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B2C in the Digital World

B2c companies and mobile, b2c vs. business-to-business (b2b), b2c: how business-to-consumer sales works, 5 types and examples.

Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

What Is Business-to-Consumer (B2C)?

The term business-to-consumer (B2C) refers to the process of selling products and services directly between a business and consumers who are the end-users of its products or services. Most companies that sell directly to consumers can be referred to as B2C companies.

B2C became immensely popular during the dotcom boom of the late 1990s when it was mainly used to refer to online retailers who sold products and services to consumers through the internet.

As a business model, business-to-consumer differs significantly from the business-to-business (B2B) model, which refers to commerce between two or more businesses.

Key Takeaways

• Business-to-consumer refers to the process of businesses selling products and services directly to consumers, with no middle person.
• B2C typically refers to online retailers who sell products and services to consumers through the internet.
• Online B2C became a threat to traditional retailers, who profited from adding a markup to the price.
• However, companies like Amazon, eBay, and Priceline have thrived, ultimately becoming industry disruptors.

Business to Consumer (B2C)

Understanding Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

Business-to-consumer (B2C) is among the most popular and widely known sales models. Michael Aldrich first utilized the idea of B2C in 1979 and used television as the primary medium to reach out to consumers.

B2C traditionally referred to mall shopping, eating out at restaurants, pay-per-view movies, and infomercials. However, the rise of the internet created a whole new B2C business channel in the form of e-commerce or selling goods and services over the internet.

Although many B2C companies fell victim to the subsequent dotcom bust as investor interest in the sector dwindled and venture capital funding dried up, B2C leaders such as Amazon and Priceline survived the shakeout and have since seen tremendous success.

Any business that relies on B2C sales must maintain good relations with its customers to ensure they return. The company must regularly review its marketing for good performance and adjust it when necessary.

Business-to-business (B2B) marketing campaigns are geared to demonstrate the value of a product or service. Companies that rely on B2C usually try to catch the eye of the consumer and elicit an emotional response to their marketing.

B2C Storefronts vs. Internet Retailers

Traditionally, many manufacturers sold their products to retailers with physical locations. Retailers made profits on the markup they added to the price paid to the manufacturer. But that changed once the internet came. New businesses arose that promised to sell directly to the consumer , thus cutting out the middle person—the retailer—and lowering prices. During the bust of the dotcom boom in the 1990s, businesses fought to secure a web presence. Many retailers were forced to shut their doors and went out of business.

Decades after the dotcom revolution, B2C companies with a web presence continue to dominate over their traditional brick-and-mortar competitors. Companies such as Amazon, Priceline, and eBay are survivors of the early dotcom boom. They have gone on to expand upon their early success to become industry disruptors.

Online B2C can be broken down into five categories: direct sellers, online intermediaries, advertising-based B2C, community-based, and fee-based.

There are typically five types of online B2C business models that most companies use online to target consumers.

1. Direct sellers. This is the most common model in which people buy goods from online retailers. These may include manufacturers or small businesses or simply online versions of department stores that sell products from different manufacturers. 

2. Online intermediaries. These are liaisons or go-betweens who don't actually own products or services that put buyers and sellers together. Sites like Expedia, trivago, and Etsy fall into this category.

3. Advertising-based B2C. This model uses free content to get visitors to a website. Those visitors, in turn, come across digital or online ads. Large volumes of web traffic are used to sell advertising, which sells goods and services. One example is media sites like HuffPost, a high-traffic site that mixes advertising with its native content. 

4. Community-based. Sites like Meta (formerly Facebook), which build online communities based on shared interests, help marketers and advertisers promote their products directly to consumers. Websites typically target ads based on users' demographics and geographical location.

5. Fee-based. Direct-to-consumer sites like Netflix charge a fee so consumers can access their content. The site may also offer free but limited content while charging for most of it. The New York Times and other large newspapers often use a fee-based B2C business model. 

Decades after the e-commerce boom, B2C companies are continuing to eye a growing market: mobile purchasing. With smartphone apps and traffic growing year-over-year, B2C companies have shifted attention to mobile users and capitalized on this popular technology.

Throughout the early 2010s, B2C companies were rushing to develop mobile apps, just as they were with websites decades earlier. In short, success in a B2C model is predicated on continuously evolving with consumers' appetites, opinions, trends, and desires.

Because of the nature of the purchases and relationships between businesses, sales in the B2B model may take longer than those in the B2C model.

As mentioned above, the business-to-consumer model differs from the business-to-business (B2B) model. While consumers buy products for their personal use, businesses buy products to use for their companies. Large purchases, such as capital equipment , generally require approval from those who head up a company. This makes a business' purchasing power more complex than that of the average consumer.

Unlike the B2C business model, pricing structures tend to be different in the B2B model. With B2C, consumers often pay the same price for the same products. However, prices are not necessarily the same. Businesses tend to negotiate prices and payment terms.

What Is Business-to-Consumer and How Does It Differ From Business-to-Business?

After surging in popularity in the 1990s, business-to-consumer (B2C) increasingly became a term that referred to companies with consumers as their end-users. This stands in contrast to business-to-business (B2B), or companies whose primary clients are other businesses. B2C companies operate on the internet and sell products to customers online. Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Walmart are some examples of B2C companies.

What Is an Example of a Business-to-Consumer Company?

One example of a major B2C company today is Shopify, which has developed a platform for small retailers to sell their products and reach a broader audience online. Before the advent of the internet, however, business-to-consumer was a term that was used to describe take-out restaurants, or companies in a mall, for instance. In 1979, Michael Aldrich further utilized this term to attract consumers through television.

What Are the 5 Types of Business-to-Consumer Models?

Typically, B2C models fall into the following five categories: direct sellers, online intermediaries, advertising-based B2C, community-based, and fee-based. The most frequently occurring is the direct seller model, where goods are purchased directly from online retailers. By contrast, an online intermediary model would include companies like Expedia, which connect buyers and sellers. Meanwhile, a fee-based model includes services such as Disney+, which charges a subscription to stream their video-on-demand content.

Michael Aldrich Archive. " Inventor's Story ."

Sensor Tower. " Mobile App Market Outlook 2022 ." Pages 5, 10.

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Business to Consumer (B2C) Marketing: Ultimate Guide

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B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing is an array of best practices, strategies, methods, and tactics for promoting products and services to consumers. This differs from B2B (also called business-to-business) marketing whereby companies market their goods and services directly to other companies and businesses.

For this reason, B2C marketing is an important factor in the success of any business offering consumer-based services or products : a fashion store, car-hire service, drug store, restaurant, software firm, grocery shop, resort hotel, etc.

B2C marketers focus not only on the value and benefit their products or services offer but also try to invoke an emotional connection with the consumer.

In the digital age, however, the internet has become the battleground as well as the most viable channel by which B2C brands seek actionable market insights in order to effectively promote their products and services.

Nearly every smart B2C brand is trying to get in front of their online target audience. After all, every company worth its salt wants to get a slice of the $3.53 trillion global e-commerce industry , a market whose revenues are expected to hit $6.54 trillion by 2023.

Unlike B2B customers (businesses), end consumers are often looking for products and services that offer immediate solutions to their problems and pain-points. They don’t do extensive research on products and tend to complete purchases within a few days, if not hours of becoming aware of products.

For successful marketing campaigns, however, B2C companies must be familiar with market trends and know their target audience’s purchasing habits, needs, and preferences.

Today’s B2C marketing promotions should be smart, data-driven, technology-heavy, easy for customers to access, and focused on meeting the exact needs of the consumer.

The one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Here we have created the ultimate guide for business-to-consumer marketing. It covers every aspect of B2C marketing, from B2C marketing channels and challenges to the do’s and don’ts of consumer-based marketing.

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The B2C Consumer

As a B2C marketer, your single-most important task is to know your customer inside out. That’s why you should carry out a meticulous analysis of your target audience, the kind of consumer you intend to reach.

Usually, the most effective (and perhaps easiest) way for B2C brands to analyze their markets is to generalize their audience into one model customer. Is your typical customer female or male? Is this person married? Are there children? What is the age group?

Before you dig any deeper into the nitty-gritty of your target audience, it is important to understand what generally makes B2C customers tick. Specifically, what moves them to buy?

Once you’ve figured out your customers’ motivations, you can easily create the ‘wow’ factor and that pushes them to buy. Here are some of the most common B2C buyer motivations you should know.

To make peace or amends . Although we may feel good by letting go of the past, our buying behavior often indicates otherwise. For example, a man who may have had a bad relationship with his father will more likely buy something to honor him.

To feel special and exclusive . We all want to be prized, and feel as though we’re one of a kind. This unique form of self-assurance gives us a feeling of exclusiveness. Buying an expensive sports car, joining an exclusive country club, splurging on an exotic vacation, and so forth can help trigger this emotion.

To realize a life dream . Some non-typical purchases may help shine a light on someone’s innermost wants and desires. If owning a downtown condo, convertible or Swiss watch will make one of your life dreams come true, wouldn’t you buy it?

To save money, time or energy . A person will purchase a product or service if it will save energy, money or time. Drawing upon this fact, B2C marketers can remind their target customers that, in the long- or short-term, they will recoup their money.

To feel great and comfortable. Most consumers are moved to buy a product that helps them feel good. Here, think of comfort food like fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, or French fries. The same goes for feel-good purchases like luxury cars, a bottle of a favorite wine, hot cocoa for a chilly winter evening, and so forth.

To prove a point or to seem defiant . Have you ever been told that you don’t really need something? Or, that you can’t afford it? These negative statements can easily turn into great forces that motivate a consumer to buy something in order to “prove a point.” You can think of the customer as a rebellious teen.

To improve status. Some people buy the latest car, move into a luxury home, clad themselves in designer outfits or dine out in an exclusive restaurant just to elevate their status. The purchase is supposed to help tell their story and, without words, tell others they deserve high regard.

Safety and fear. The vast majority of people buy items that make them feel more safe and comfortable. This may help explain why we spend top dollar on home security systems, houses in safe neighborhoods, comprehensive medical coverage, and much more. Fear stemming from insecurity motivates us.

To be regarded as ‘somebody.’ Some people go to great lengths to make a statement. Many consumers are especially prone to buy products that fulfill their need to feel like somebody. In other words, they make certain purchases to feel connected, respected, and to be ‘seen’.

To reward themselves . It’s not uncommon for people to splurge on something expensive, especially clothing or electronics, in an attempt to reward themselves. After a week or month of saving, you might want to reward yourself with a lobster dinner.

The Microsecond Buyer

Aside from the motivations mentioned above, B2C buyers also tend to make impulse-driven buying decisions. Popularly known as ‘microsecond buyers’, this impulse shopper makes purchase decisions super-fast and often doesn’t do much due diligence or product research.

