is the difference between C2C and C2B buyer behavior? ›

Remember that C2C marketing is when a person talks up a company's goods or services to friends, family, and just about anyone else. Meanwhile, C2B marketing occurs when a consumer, such as a blogger or social media icon, uses their influence to the benefit of a business.

How do you write a C2C pattern? ›

The basic idea of C2C is that you start in one corner and work along the diagonal to the other corner; hence the name corner-to-corner. Making squares and rectangles is the easiest, but as such you could also make other shapes by increasing or decreasing the diagonal as needed.

Is Target a C2C? ›

C2C business examples include Amazon, Alibaba, and the online sites of brick-and-mortar stores such as Target and Walmart. C2C – Consumer-to-Consumer.

What are the 3 types of e commerce? ›

There are three main types of e-commerce: business-to-business (websites such as Shopify), business-to-consumer (websites such as Amazon), and consumer-to-consumer (websites such as eBay).

Why B2C is better than C2C? ›

B2C, or business to consumers, is the sale of goods directly to consumers. It is more sophisticated, needs more training, and the right kind of marketing strategies in action. C2C, or consumer to consumer, is the direct sale of goods and services between consumers without the involvement of a middleman.

Where does c2c come from? ›

Our routes and stations

c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.

Is Airbnb B2C or C2C? ›

Airbnb is a successful example of B2C businesses in the travel.

Is Facebook B2B or B2C or C2C? ›

Social media — Facebook is the standard for B2C marketing, notes Ben Green, director of operations at Oktopost — allows community engagement for B2C companies, as well as product promotion and brand awareness. B2B companies can benefit in the same way, depending on their goals, target audiences and content they share.

Is Alibaba B2B or C2C? ›

1. Is Alibaba.com B2B or B2C? Alibaba.com is one of the biggest global B2B ecommece platform The ecommerce platform has an extensive product range, making it a great place for small businesses to source their supplies from manufacturers and retailers.

Is it better to work on C2C or W-2? ›

A W2 contract is relatively for a longer duration. So, you can gain expertise in the field of your choice. A C2C contract is for a quite short period of time. So, you can explore new fields frequently.

What are the disadvantages of C2C? ›

Disadvantages of C2C eCommerce for Buyers

Issues with Sellers – Many platforms do their best to protect their customers (on both sides), but issues may arise with the quality of products, payment handling, delivery, or communication between the parties involved, which can be a burden to buyers.

What is C2C pay? ›

The estimated weekly pay at C2C ranges from approximately $622 per week for Retail Sales Associate to $1,287 per week for Direct Sales Representative.

Do you get taxed more if you work two jobs? ›

Adding a second income to your original income can sometimes push you up into a higher tax bracket, so you'll be paying a greater percentage in taxes on the income from a second job. It's key to get your withholding just right if you're working for salary or wages so you're not hit with a surprise tax bill at tax time.

Should I pay my employees 1099 or W-2? ›

1099s and W-2s are tax forms.

A 1099-MISC is used to report payments made to independent contractors (who cover their own employment taxes). A W-2 form, on the other hand, is used for employees (whose employer withholds payroll taxes from their earnings).

Should you be taxed where you live or work? ›

If you earn income in one state while living in another, you should expect to file a tax return for the state where you are living (your “resident” state). You may also be required to file a state tax return where your employer is located or any state where you have a source of income.

What is difference between C2C and 1099? ›

The major difference between C2C and 1099 is that with C2C, you don't have to pay self-employment taxes on your income. However, you do have to pay yourself a salary and with it both employer and employee taxes. More Info: Consultants: W-2, 1099 or Corp-to-Corp?

What is the difference between C2C and W2? ›

Employers must send the statement to employees and the Internal Revenue Service. A Corporation-to-Corporation (C2C) contract works differently than a W-2. The contract enables two corporations to interact with each other when making new hiring choices. Either a recruiter or an employer will handle the associated taxes.

Does Corp to Corp require 1099? ›

You are not required to send a 1099-MISC form to a corporation. This rule includes both C corporations and S corporations. You should still send a 1099-MISC to a single-member limited liability company or a one-person limited corporation (Ltd.), but not an LLC that has elected S corporation or C corporation status.

Is Amazon a C2C? ›

Amazon.com is the world's largest online retailer. The company operates as both a B2C and a C2C market, meaning it markets goods directly to customers and allows users to sell goods themselves. These C2C facilitators earn fees or commissions by allowing sellers to list and sell goods through their websites.

What is the market size of C2C ecommerce? ›

The market valued at US$ 1.5 Billion in 2021.

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