The microsecond buyer makes unplanned decisions in the heat of the moment to purchase a product or a service.

More often than not, impulse purchases are made not because they are essential but rather to satisfy an emotional urge and/or to uplift the buyer’s mood.

When exploited creatively and properly, impulse buying can be a great goldmine for smart B2C brands and marketers.

However, the bigger question is: what drives both in-store and online buyers to make impulse-driven purchase decisions? How can you leverage B2C marketing to cash in on impulse buying?

Impulse purchases are predominantly driven by emotion . We are emotional beings. Psychological studies show that emotional triggers stimulate customers’ minds 3,000 times faster than rational or reasoned thinking.

This doesn’t come as a big surprise, given that feelings play a huge role at nearly every stage of the buyer’s journey. Unlike rational thoughts that can push the shopper to conduct extensive research, emotional thoughts can drive an instant purchase decision.

To master the market, B2C marketers have increasingly focused on manipulating customers’ emotions in order to make sales happen. There are numerous ways B2C brands can create positive emotions and move buyers to buy.

Perhaps the best way to initiate an emotion-driven impulse sale is through attractive colors, appealing images, emotion-provoking phrases, and other elements that will inspire a positive reaction in the mind of the target consumer.

Color placement can do wonders, especially for in-store customers. That’s because some colors have been found to arouse certain feelings in customers’ minds.

For example, green is generally thought to bring forth a feeling of relaxation, while blue induces a sense of peace and serenity. If you want to create a wistful emotion, stick to brown, whereas red can help you grab customers’ attention.

Another way to create a compelling emotional connection with both offline and online customers is through storytelling. This is an art of communication and marketing that can be particularly persuasive.

Impulse buying hinges on the sense of instant gratification . After all, impulse buys are not planned and usually appeal to a feeling of instant gratification. Because they are often made in the spur of the moment, these purchases are often taken as guilty pleasures.

A shopper may innocently drop into a store with no particular intention of buying, but the way products are set up and displayed may trigger them to make a purchase. This is especially true for millennial shoppers .

Often tied to impatience and the need for recognition, this feeling of immediacy can be a critical sales driver for both online and brick-and-mortar stores. For online sellers, limited time promotions, sales, conditional free shipping, and special offers may play right into impulse-driven purchase decisions.

Simple and instant messaging is important. A solid messaging strategy is a pillar upon which you can build effective customer experiences, improve engagements, and eventually drive purchase decisions.

We live in a world where instant gratification is almost ubiquitous; customers want to receive answers fast. As a B2C marketer, you need to tailor your messaging for optimal customer engagements; making sure your message is simple, relevant and that it resonates with the needs of your audience.

Despite being microsecond customers, most consumers need information prior to making their purchase decisions. With the right messaging strategy, you can move impulse buys by delivering real-time personalized information.

Timing is everything. Today’s B2C brands must be able to allow consumers to start the buying process without much processing, delay or wait time.

Special pricing, customized experiences, and other incentives can help encourage impulse buying, but you need to get the timing right.

Highly discounted products, for instance, are usually purchased on impulse in both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce stores. However, well-timed promotions and sales can get even better results. Adding an element of urgency and executing multi-channel promotional campaigns effectively drives impulse buys.

Besides timing, the most crucial factor driving impulse purchases in-store and online is making sure the whole process is quick and trouble-free. After all, if a shopper decides to purchase an item on the spur of the moment, they are not likely to endure a long and cumbersome buying process.

For in-store purchases, make sure there is a smooth flow from the shelves to the till. In the e-commerce space, make sure your web-store is mobile-optimized, user-friendly, and streamlined to fully take advantage of the impulse-buying tendencies of the microsecond buyer.

B2C Online Consumer

Online shopping has gained immense traction across the globe in the last decade or so, with worldwide e-commerce sales anticipated to exceed $3.5 trillion by 2023.

Online sales accounted for roughly 14.1 percent of all global sales of products and services in 2019, and this share is expected to mushroom to 22 percent in 2023, according to Statista .

Today, more than 80 percent of Americans say they have bought at least one product or service online. This figure is predicted to reach close to 91 percent by 2023 .

From these encouraging numbers, it’s safe to conclude that creating an effective e-commerce marketing strategy is the best bet for B2C brands hoping for success in 2020 and beyond.

Online B2C consumers won’t simply pull out their credit cards and buy from just any website with an e-cart, however. Companies need to prove they are worth the sale.

So, if you run an online B2C business, it’s imperative that you stay abreast of the latest marketing trends, including the key drivers and challenges to online buying. More specifically, you need to understand the ins and outs of your typical B2C online customer, so you can create tailored marketing campaigns geared toward the right audience.

Want to cash in on the ever-rising B2C e-commerce industry?

Let’s explore some of the biggest motivations that drive B2C consumers to buy online instead of in-store, as well as how to use them to your advantage.

Ability to shop round the clock

According to a recent KPMG online consumer repor t, 58 percent of B2C consumers gave “ability to shop 24/7” as their top reason for choosing to shop online. It’s not hard to understand why.

The e-commerce space gives consumers round-the-clock access to a huge assortment of products and services. Whether you want to pre-order the latest smartphone, snag that gorgeous wedding gown before it goes out of stock or order take-out at 2:00 in the morning, internet shopping makes it all possible, whenever and wherever you may be.

How to take advantage of the 24-hour convenience of online shopping? Create a robust website that is not only fast and user-friendly but also mobile-optimized and information-rich.

Your site should load in a snap because slow-loading websites are downright frustrating, resulting in abandonments and eventual loss of business to the competition.

The secret to successful online selling lies in reliable customer service. Make sure customers can get answers promptly by including live chat and phone service staffed 24/7.

Set up automated email marketing, social integration, and other communication features to increase customer engagement, boost your reach, and close sales faster.

Overall, your online buying process should be simplified, streamlined, and hassle-free, from start to finish. Don’t forget to incorporate payment options that require little to no input on your end, such as PayPal, Stripe, etc., so you don’t have to deal with too many complaints or processing bottlenecks.

Ability to compare and review multiple sites and products

Online shoppers have unlimited access to countless options when it comes to services, products, and sellers. This gives them the ability to compare and review multiple products and stores before they make a purchase decision.

Above all, they can comparison shop right from their computers, laptops, tablets or mobile devices. That means they don’t have to move from one store or aisle to another. All they need do is conduct a web search to visit dozens of online stores offering a specific product or numerous related products.

Even better, they can read online reviews and learn what others have to say about these stores and their respective products or services. This way, they can conduct thorough research and make comparisons based on quality, user ratings, price, and customer service.

This motivation provides smaller players and upcoming stores with an avenue to compete with big-box retailers and larger online marketplaces. There are plenty of ways they can do this:

Make a point of providing relevant information your target buyers may be searching for early in the buying journey.

Clearly show the price, specifications, return policy, and other information on the product page to help customers easily compare products.

Don’t forget to optimize your content for buyers who may still be doing research. The same should also apply to your SEO strategy; make it easy for users to connect with your brand and products earlier in the buying cycle.

If your sales cycle is long, which is often true for brands like software providers, you may want to entice the customer to provide you with their contact info early in the sales cycle. Having their email in your CRM system, for instance, can help you follow up and be a presence throughout their buying process.

Better pricing

E-commerce has become a darling of thrift shoppers and bargain hunters alike. Some even visit a brick-and-mortar store to figure out what they want and then head online for better and more competitive pricing.

Unlike physical stores, there are some bills most online stores don’t have to pay: property lease, parking, wages for floor workers, and shelving costs. This affords them the luxury of offering cheaper pricing while competing with physical stores on quality and customer service.

For instance, in the clothing sector, most shoppers go to a boutique or big-box retailer to find exactly what they want. They can feel, touch and try on an outfit before using their phones to buy the product at a much cheaper price online.

To cash in on bargain hunters looking for better pricing online, you may want to take advantage of price-reducing tactics like selling refurbished products, drop-shipping, and bulk-selling to gain from economies of scale.

Ideally, like BestBuy, you should have a “deal of the day” system in place, offering reduced pricing on the latest or slower-moving products.

Wider variety and ease of selection

With advanced logistics and a supply chain framework, online sellers can offer a larger number and a wider variety of products. Online buyers, in turn, can find a wider selection of products and services than ever before.

This convenience and ease of selection make the job of online shoppers effortlessly smooth. For instance, Amazon shoppers can find literally anything in the same marketplace, from home cleaning services to the latest iPhone.

Even if you operate a physical store, make sure you offer a wider range of products to your target consumers online. By offering a broader breadth of inventory, you can capture more web traffic, increase conversion, boosting both sales and revenue.

B2C Offline Consumer

In-store sales still command more than an 80 percent share of all US sales despite huge leaps made by online retailers like Amazon.

For this reason, it is also helpful for B2C brands to think about the drivers for in-store buying. That’s because offline purchases show how digital marketing strategies like augmented reality, VR, and interactive product shots could help with the need to try, touch and see products in person.

So what motivates B2C consumers to choose offline purchases over online shopping?

     1. The need for instant gratification

Perhaps the most cited reason for offline shopping is that customers want items now, and want them fast. As per a recent Retail Drive survey , nearly half of surveyed consumers say they prefer in-store shopping over internet stores because they could immediately take the products with them.

This shows that two-day, or even next-day shipping cannot entirely reproduce the sense of immediacy offered by in-store purchases. This may help explain why e-retailers like Amazon are going above and beyond to cover the last-mile to offer same-day delivery.

     2. Ability to touch, see, and try out products

It turns out many consumers still want to kick the tires before buying a car. Accordingly, the ability to try out, feel, and touch an item is the leading reason why consumers don’t want to ditch physical stores for online shopping.

In fact, a significant 62 percent of consumers want to experience the tactile nature of in-store shopping, as per the Retail Drive survey.

Physical stores must spruce up their game to craft captivating in-store shopping experience. Likewise, online sellers can leverage the latest technologies like AI, AR and VR to replicate this amazing experience for their internet buyers.

     3. Shipping-related issues

In the survey mentioned above, consumers quoted easy returns as another of the top 5 reasons they shop in-store rather than online.

This is corroborated by the KPMG report, in which shoppers cited “delivery takes too long” as their reason for shopping in stores versus online. Too high shipping costs, too complicated of a return process, and long delays are other shipping-related issues noted by consumers for opting to shop in-store.

It’s no wonder Amazon has tossed its hat in the ring by making it mandatory for all sellers on its platform to offer free returns .

     4. Enjoy the in-store shopping experience

Despite major improvements in the online shopping experience, more than 18 percent of respondents say enjoyment of the in-store shopping experience is the key reason they prefer to shop in physical stores than e-commerce platforms.

Perhaps they love the social aspect, tactile experiences, and overall in-store atmosphere.

According to the KPMG Global Online Consumer report , roughly 23 percent of B2C buyers enjoy the mere experience of visiting physical shops.

     5. Ability to seek 1:1 customer service

Although not a popular reason, some consumers say they prefer shopping in stores versus online because they can ask questions and seek customer service in person.

Given that online shoppers have so much information at their disposal, they may not have a big incentive to ask in-store employees questions. At the very least, this isn’t a sufficient reason to make a trip to a physical store.

It’s imperative that brick-and-mortar B2C businesses return to the drawing board and rethink how they can employ the power of the human touch.

Main Differences between B2C and B2B Marketing

All businesses that engage in marketing can be taken as either B2C, an acronym for Business-to-Consumer, or B2B, which stands for Business-to-Business.

Some brands are considered hybrids because they directly market to both businesses and consumers.

Contrary to common belief, B2B and B2C marketing differ greatly. Understanding the key differences between the two can help you tailor your strategy and make your campaigns more successful and relevant.

In this section, we’ll only take a look at the major differences:

     1. Definition

B2C marketing refers to the strategies used to directly sell products or services to consumers for personal use.

On the other hand, B2B marketing entails a series of tactics, strategies and best practices used by companies to promote their products or services to other companies or businesses. Find out more about B2B marketing and its best practices .

     2. Target Audience

As you can infer from the definition, end consumers are the target customer of B2C businesses. However, B2C marketers don’t gear their marketing efforts toward companies, distributors, retailers or any other businesses down the supply chain.

B2C brands typically target a large audience of individual shoppers.

B2B companies sell their products or services to businesses.  Their target customers are key decision-makers within their organizations.

For this reason, B2B marketers don’t focus on a company’s employees other than those who are involved in the research or actual purchase decision. They don’t even bother about the end-user.

Instead, B2B marketers target a small audience to purchase decision-makers within a company. This might include executives, CEOs, accountants, managers, CMOs, and heads of various departments.

     3. Storytelling Style: Logic versus Emotion

Both B2C and B2B brands use storytelling to cultivate customer loyalty, inspire emotion, and perhaps move customers to purchase.

However, the two camps do it differently.

B2C marketers focus on the emotional drive linked to buying the product or service. More significantly, they tell their brand stories in an interesting yet simple and straightforward manner, with each element tightly entwining desires and instant benefits .

In contrast, there are hardly any emotions tied to B2B marketing. B2B marketers dwell on the value and benefit of their product or service for the target company. Their storytelling style is all about the logic, characteristics, and the big picture relating to a product .

     4. Length of the Buying Cycle

The B2C buying cycle is simple, short, and uncomplicated. Although the buyer may have to consult friends, family, and other loved ones first, the purchase decision is usually made within a few hours or days after discovering the product.

The B2B purchase cycle, on the other hand, is a multi-step process that typically involves several meetings and numerous decision-makers . That means the buying cycle is complex and can last for several months.

In many cases, the management, procurement, accounting, and heads of multiple departments have to okay the process before the buying decision is finally made. In some cases, the whole process can hit a snag at a crucial point, and the decision-makers might have to return to square zero.

Most B2B companies take an average of 84 days to convert a lead; the process can last even longer, depending on the scale of the sales cycle.

     5. The Cost of Marketing

Individual shoppers make nearly instant decisions, which can help save marketing dollars and time for B2C brands and marketers.

B2B marketing is a totally different story. The buying cycle is usually long, tedious and expensive because the B2B buying process encompasses a long chain-of-command.  It usually means more costs per B2B buyer.

     6. Content Strategy

As you might expect, content plays a critical role in the success of both B2B and B2C marketing. 76 percent of B2C marketers and 88 percent of B2B marketers say they use content as the core strategy for their digital marketing efforts.

Normally, their strategies are dissimilar.

B2B buyers are more likely to conduct extensive research long before they ever enter your sales funnel. After all, B2B buyers are interested in the long-term benefit and want to create lasting business relationships.

With that in mind, B2B content marketing is geared towards the characteristics, value, and logic of the product or service. That’s because B2B customers want to know how the product will help the company streamline processes or improve the company’s bottom line.

B2C content marketing strategy usually centers on the desires and pain points of the end consumer.

End consumers want content that’s engaging, relevant, and that resonates well with their style and personality, even though it is not necessarily related to the product. That’s why B2C content usually focuses on the emotional aspects of products.

No matter how you look at it, there is a significant difference between B2C and B2B marketing .

B2C Marketing: Personalization

B2C marketing personalization refers to the concept or strategy by which consumer-based companies leverage customer data collection and analytics along with the latest technologies to deliver truly tailored messaging and a custom product offering to both prospective and existing customers.

In an era of instant-everything, creating compelling customer-centric experiences has become a key priority for B2C marketers across the industry spectrum, from retail and banking to travel and hospitality.

Marketing personalization tailors the customer’s experience and enables B2C brands to engage and communicate with current and potential customers as individuals, rather than as members of a category, group, list or segment.

There are a boatload of reasons why personalization is crucial for the success of B2C marketing. Let’s take a closer look at this element?

     Why B2C Marketing Personalization is Important

To unravel just how important B2C marketing personalization is, it’s imperative to look at current statistics on the subject.

     Today’s B2C consumers demand personalized customer experiences

The par for great customer experiences is higher than ever before. B2C brands offering individualized CX are more likely to gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing business landscape. Recent stats seem to agree:

More than half of consumers (56 percent, to be precise) confirm that an individualized experience based on past interaction is paramount to winning them over, as per Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer report.

According to the same report, 79 percent of consumers say the quality of customer experience offered by a B2C brand is just as important as its services and products.

According to Epsilon’s research , 90 percent of consumers say marketing personalization is appealing, while 80 percent also indicate that they are more likely to buy from a business that offers personalized experiences.

     Personalization helps boost customer loyalty

Marketing personalization, particularly tailored messages, enables B2C brands to build trust, credibility, and rapport with their online customers.

Get this: more than two-thirds of millennial shoppers are agreeable to letting retailers monitor their shopping and browsing behaviors in return for better customer experiences. Trust online can’t get much better than that.

The best news is that over 94 percent of consumers say they are more likely to be loyal to a credible B2C brand they trust.

Furthermore, around 80 percent of consumers who consider themselves loyal shoppers say they only buy from B2C brands who offer personalized experiences.

From these consumer trends and statistics, it’s clear that marketing personalization plays a vital role in building a customer base and loyalty.

     Personalization helps improve and unify customer engagements across multiple channels

When done right, marketing personalization can help B2C marketers stay on top of customer reach and identification. In turn, they can also spruce up customer engagements and interactions across several channels, including email, social media, mobile and on-site.

More than two-fifths of consumers say they are more likely to view suggested ads and items based on the information they have already shared with the brand, according to Harvard Business Review .

A Smart Insight report agrees, showing that 72 percent of customers only want to engage with marketing campaigns and messaging personalized to their specific needs and preferences.

The same report noted that consumers are also willing to let companies collect and store their information if it will help facilitate their future engagement and interaction with the brand. However, 86 percent of consumers are worried about data privacy.

     Personalization helps increase sales and bolster revenues

More than one-third of consumers believe that brands with which they do business should provide more personalization in their marketing.

In fact, nearly half of them (47 percent) say they would switch to Amazon if a particular brand they are shopping with doesn’t offer personalized product recommendations, as per SmarterHQ .

Remember: four-fifths of consumers say they are more likely to buy a service or product from a brand that offers personalized experiences.

In light of this, it is crystal-clear that B2C marketing personalization not only boosts customer engagement and loyalty but it can also potentially increase sales and improve the bottom line.

How to Meet Increasing Demand for B2C Marketing Personalization

Against this background, it’s incredibly important for companies to stay on top of their marketing personalization. After all, the increased value brought by offering personalized customer experiences to the success of B2C brands is absolute.

89 percent of big players in the B2C digital landscape, including Wells Fargo, Sephora, Netflix, Fabletics, and Coca-Cola, are already investing heavily in personalized marketing, as per Forrester Research .

Unfortunately, 53 percent of consumers believe that most B2C brands are not living up to their expectations of personalized marketing. Even worse, 59 percent think these brands don’t have their best interests at heart, according to Salesforce Research .

So, how do you improve your personalization marketing strategy and stay ahead of the curve?

Below are marketing personalization trends, cutting-edge technologies, strategies, and best practices every B2C marketer should know to make brands stand out in the sea of competition.

B2C Marketing Personalization Latest Trends and Best Practices

     1. The Rise of AI Marketing

Delivering highly optimized, personalized messages and creating 1-to-1 interactions with customers can be quite tricky without the help of advanced marketing technology. That’s why Artificial Intelligence Marketing , better known as AIM, is one of the most sought-after tech innovations in the world of digital marketing.

When coupled with Machine Learning (ML) and Big Data, AI marketing can help take the guesswork out of personalized marketing. That’s because it allows B2C marketers to deliver hyper-targeted and personalized customer experiences.

AIM solutions not only enable marketers to employ AI and Big Data to collect, segment and analyze huge sets of customer data, they can also save time and money-unlike expensive, time-consuming conventional campaigns.

Ultimately, AIM provides marketers with market intelligence and insights that allow them to create and execute highly personalized and smart marketing campaigns. Every consumer interaction at each customer touch-point can be used for future optimization of marketing personalization.

     2. Leveraging Inbound Caller Marketing Analytics

86 percent of senior marketing executives and CMOs want to stay on top of the entire customer experience by 2020, according to a recent Economist report .

Of course, inbound caller experience is part of the complete, end-to-end customer experience. Unfortunately, this has long been a blind spot for B2C marketers, and it is often the most neglected point of engagement.

This is because most B2C marketers don’t have access to the necessary inbound caller insights, which is exactly why inbound caller analytics is steadily gaining more traction in personalized marketing.

To optimize the inbound caller experience, B2C marketers should collect and analyze data on every caller in real-time. This includes information such as who is the caller, each caller’s demographics, and whether the caller is a repeat or new customer.

By leveraging technologies like predictive behavioral routing and IVR ( interactive voice response ), marketers can also determine the caller’s intent. In other words, they can know whether the caller requires support from an agent or is a genuine sales lead, thus making it easier to route the caller to the most relevant department.

     3. Increased Use of Marketing Automation Tools

To deliver the level of marketing personalization savvy consumers expect, B2C brands should gather, segment, and analyze a large volume of customer data.

The vast amount of customer information required, however, can be challenging to even the biggest sales and marketing teams. This is where marketing automation tools become especially handy.

With cutting-edge technologies like AI and Big Data, marketers can collect and sift through the relevant customer data faster, more efficiently, and at a lower cost than using traditional methods.

These tools not only speed up and streamline the process but can also eliminate the need for cumbersome daily tasks like data entry. This leaves marketers with more time to focus on what actually matters: lead generation and business growth.

     4. Personalized Incentive Programs

With the help of artificial intelligence marketing, marketers can create and execute highly personalized incentive suggestions to deliver better customer experiences.

Thanks to AIM solutions, marketers can comb through campaign reports and figure out which customers are more likely to respond to a certain level of incentive. This makes sure specific discounts, deals, and promotions are targeted at the consumers who are most likely to take advantage of them.

Rather than send the same offer to a whole list or segment of prospective and existing customers, AIM methods can allow marketers to focus on the best incentive range.

In this case, artificial intelligence will help provide hyper-personalized incentive recommendations based on case-by-case criteria. Ultimately, this approach will help maximize the benefits of incentive programs and convert more leads into sales.

     5. Personalized, Multi-channel Content Marketing

Today, consumers are bombarded with a barrage of marketing messages, the vast majority of which is irrelevant. Over time, they have become immune to these messages and tend to ignore them.

However, if the messages are personalized to their needs, personality, and preferences, consumers are more likely to respond to them.

To implement an actionable, personalized content marketing strategy, it’s crucial for B2C marketers to truly understand what makes their typical consumer tick. More importantly, in what context do your consumers interact with your brand?

You need to ask yourself detailed questions about your target audience:

• From which platform do they interact with your content?
• What type of content resonates well with them?
• Are they desktop or mobile browsers?
• Do they click through from social media to your website or blog?
• When are they most likely to engage with you and your content?
• Are they looking for particular information?

Ultimately, you need to know why customers are accessing your blog, website, social media pages, and other aspects of your content marketing.

With this knowledge, you can tailor your content for the right audience on the right channel, and deliver it at the right time.

     6. Personalized Product Suggestions

In addition to offering customized incentives, B2C marketers can provide customers with personalized product suggestions.

By leveraging marketing automation tools and AI, they can effectively personalize the product recommendation experience, just as Amazon does.

With AI solutions determining exactly what interests customers, product recommendations can more accurately include only items that the consumer actually wants to see.

Highly relevant suggestions will make customers believe that you actually know and understand them, and will help boost customer loyalty.

How Data-Driven Marketing can Help B2C Marketers

Today’s B2C brands collect copious amounts of customer information. In most cases, that’s just about it.

However, when it comes to creating highly personalized experiences, B2C marketers must create data-driven plans and implement data-inspired plans. It’s all about knowing your customer.

Implementing data-driven plans is perhaps the best way to know who are your customers, where they are, and what are their interests. When it comes to content, for example, data analytics help marketers understand with what type of content your customers are most likely to interact, and on what channel, platform or device.

At the very core, data-driven marketing boils down to using data-backed analytics, metrics, and insights to predict customer buying behavior and increase the odds of successful outcomes. It’s also the most effective way to make sure your marketing message aligns with the level of personalization expected by today’s consumers.

Here are the top benefits B2C marketers can gain from data-driven marketing:

     1. Increased Speed and Accuracy

Clarity and time are important aspects of any successful marketing strategy. Thankfully, data-driven marketing initiatives can help speed up and improve the accuracy of the entire process.

Most B2C marketers seem to concur. According to a CMO Council survey , over two-thirds of marketers believe that speed is the key benefit of adopting data-driven marketing.

Naturally, this empowers marketers to quickly implement their campaigns which is, coincidentally, the second most-quoted benefit of data-backed marketing. It’s easy to see why.

With a vast database at their disposal, B2C marketers can quickly analyze and comb through vital customer data to determine the most accurate and relevant insights on what action to take next.

     2. Takes Segmentation to the Next Level

A staggering 92.3 percent of companies have databases in place to hold information on existing and prospective customers. Also, 90.7 percent of US marketers say they want or have segmented their data to better engage and target their audience, as per eMarketer .

This is an area of data-driven marketing that can come to the rescue of marketing professionals. Given that marketers are under immense pressure to deliver more results with fewer resources, this is truly a heaven-sent benefit.

To maximize the benefits of personalized messaging, B2C companies rely on data-driven tactics to segment their target market.

     3. Helps Marketers Tailor Customer Experiences

As mentioned earlier, 36 percent of consumers demand personalized experiences from brands with which they do business. The good thing is that more than 49 percent of marketers already employ data analytics to improve the shopping experience for their customers, according to GlobalDMA.

For example, the majority of marketers employ data-driven marketing to enhance the user experience through customer surveys, user feedback forms, and in-app features. By gathering feedback from customers, marketers can gain more insights into where there is room for improvement.

     4. Enhances B2C Storytelling

Great content is often crafted with the target reader or audience in mind. Fortunately, data analytics can equip marketers with the tools and resources to dig deeper into their customers.

For instance, analyzing consumer data allows you to discover their problems, needs, and pain points. What type of content can you post to help enlighten and excite their interests?

In many ways, data helps marketers pep up their content and tell better stories that resonate well with the target customer. Whether choosing the right content format, articulating the message, or crafting a killer headline, data-driven marketing can do the trick.

     5. More Agile and Nimble Product Design and Development

Developing the right product for the right buyer is the number one step to successful marketing. Although this might be true, how can you tell what consumers want from a product?

Data analytics enables product developers to understand what problems and pain points their solutions can address. This way, they can greatly minimize the risk of product failure.

This data-driven approach also provides insights into what consumers would like to see in future services products.

     6. Ability to Market Across Multiple Channels

The ability to successfully market across multiple channels is the Holy Grail in the whole of B2C marketing.

Thankfully, Big Data can be employed alongside AI to reach out to more audiences across several channels, as well as deliver the right messaging through content and ads.

This makes sense considering that marketers can increase their productivity by up to 57 percent with integrated digital marketing technologies like AI, Big Data, and Business Analytics.

Marketers know that some customers are harder to satisfy than others. By leveraging data-driven marketing, they can get more work done, reach more customers, tell better stories, build better products, and eventually save money.

Little wonder that 63 percent of marketers are planning to increase marketing dollars spent on data-driven marketing, according to MediaMath .

B2C Marketing Channels

With a myriad of different marketing channels from which to select, figuring out how to properly allocate marketing dollars can make even the best marketer cringe.

Will SEO deliver more ROI than SEM or paid searching? Which will provide more value: social media or email?

In this section, we turn our attention to the most effective B2C market channels.

Let’s start with the 3 key steps you need to follow to determine the best marketing channels for your B2C business.

     Step #1 – Define your marketing goals, objectives, and KPIs

Each B2C business is unique. So, before you determine which channels are a good fit for your marketing efforts, you should first consider your marketing and business goals, objectives, and metrics.

What do you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns? Do you wish to grow your business reach? Increase conversions, sales, revenue or profits?

Do you intend to raise customer satisfaction? Improve the customer experience?

As a general rule, make sure your marketing objectives are clear, well-defined, and realistic. ‘Increase revenue’ is vague; ‘double revenue by the end of the year’ is more clear.

Once you have ironed out your objectives, the next step is to figure out your metrics or key performance indicators (KPI). Objectives tell you where you want to be, while KPI will show you whether you have met your marketing goals.

For instance, if you intend to extend your reach online, you may want to look at KPIs related to the growth in social media following, email list subscriptions, CTR, Google SERP position, and so forth.

If you’re looking to elevate your revenues, on the other hand, your metrics should be centered on how your campaigns will contribute to lead generation, conversions, sales, and revenue.

Of course, you should also take advantage of marketing attribution to analyze how your content and other campaigns are counting towards your marketing ROI.

     Step #2 – Know your customer’s journey

Customer’s journey refers to the path hee consumer follows from the time he or she enters your sales funnel to when the purchase is actually made, and even beyond that.

You need to understand all the ways in which the consumer interacts with you right from the start. By prioritizing customer touchpoints, you will measure the value of each interaction, as well as figure out the marketing channels linked to those interactions.

Gauging your customer’s journey often means examining your distribution and sales channels, and the costs related to each channel.

Despite being one of the most important aspects of marketing, only 17 percent of B2C brands say they have the ability to study their customers’ journeys.

The most crucial concept of the customer journey is to understand which marketing channels, strategies, and content drive conversions. This is often called attribution.

By studying attribution, marketers are able to learn which marketing channels are the highest performing and thus should be incorporated into your strategy.

     Step #3 – Understand what channels others are using

As an avid marketer, chances are good that you’ve done competitor research multiple times, and that tasks in this step won’t be unfamiliar.

First, you need to research which channels your competitors are using, as well as where they are getting the most value for their marketing dollars.

Don’t stop there. Also dig into which marketing channels seem to be working for like-minded brands, thought leaders, and industry influences, among other factors. However, you should concentrate your research on brands trying to reach the same audience.

The Most Effective B2C Marketing Channels

     1. Email B2C Marketing

Despite calls saying email is dead , this channel has withstood the test of time, continues to rev on and delivers incredible outcomes for B2C marketers.

In a 2016 EConsultancy survey , a whopping 73 percent of marketing specialists rate email marketing as either ‘good’ or ‘excellent.’ Only 5 percent of respondents found it to be ‘poor.’

Even better news, email delivers more than conversions and higher CTRs; it also helps drive sales, revenues, and overall ROI. As noted by DMA UK , the average ROI for email stands at GBP38 (around $50) for every GBP1 (~$1.31).

As the go-to marketing channel, email marketing is on the cutting-edge and consumers are satisfied with it, as indicated by positive ROI and revenue attribution.

The ball is squarely on B2C brands’ courts to set aside more marketing dollars and resources to email and see how much more ROI they can realize.

     2. Social Media B2C Marketing

Increasingly, social media channels are getting more attention and investment in the B2C marketing space. There is a good reason for that.

With more than 3.2 billion active users globally, social media has become an indispensable communication channel for B2C brands.

Most brands recognize the dynamic marketing power of social media. To maximize their online presence, brands are using social media channels to expand their reach, acquire new customers, conduct PR, increase engagement, raise brand awareness, and boost conversions, just to mention a few perks.

So, which are the most effective social media channels?

Facebook – With over 2.2 billion active monthly users, Facebook is a behemoth of a social media platform. It comes as no surprise that over 97 percent of B2C marketers already take advantage of Facebook’s massive reach to further their marketing strategies.

More than 93 percent of marketing professionals also run sponsored Facebook content and paid campaigns.

Twitter – The so-called micro-blogging site is the go-to social media platform for fast communication and event marketing. Today, over 68 percent of B2C marketers use Twitter as part of their core digital marketing.

As a marketing channel, Twitter is ready-made for providing social media customer service, as well as fostering customer loyalty. Some B2C marketers also make use of micro-influencers on the platform to create buzz and drive engagement for their sponsored and/or hosted events.

Instagram – Boasting over 800 million active monthly users, the Facebook-owned platform is a darling of young millennials and teens. It’s also the king of engagement in the world of social media marketing.

About 54 percent of B2C marketers integrate Instagram into their social marketing. In fact, 11 percent say it’s the most crucial social media site for their brand. Being both visual-heavy and engagement-friendly, Instagram has become a favorite for beauty, cosmetics, hospitality, retail, and fashion brands.

YouTube – The video-sharing platform with over 1.5 billion active monthly users is the number one social media platform for video marketing. Nearly half of B2C marketers say they use YouTube to market their brands, products, and services.

When it comes to content on YouTube, variety is the name of the game. The platform allows marketers to create text-based ads, how-to videos, tutorials, vlogs, ad clips, and original short-form videos.

It has also become quite popular for sharing testimonials, reviews, launches, and video-based educational materials.

LinkedIn – LinkedIn is designed largely for B2B interactions and marketing, around 44 percent of B2C marketers also use the platform for social media marketing.

Because LinkedIn is content-focused, B2C marketers create pizzazz and drive engagement for their brand through great content, including professional articles, short posts, multimedia, videos, and much more.

Pinterest – With 200+ million monthly active subscribers, Pinterest has received mixed signals as a channel for social media marketing. Even so, posting good quality, visual-based content on the platform has shown to do wonders for a website’s SERP ranking.

Roughly 30 percent of B2C marketers use Pinterest as a component of their social media marketing.

Of course, Pinterest isn’t for everyone. Recent research has revealed that the social media platform can work for brands whose target audience is mainly female. It’s also great for brands that intend to promote products related to travel, home décor, interior design, cooking, DIY, beauty & cosmetics, art, and fashion.

SEO B2C Marketing

SEO is among the 3 top-rated B2C marketing channels, and with good reason.

If done creatively and intelligently, SEO can boost a brand’s online presence and help get it found easily with leading search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

67 percent of marketers rate SEO as either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ as far as B2C marketing goes. Only 5 percent say it’s poor, while 38 percent of marketers consider it to be so-so.

Also called organic marketing, SEO marketing can work in tandem with other channels like email, content, social media, mobile, and paid search.

The beauty of SEO is that can help pull in high-quality organic traffic and deliver ROI in the long run. It’s also a highly cost-effective channel.

B2C Content Marketing

Content is said to be the king in the digital marketing landscape, and the same is true for B2C marketing.

As reported by Content Marketing Institute , 86+ percent of B2C marketers regularly use content marketing, and 55 percent of marketing professionals are planning to increase their content marketing spending.

On an even more positive note, approximately 62 percent of B2C marketers (according to Econsultancy) rate content as either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ for B2C marketing.  It’s easy to understand why – content marketing helps marketers:

•  Increase the visibility of their brands online
• Improve brand recognition, identity, and awareness
• Cultivate long-lasting relationships with their customers
• Generate web traffic
• Build trust, credibility, and authority
• Foster loyalty with existing and prospective customers
• Position themselves and their brands as industry thought-leaders or experts
• Facilitates for customers throughout their buying journeys
• Opens doors for two-way communication

To achieve optimal results, every content marketing campaign must include the 4 P – namely Promotion, Price, Place, and Product.

Paid Search B2C Marketing

Also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC), paid search involves bidding and paying for click-search through for relevant keywords. It’s a paid version of SEO, which makes it the preferred channel for marketers who want to get instant results.

As you might suspect, paid search is not exactly a cheap marketing endeavor. In fact, premium keywords like ‘lawyer’ or ‘casino’ can cost upwards of $55 per click.

Still, around 59 percent of B2C marketers consider PPC to be either an ‘excellent’ or a ‘good’ marketing channel for their consumer-based brands.

Offline Direct B2C Marketing

There are several different offline direct marketing strategies that can help accentuate your digital marketing efforts.

When leveraged in conjunction with online channels like email, social media, and content, the following offline strategies can create a holistic, multi-faceted marketing approach: trade shows, print ads, cold calls, print publications, direct mail, public lectures, networking, and meetings.

Overall, 44 percent of B2C marketers believe offline direct marketing is an excellent or good channel for their B2C marketing campaigns.

Increasing the use of marketing automation strategies has seen the mushrooming of other robust B2C marketing channels.

Considered one of the fastest-growing channels, mobile marketing is regarded as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ by at least 38 percent of B2C marketers.

Among B2C marketers,  47 percent think affiliate marketing is either good or excellent for their brands, while 35 percent see online display advertising in a positive light.

Challenges with B2C Marketing

Like every marketing professional, B2C marketers are faced with an array of challenges and hurdles, both offline and online. Most of these challenges are related to the changing role of the marketer and rapidly evolving marketing technology.

In order to develop an actionable B2C marketing strategy that is both data-driven and result-oriented, marketers must overcome 6 major challenges.

In developing a relevant content marketing strategy that is both engaging and intentional, it’s essential to address the following six challenges:

     1. Difficulty Documenting Marketing Strategy

Marketers are mostly creative specialists seeking better ways to engage targeted customers and address business challenges. However, today’s marketing strategy is skewed more towards analytics rather than creative processes.

For this reason, documenting the strategy has become a huge headache for B2C marketers. As noted by Content Marketing Institute , only two-fifths of B2C marketers have documented their content marketing plans or strategies.

     2. The Evolving Role of the B2C Marketer

It’s not just the B2C marketing landscape that’s fast-evolving; the role of the marketer has changed, too.

In a bygone era, the role of the marketer was to dispense branded t-shirts, pens, key chains, and other freebies. The key focus of B2C marketing at that time centered on establishing the company as a brand.

On the cusp of changing technology, however, the role of B2C marketers has changed from that of a creative agent to that of data and analytics experts. Perhaps the biggest challenge for marketers is adapting to this new role.

     3. Applying Past Solutions to Modern Problems

The need to understand the brand’s target audience is not something new. However, how marketers approach that need today and how it was approached in the heydays of the 1960s and 1970s has totally changed.

Previously, solutions were tied to being an expert on customer behavior and buyer personas. Almost nothing had anything to do with technology.

Today, however, marketers have to grapple with numerous digital channels and learn to use software automation tools. This can become particularly tricky for old-school marketers.

How can you beat the competition with pricing or product competitive edge? To accomplish this, the tech-savvy must leverage technology to interact with customers across multiple channels.

     4. Tapping into the Mobile Economy

In addition to driving foot traffic to their brick-and-mortar stores, today’s marketers also have to push mobile users down their sales funnel.

According to HubSpo t, slightly more than half of mobile users have found a product or service while conducting a mobile search.

This also applies to in-store customers. In fact, Google has also noticed that 82 percent of consumers use their mobile devices to help them shop in a physical store.

Mobile marketing is also crucial for local business search, which is especially important for local retail shops, restaurants, flower shops, barbershops, and so on.

     5. Quantifying Success and ROI

It’s important that every marketing team has the ability to measure and account for all marketing dollars.

Due to the complexity of digital marketing, it has become increasingly difficult for B2C marketers to quantify and justify the ROI and success attribution of their marketing efforts. How can you measure the ROI of your email marketing campaigns on revenue, sales or conversions?

     6. Fighting Oversaturation

Oversaturation is a nightmare, particularly for content marketers. In a 2017 global survey, online readers found sixty percent of content to be poor, full of jargon, irrelevant, or that it failed to meet expectations.

B2C Marketing Checklist

You’ve heard it all before – that B2C marketing is difficult.

The truth, however, is that marketing to end consumers doesn’t have to be challenging, especially if it’s done correctly right out of the gate.

At the very least, don’t forget at every B2C brand in the market is wants to up its game to get in front of as much target audience as possible, and get a piece of the $3.5 trillion e-commerce cake.

To get started with personalized marketing, keep this checklist of B2C marketing DOs and DON’Ts close by.

B2C Marketing DOs

     1. DO get to know what drives your B2C consumers to buy

The main factors motivating B2C consumers to purchase include:

• To make peace or amends in their lives’
• To accomplish a life dream
• To feel exclusive or as though they are special
• To feel good about themselves
• To be defiant
• To improve their status
• To prove a point and assert themselves
• To save money, time, and energy
• To avoid fear and to feel safe

     2. DO understand what makes the microsecond buyer tick

A microsecond buyer refers to a consumer prone to impulse-driven buying. For that matter, here’s what you need to do to leverage the power of impulse-driven buying?

• Get the timing right, especially with time-limited incentives, ad placements, etc.
• Use simple messaging
• Tie your marketing efforts to desires, emotions, and feelings
• Appeal to the customer’s sense of instant gratification

    3. DO get to know why B2C consumers prefer online buying

Online purchases are predicted to account for over 22 percent of all global retail sales by 2023. Most B2C consumers choose to shop online rather than in-store primarily because of the ability to:

• Buy at any time, day or night
• Compare and review different brands, products or services
• Shop around for better pricing
• Access a wider selection of goods and services

     4. DO take advantage of B2C marketing personalization

Marketing personalization refers to the individualized marketing strategy used by B2C brands to deliver personalized messages and create tailored customer experiences.

The latest trends and best practices for B2C marketing personalization are:

• Artificial intelligence marketing (AIM) use to deliver truly personalized experiences
• Taking advantage of inbound caller marketing analytics
• Leveraging marketing automation tools
• Personalizing incentives
• The rise of personalized multi-channel content marketing
• Tailored product suggestions

     5. DO leverage the power of data-driven marketing

There are many ways B2C marketers can employ customer data analytics to further their marketing efforts. The biggest benefits of B2C data-driven marketing are:

• Elevated speed and accuracy
• Better customer segmentation
• More personalized customer experiences
• Enhanced B2C storytelling
• More agile and personalized product development
• Ability to market across multiple channels

     6. DO focus on the most effective B2C marketing channels

B2C marketing channels that deliver the most impact and ROI include:

• Email marketing-preferred by 73 percent of B2C marketers
• SEO marketing-chosen by 67 percent of B2C marketers
• Content marketing-top-rated by 62 percent of B2C marketers
• Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Pinterest in the order of effectiveness
• Paid search (PPC) which is considered excellent or good by 59 percent of B2C marketers
• Offline direct marketing was deemed good or excellent by 44 percent of online marketers
• Mobile marketing-preferred by over 38 percent (and counting) of marketers
• Affiliate marketing-regarded as a safe bet by more than 47 percent of marketers
• Online display advertising-garnered approval from over 35 percent of marketers

The DON’Ts of B2C Marketing

     1. DON’T forget why some B2C consumers still prefer to shop in-store

Although the rise of the e-commerce industry has opened the floodgates to unlimited opportunities for online shopping, some hard-line consumers still visit physical stores.

The main motivators that push consumers to buy in-store versus online include:

• The ability to try out, feel and see products
• The need for instant gratification
• Avoidance of shipping-related issues: complicated returns and high shipping costs
• To enjoy in-store shopping experiences, e.g. social aspect
• To seek in-person customer service

     2. DON’T confuse B2C marketing with B2B marketing

While B2C marketing and B2B marketing share some similarities, there are key differences in which marketers need to be aware of. These include:

• B2B marketers target a smaller audience of chief decision-makers within a company, while their B2C counterparts market to a large audience of individual end consumers.
• B2C storytelling focuses on emotions, desires, and instant gratification, whereas B2B marketers dwell on logic, characteristics and the value of the product to the client.
• The B2C buying cycle is short and uncomplicated, unlike the B2B customer journey which is complex, lengthy and involves and a long chain of command.
• B2C marketing is cheaper and simpler than B2B marketing
• B2C content is fashioned around customer desires and interests, while B2B content marketing usually focuses on tangible results and long-term benefits for the company.

     3. DON’T give ALL B2C marketing channels equal attention

Not all marketing and advertising channels will work for your brand. Follow this 3-step process to identify the most effective marketing channels for your business:

Step (1) Define your marketing objectives, goals, and metrics

Step (2) Know your customer’s journey

Step (3) Understand what channels your competitors and others are using

     4. DON’T neglect challenges currently being faced by B2C marketers

The major challenges with B2C marketing are:

• Lack of content strategy documentation
• The changing role of the B2C marketer
• Modern problems; old solutions
• Tapping into the ever-growing mobile user base
• Quantifying attribution success and return on investment
• Fighting oversaturation

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How to Write a Business Essay for Impactful Communication and Analysis

So, you've got a business essay coming up, and you're feeling a mix of excitement and a tad bit overwhelmed, right? Totally get it. Writing a business essay might sound boring, but trust me, it's a skill that's gonna come in handy when you're out there in the real world.

In this article, we're dishing out some awesome tips just for you if you have question on how to start a business essay. Think of it as your secret weapon to tackle those business essays like a pro. We'll keep it real, easy, and super practical – no fancy jargon or complicated theories. Let's dive into the world of business essay writing, where your words can make a big impact. In case you lack time or motivation to finish your assignment, use our business essay writing service to streamline the process.

What Is a Business Essay

Business essays are written pieces that explore and analyze various aspects of business-related topics, often focusing on management, marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship. They provide a platform for students and professionals to articulate their understanding of business concepts, theories, and real-world applications. Typically written in a formal and structured manner, a business essay requires critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively. Whether delving into case studies, discussing industry trends, or evaluating business strategies, the essay aims to provide insights, draw conclusions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic world of business.

How to Write an Introduction for a Business Essay

A business essay introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and captures the reader's attention. Here are some steps and tips to help you write an effective introduction for a business essay:

• Understand the Purpose of the Introduction

Clearly understand the purpose of your essay. Are you providing an overview of a business concept, analyzing a case study, or arguing a specific point? Tailor your introduction accordingly.

• Start with a Hook

Grab the reader's attention with a compelling hook. This could be a relevant quote, a surprising fact, a rhetorical question, or a thought-provoking statement. The goal is to make the reader want to continue reading.

• Provide Context

After the hook, provide some background or context related to the topic of your essay. Help the reader understand the significance and relevance of the subject matter in the business world.

• Thesis Statement

Clearly state your thesis or the main argument of your essay. This should be a concise and focused statement that outlines what the reader can expect from the rest of the essay. Make sure it is specific and reflects the purpose of your writing.

• Outline the Scope

Briefly outline the main points or areas that your essay will cover. This gives the reader a roadmap of what to expect and helps them understand the structure of your essay.

• Use Clear and Concise Language

Keep your introduction clear and concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex language that might confuse the reader. Aim for clarity and precision.

• Be Relevant

Ensure that every sentence in your introduction is directly related to the topic of your essay. Avoid going off on tangents or providing excessive information that doesn't contribute to the main points.

• Consider the Tone

Choose a tone that is appropriate for your audience and the nature of your essay. Business essays can vary in tone, from formal and academic to more conversational, depending on the context.

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Business Essay Introduction Example

Here’s an example of an introduction for an essay titled “The Rise of E-commerce: Shaping the Future of Retail”:

The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as e-commerce continues to redefine the way consumers shop. In this essay, we explore the profound implications of this digital transformation on traditional retail models and analyze the key strategies businesses are employing to thrive in this dynamic environment. From changing consumer behaviors to the strategic use of technology, the impact of e-commerce on the retail sector is undeniable, prompting businesses to adapt or face the risk of obsolescence.

How to Write a Business Essay

Working on a business essay might seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this guide, we'll break down the process into simple steps to help you navigate through it smoothly. In this next section. We’ll be breaking down the essentials of drawing up a business essay from start to finish. From defining your main argument to structuring your points effectively, let's explore the key strategies that will set you on the path to success. 

Analyze the Prompt

Start by carefully reading and understanding the essay prompt. This involves breaking down the question to grasp what it's asking for, identifying the main topics, and recognizing any specific tasks or points to cover. This step helps you set the stage for a focused and relevant essay by ensuring you address all aspects mentioned in the prompt. You can hire a business essay writer to expedite the process if you want.

Think of a Thesis Statement

When writing a business essay, think of the thesis statement as the essay's compass. It should be a concise, strong sentence that lays out your main argument or viewpoint on the topic. Your thesis guides the entire essay, so make sure it's specific, debatable, and gives readers a clear idea of what to expect in your writing.

Create an Outline

We’ve already shared tips on how to write an introduction for a business essay, so let’s move on to the next stages. Organize your thoughts by outlining the main points and structure of your essay. This doesn't have to be too detailed; just a roadmap that helps you see how different ideas connect. An outline ensures a logical flow in your writing and prevents you from going off track. By the way, have you already picked business essay topics ? If not, here’s a list of great ideas you can use!

Provide Topic Background

Before diving into your main points, the business essay writing format implies giving your reader some context about the topic. Briefly introduce the key concepts, relevant facts, or historical background that will help readers understand the importance and relevance of your essay.

Write the Main Body

Start developing your essay by expanding on the main points outlined in your thesis. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or argument supported by evidence or examples. Be clear and concise, ensuring a smooth transition between paragraphs. It’s the most difficult part of the assignment, meaning you can use our college essay service to simplify it.

Write a Conclusion

Summarize your key points and conclusively restate your thesis. The conclusion should tie up the loose ends and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid introducing new information but rather reinforce your main argument. For more details about how to write a conclusion for an essay , please refer to our guide.

Add a Bibliography

List all the sources you used in your research. Be meticulous about citing your references properly, following the chosen format (APA, MLA, etc.). This adds credibility to your essay and avoids plagiarism issues.

Edit and Proofread

As you’ve learned how to write a business essay, it’s time to master the art of self-revising. Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Editing ensures that your ideas flow smoothly, and proofreading catches any overlooked mistakes. It's a crucial step to polish your essay and present a professional piece of writing. Do you have another assignment on business management ? This guide will help you!

Choose the Writing Format

Reiterate the importance of selecting and adhering to the chosen writing format throughout the essay. Consistency in formatting, citations, and other style elements contributes to the overall professionalism of your work.

Business Essay Example

Business essay examples offer practical assistance to students tackling assignments by showcasing the application of essential writing principles in a real-world context. As a tangible reference, it demonstrates an effective essay structure and how to formulate a clear thesis statement and provide coherent arguments. By examining examples, students can glean insights into research techniques, proper citation practices, and overall essay organization, empowering them to approach their business assignments with increased confidence and proficiency.

Example 1: “The Impact of Technological Advancements on Modern Business Operations”

This essay explores the multifaceted impact of technology on operational efficiency, innovation, customer relations, and global connectivity. From integrating automation and artificial intelligence for streamlined processes to facilitating global expansion through digital platforms, technology emerges as a driving force shaping the success and sustainability of contemporary enterprises. While acknowledging the numerous benefits, the essay also highlights the challenges and ethical considerations inherent in adopting these technologies, emphasizing the need for businesses to navigate these complexities responsibly for long-term growth and competitiveness.

Example 2: “Sustainable Business Practices: A Strategic Imperative for Corporate Success”

This essay explores the pivotal role of sustainable business practices as a strategic imperative for corporate success in the contemporary entrepreneurship scene. Addressing environmental concerns, social consciousness, and economic viability, the essay delves into the multifaceted benefits of adopting sustainable approaches. It discusses how businesses can align profitability with responsible practices, emphasizing environmental stewardship, social impact, and community engagement. The essay underscores the importance of regulatory compliance and risk mitigation in business by examining the economic advantages and innovation opportunities arising from sustainable initiatives.

Final Considerations

Students engage in writing business essays to develop essential skills and knowledge crucial for success in the professional world. These essays serve as a platform for honing critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, allowing students to articulate and analyze complex business concepts. Through the process of researching, organizing thoughts, and constructing coherent arguments, students gain a deeper understanding of business principles and practices. Business essays also cultivate the ability to synthesize information, evaluate various perspectives, and present well-reasoned conclusions. If you find with task troublesome, you can always tell us, ‘ write my research paper ,’ and one of our wordsmiths will fulfill the assignment quickly.

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Understanding the ever-evolving, always-surprising consumer

For many consumers around the world, a return to normalcy feels so close, yet so far away, in light of the alarming spread of COVID-19 variants. Although it’s unclear what the next 12 to 24 months will bring, what’s almost certain is that consumers won’t simply revert to doing exactly what they did in 2019. In this episode of the McKinsey on Consumer and Retail podcast, three consumer-behavior experts share their insights into how consumers’ spending patterns and purchasing behaviors are changing, and what companies should do given those changes. An edited transcript of the conversation with executive editor Monica Toriello follows. Subscribe to the podcast .

Monica Toriello: Over the past several weeks, people in some parts of the world have resumed their prepandemic habits. Maybe you’ve recently seen a movie at a theater, or flown on an airplane, or even just stopped for a cup of coffee on your way to the office for the first time in over a year. But a return to “normal” won’t look the same for everyone. Today, we’ll hear from three people who intensively study consumer behavior. They’ll share fascinating insights into how consumers are changing and what companies should do about it.

Kari Alldredge is a McKinsey partner based in Minneapolis. Kari has been advising consumer-goods companies for more than 20 years on a variety of topics, and she leads McKinsey’s work in consumer-goods growth transformation. She is an author of several articles, including a recent one on COVID-19’s impact on demand and costs in the consumer-packaged-goods [CPG] industry .

Anne Grimmelt is a senior knowledge expert in McKinsey’s Consumer Packaged Goods Practice. She is based in Stamford, Connecticut. Anne has been one of the driving forces behind McKinsey’s consumer-sentiment survey , which was launched in 2008 and during the pandemic has expanded to 45 countries. It provides a rich fact base for how consumers are feeling about their finances and how their buying behavior is changing.

And our third guest is Anjali Lai, a senior analyst at Forrester. Anjali, who is based in New York, helps chief marketing officers [CMOs] and other business leaders to understand the shifts in consumer behavior and consumer decision making and then to figure out what these changes mean for the future of brands and industries.

[To comply with Forrester’s Citation Policy, this transcript excludes Anjali Lai’s comments. Listen to the full episode on McKinsey.com or on Apple, Google, and other podcast platforms.]

A ‘reversal of fortune’ for big brands

Monica Toriello: Kari, Anne, Anjali, it’s great to have you here today. All three of you have been keeping your fingers on the pulse of consumers, both before and throughout the pandemic. Have there been any surprises? Are consumers doing things that you didn’t expect? Or is there anything that seemed to be going one way in, say, March or April 2020 but is going in a different direction today?

Kari Alldredge: In 2019 or early 2020, the topic on the minds of large branded consumer-packaged-goods manufacturers was portfolio shaping: how to reimagine their portfolios, how to move away from center-of-store food products and big brands and instead engage with consumers in very different, more targeted, niche-oriented ways. The degree to which the pandemic pushed people back toward big brands in the center of the store, and toward cooking at home, has been a complete turnaround, a reversal of fortune, for large CPG companies.

Some of those changes could have been anticipated, but others are quite shocking: the notion that bread baking would become a phenomenon among millennials, or that pet ownership would skyrocket to the extent that it has, and that those same millennials would be willing to spend more than they spend on their daily Starbucks to feed their new pets.

So, many of those companies that were desperately searching for growth 18 months ago now have the opposite problem: their supply chains can’t keep up . The big question for all of them is which of those consumer behaviors are truly going to persist  and be “sticky” coming out of this pandemic? Certainly, the dog that you adopted is likely to stay at your home. But when you go back to ordering your daily Starbucks and spending $7 a day on a coffee, are you going to spend the same amount to feed your pet? Those are the questions that are on many company leaders’ minds.

Anne Grimmelt: As Kari said, we saw a complete shift. Prepandemic, the growth was in smaller, niche brands, but early in the pandemic, it was large CPG players that really gained scale because their products were available on the shelf. They were also brands that were trusted by consumers, so consumers felt good buying them. If you look at point-of-sale data from IRI or Nielsen, you see that large companies—those with more than $2.5 billion in retail sales in the US market—picked up most of the share growth early in the pandemic, whereas smaller and midsize companies, as well as private label, were really not picking up growth.

In the second half of 2020 and in early 2021, small and midsize companies are regaining their sales growth. And we expect that private label is going to be powerful again , because if you dive into the why—why did consumers pick a new brand, and why did they pick the brands they chose?—it was about availability, it was about purpose, but it was also about value . It was about price points. Going forward, value is going to be even more important, and private label will gain strength in the future.

Trust as a strategic imperative

Monica Toriello: All three of you to some extent have written about customer loyalty: how to win it and how to retain it, particularly in an environment where people are willing to try new brands. Anne and Kari, you found that 39 percent of consumers tried new brands during the pandemic. And Anjali, in your research, you found that small brands are particularly good at earning consumers’ trust and consequently their loyalty. In a recent blog post, you wrote, “Now is the time for companies to embrace trust as a strategic imperative.” What does that mean? How should companies do that?

Even relatively mundane CPG companies are thinking about the end-to-end consumer journey, including consumer experience pre- and postpurchase. Kari Alldredge

Kari Alldredge: I’m seeing two interesting things in response to the trends you just talked about, Anjali. One is the degree to which even relatively mundane CPG companies are thinking about the end-to-end consumer journey, including consumer experience pre- and postpurchase, as they try to understand how to serve their existing consumers but also look for new ways to better meet consumer needs. The notion that there is a pre- and postpurchase experience related to a can of soda or a can of soup is a relatively novel idea, right? But, increasingly, the most forward-thinking companies are doing research across that entire journey to be able to understand the needs of consumers as they’re considering the range of options that are available to them—all the way through to satisfaction with usage and even disposal of the packaging of products.

Another interesting thing I’m seeing is a recognition that marketing is a dialogue, and a recognition of the degree to which consumers now “own” or shape the narratives of many brands. This, too, was happening before the pandemic but was vastly accelerated during the pandemic. The notion that a marketer positions the brand and delivers a message and a promise to consumers is really becoming quite an antiquated one, I think, as consumers themselves—through reviews, ratings , blogs, videos, and social-media posts—shape the identity of many of these brands. Recommendations from friends and family become part of the brand’s identity and are critical to shaping both loyalty and consumer trust.

We found in our research that about 33 percent of millennial and Gen Z consumers say they choose to buy a brand from a company that has their values, versus about 12 percent of baby boomers. Anne Grimmelt

Anne Grimmelt: Our research corroborates that. We found in our research that about 33 percent of millennial and Gen Z consumers  say they choose to buy a brand from a company that has their values, versus about 12 percent of baby boomers. But every demographic group is leaning toward that.

Another finding from our research is the reasons why consumers change to a new brand. It is definitely the younger generation that more often indicates that it’s because of purpose. It’s because of what the company stands for, how it treats its employees, et cetera.

Purpose: More than just a buzzword

Monica Toriello: We’ve been hearing a lot about purpose and values, but I also hear some skepticism in certain pockets of the corporate world as to whether an emphasis on corporate purpose  actually pays off. Because there is an attitude–behavior gap, right? What’s your response to a CEO who says, “Consumers like to say they care about purpose and values, but when they’re at the point of deciding to buy something, they truly only care about convenience or price or quality. Purpose is just a buzzword.”

Kari Alldredge: It’s necessary but not sufficient. I think there’s an increasing recognition that alignment with a consumer’s values may put you in the consideration set but won’t drive you over the line to purchase. You still have to have product superiority, whether that’s taste superiority, functional superiority, or a price-to-value equation that works for that particular consumer.

We talk a lot about the pandemic, which definitely shone a light on health in general, but there are other crises—like social justice  and climate change —that have come to light over the past year and a half and that have really shaken the corporate community. These crises have helped companies understand that some of these factors are fundamental in how consumers perceive themselves and the world around them, to the point where we now actually see some change happening.

One of the things that I was struck by was the speed and seriousness with which many of the household-cleaning companies responded to the pandemic and the heroic efforts to convert production capacity to manufacture things like wipes and sanitizer. Yes, some of that was for financial gain, but I think there really was an almost wartime mentality that I saw companies get new energy from.

I think about center-of-store food manufacturers who, prepandemic, maybe viewed themselves as being a bit sleepy and not exciting in terms of attracting the best talent. Now when you hear them talk about what they do, there’s real pride in the fact that they fed America, or they kept America safe. It really changed the way they think about the importance of what they do.

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Monica Toriello: All three of you are experts in consumer behavior. But consumers are changing fast and they’re changing constantly. Anjali, in another recent blog post, you wrote, “Rather than expect consumers to settle into a defined postpandemic normal, CMOs should prepare for a constant evolution of consumer needs and expectations over the next 12 to 24 months.” So beyond reading the latest consumer research and analysis, what are the best ways for CMOs and CEOs to understand where consumers are and where they’re headed?

Kari Alldredge: One of the best sources of insights is their online channel partners and their own D2C [direct to consumer] sites . Companies should mine online data to get a quick pulse on the way consumers are thinking or feeling. They should look at ratings and reviews using advanced analytics to understand and see trends and what’s selling on sites like Kroger.com, Walmart.com, or Amazon.com. They could even develop products that they can quickly test in an online environment and then change and adjust, as opposed to thinking about mass development of a product that gets pushed out to thousands and thousands of brick-and-mortar retail stores.

Consumers don’t always know what they want, and they can’t predict how their behavior will change. So traditional consumer research—which asks consumers how likely they are to purchase something—is becoming less relevant or reliable than actual data in market. That’s why data from e-commerce sites can be so valuable.

Anne Grimmelt: Another very powerful way to understand consumers  is by looking at what your peer companies do. You can go to industry conferences like the CAGNY [Consumer Analyst Group of New York] conference and hear a company like L’Oréal talk about how they use their D2C and their online-sales platform to see what type of color lipstick people try—not buy , but try —on their online platform. That information is critical for them to know where to innovate. What are the colors that people want and what are the products that people like to try out on the digital platform?

Similarly, I think it’s very important to keep an open mind beyond your own borders, to realize what’s happening elsewhere in the world. Going back to the topic of purpose, for instance, it is very much alive in the US but it’s also very much alive in Europe. Learning about the power of what consumers demand and how purpose is driving consumer decisions about CPG companies—and what companies in Europe are doing to meet consumer demand—can be valuable, wherever you are in the world.

Kari Alldredge: I think we also shouldn’t underestimate the resilience of consumers and the gravitational pull of life as we knew it before the pandemic. One thing that surprised me even in the past several weeks is the degree to which behaviors have bounced back. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past 18 months it’s that I don’t have a crystal ball, or if I did, it is certainly broken—because there is no part of this last 18 months that I ever could have in a million years predicted.

At the beginning of the pandemic, one company I work with asked every board member, “When you look back, what’s the one thing that will be blazingly obvious that we either should always have done or never have been doing?” And one of the things that came up was shaking hands: “We’re never going to shake hands again.” But I attended a graduation ceremony in the beginning of June—so, early into the recovery—and what was striking to me is that the dean of that school shook the hand of, and physically embraced, every single one of the thousand students who crossed that stage. And this was at an institution that had been, like most educational institutions, incredibly thoughtful and conservative about their public-health response. Literally days after restrictions were lifted, the urge to connect was so strong that it looked as if the pandemic had never happened.

People are resilient. Hundreds of years of behavior certainly have been meaningfully changed by the past 18 months, but I think a lot of the old behaviors will bounce back pretty quickly.

Monica Toriello: So if you could gather all the CEOs and CMOs of consumer companies in one room and leave them with one message, what would it be? What is the one thing they need to do to position themselves for success in 2021 and 2022?

Anne Grimmelt: My one-liner would be, “Be open to change and be agile .”

Kari Alldredge: I would say, “Listen; don’t tell.”

Kari Alldredge is a partner in McKinsey’s Minneapolis office, and  Anne Grimmelt is a senior knowledge expert in the Stamford office.  Monica Toriello is an executive editor in the New York office.

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McKinsey on Consumer and Retail Podcast: Insights from experts on business and management

Global surveys of consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis

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• B2C (Business to Consumer) case study

B2C (Business to Consumer) case study - Essay Example

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Extract of sample "B2C (Business to Consumer) case study"

E-commerce is the doing business on the Internet, not only purchasing and selling, but providing services to customers and collaborating with trade partners. Organizations recognize that putting up easy online sites for employees, customers, and associates does not generate an e-business (Voges and Pope 2006). E-business online sites must generate a buzz, as Amazon has made in the bookselling business. E-business online sites must be inventive, add value, and supply constructive information. In brief, the site has to build a sense of collaboration and community, ultimately transforming the port of entry for commerce.

Comprehending e-business starts with understanding the disruptive technology, accessing internet information, evolution of the internet, and providing internet information In the 90s, dotcoms such as Amazon.com and eBay which were rapidly attainment in dimension and market capitalization created a threat to conventional brick and mortar commerce (Mortensen 2007). In numerous ways, these dotcoms appeared to be redrafting the regulations of business; they had the consumers with no the expenses of sustaining physical stores, minimal inventory, unrestricted access to resources and little concern regarding actual earnings.

The concept was to obtain big fast and be concerned about profits afterwards (Grefen 2010). By late 1999, Amazon.com had a market share of approximately $25 billion, obscuring some of the biggest and most developed corporations in America. Since that time, retail giants like Wal-mart and Kmart were anticipating cashing in on the dotcom challenges, also other small businesses that were in the market opposing the retail giants, but were not in a stable position (Schepp and Schepp 2009).  Many never survived it to the first public initial offer after the Nasdaq commenced to drop in mid 2000.

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118 Consumerism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Consumerism is a pervasive force that shapes our society and influences our behavior as individuals. It revolves around the idea of acquiring and consuming goods and services in large quantities, often driven by the desire for status, identity, and satisfaction. With its profound impact on our lives, consumerism has become a popular subject of discussion and analysis. If you are tasked with writing an essay on consumerism, here are 118 topic ideas and examples to inspire and guide your writing process:

• The rise of consumerism in modern society.
• The history and evolution of consumerism.
• The impact of consumerism on the environment.
• Consumerism and its relationship with capitalism.
• The role of advertising in promoting consumerism.
• The psychological aspects of consumerism.
• The influence of social media on consumerism.
• The connection between consumerism and materialism.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal relationships.
• The effects of consumerism on mental health.
• Consumerism and its impact on children.
• The role of consumerism in shaping identity.
• Consumerism and its impact on cultural values.
• The influence of consumerism on fashion trends.
• Consumerism and its impact on the global economy.
• The ethics of consumerism.
• Consumerism and its impact on education.
• The relationship between consumerism and happiness.
• Consumerism and its impact on social inequality.
• The influence of consumerism on food choices.
• Consumerism and the rise of fast fashion.
• The impact of consumerism on waste generation and disposal.
• The role of consumerism in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Consumerism and the rise of online shopping.
• The connection between consumerism and debt.
• The impact of consumerism on local businesses.
• Consumerism and its impact on the labor market.
• The role of planned obsolescence in consumerism.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal freedom.
• The influence of consumerism on leisure activities.
• Consumerism and its impact on body image.
• The role of consumerism in the entertainment industry.
• The impact of consumerism on urban development.
• Consumerism and its impact on sustainable living.
• The influence of consumerism on travel and tourism.
• Consumerism and its impact on healthcare.
• The role of consumerism in the automotive industry.
• The impact of consumerism on cultural heritage.
• Consumerism and its impact on social activism.
• The influence of consumerism on technology adoption.
• Consumerism and its impact on privacy.
• The role of consumerism in the beauty industry.
• The impact of consumerism on personal values.
• Consumerism and its impact on globalization.
• The connection between consumerism and overconsumption.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal finance.
• The influence of consumerism on housing choices.
• Consumerism and its impact on mental well-being.
• The role of consumerism in shaping political ideologies.
• The impact of consumerism on the fashion industry.
• Consumerism and its influence on body modification.
• The relationship between consumerism and social status.
• Consumerism and its impact on social media influencers.
• The influence of consumerism on cultural appropriation.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal values and beliefs.
• The role of consumerism in the gaming industry.
• The impact of consumerism on the music industry.
• Consumerism and its influence on artistic expression.
• The connection between consumerism and addiction.
• Consumerism and its impact on privacy in the digital age.
• The influence of consumerism on personal happiness.
• Consumerism and its impact on food waste.
• The role of consumerism in shaping political campaigns.
• The impact of consumerism on public health.
• Consumerism and its influence on decision-making.
• The connection between fashion trends and consumerism.
• Consumerism and its impact on social media platforms.
• The influence of consumerism on holiday traditions.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal well-being.
• The role of consumerism in the film industry.
• The impact of consumerism on the music streaming industry.
• Consumerism and its influence on cultural assimilation.
• The connection between consumerism and social conformity.
• Consumerism and its impact on the fast food industry.
• The influence of consumerism on dietary choices.
• Consumerism and its impact on the video game industry.
• The role of consumerism in shaping gender roles.
• The impact of consumerism on personal relationships with nature.
• Consumerism and its influence on cultural appropriation in fashion.
• The connection between consumerism and advertising ethics.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The influence of consumerism on social media addiction.
• Consumerism and its impact on mental health during economic downturns.
• The role of consumerism in shaping beauty standards.
• The impact of consumerism on personal debt during economic crises.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal values during times of uncertainty.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during political campaigns.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal values during times of social unrest.
• The influence of consumerism on personal well-being during natural disasters.
• Consumerism and its role in shaping personal values in multicultural societies.
• The impact of consumerism on personal debt during college education.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal well-being during retirement.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during environmental activism.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal values during technological advancements.
• The role of consumerism in shaping dietary choices during health crises.
• The influence of consumerism on personal well-being during political campaigns.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal debt during holiday seasons.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during mental health awareness campaigns.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal values during cultural festivals.
• The impact of consumerism on personal well-being during job insecurity.
• Consumerism and its role in shaping beauty standards during body positivity movements.
• The influence of consumerism on personal well-being during social isolation.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal debt during housing market fluctuations.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during charity campaigns.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal values during technological dependency.
• The role of consumerism in shaping dietary choices during food scarcity.
• The impact of consumerism on personal well-being during natural resource depletion.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal values during political polarization.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during wellness trends.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal debt during economic recessions.
• The influence of consumerism on personal well-being during social media comparison.
• Consumerism and its role in shaping beauty standards during aging populations.
• The impact of consumerism on personal values during technological privacy concerns.
• The connection between consumerism and social media influencers during educational campaigns.
• Consumerism and its influence on personal well-being during healthcare disparities.
• The role of consumerism in shaping dietary choices during climate change.
• The influence of consumerism on personal well-being during social inequality.
• Consumerism and its impact on personal debt during global economic crises.

These essay topics provide a wide range of perspectives on consumerism, allowing you to choose an area that aligns with your interests or concerns. Remember to conduct thorough research, provide evidence-based arguments, and present a well-structured essay to effectively convey your ideas. Good luck!

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Business-to-Consumer E-commerce: The Characteristics and Trends

Executive summary.

Negotiation and integration play an important role in many businesses today. The use of e-business has impacted virtually every aspect of business, by allowing the two aspects of a business to easily come into play. E-commerce has transformed not only the way business is done but has also created new business sectors and jobs. Many online businesses and global companies would attribute their growth and successes to e-business developments.

In the last five years, the amount of business conducted through business-t-consumer e-commerce has doubled. The industry is expected to grow further as more people gain access to the internet. B2C is characterized by e-tailing, information sharing, and a globalized market. This important business tool has shown a positive trend since its inception and analysts predict more growth. Like every other new concept in a market, B2C e-commerce has and continues to experience several challenges. Major challenges include privacy and security for wares and finances, information availability for products, limited accessibility to the internet in different regions, and differing legal requirements for trade in different countries.

Despite the challenges, B2C e-commerce has attracted a lot of attention in the retail industry. Marketing consultants have taken advantage of this platform to help many businesses have their profits soar. Direct selling has strengthened many businesses that can save on the costs introduced by middlemen. For the new business, it will be a more affordable platform to establish a presence in the market. It will offer the business important benefits such as efficient order, customer, and inventory management systems. These important features will help it customize its applications and meet its clients’ needs in a more timely manner. The business must address the challenges using available endpoint solutions to benefit fully.

Business-to-Consumer e-commerce

Business-to-consumer (B2C) refers to business activities through which products and services are served to end customers. In electronic commerce (e-commerce), B2C is a blanket reference to digital transactions involving businesses and individuals for the same purpose. E-commerce has evolved to include sophisticated technologies, methods, and interfaces and currently exists in subsets in which B2C is part. It is a business approach that is expected to transform the way trading is done.

This paper revisits, in brief, the characteristics and trends of the B2C platform as well as its advantages and challenges. The report intends to study how business-to-consumer activities have evolved in the last five years and the contributions it has had to the business environment. The report will examine its applications in the new business and its ability to give it a competitive advantage. To understand the topic, the report will highlight several parameters of interest in the application of B2C application.

Parameters of interest in the business-to-consumer application are affordable operating systems, a solidified base for online e-commerce competition, how the idea has been embraced in different regions, and information accessibility. As more and more businesses embrace the idea, competition has ensured the improved quality of goods and services traded through e-commerce. Security concerns continue to be an important parameter anytime business-to-consumer e-commerce is discussed. Retailing has been made easier and the link between manufacturers and consumers has become less complex. By eliminating intermediaries, goods and services have reduced prices. Variety has been a major advantage for shoppers since they can browse different catalogs in the comfort of their homes.

This report hopes to give the reader a more clear perspective of business-to-consumer, a technology that has made shopping, ordering, payments, support, information access, and service easier (Bidgoli, 2002). Analyzing its application in the new business will give it a more practical application. The report will also help the reader understand the challenges facing this business invention. Finally, the report will give recommendations on whether the new business should adopt it and how it can utilize this tool profitably.

Business-to-Consumer

In electronic commerce (e-commerce), B2C is a blanket reference to digital transactions involving businesses and individuals for the same purpose. E-commerce has evolved to include sophisticated technologies, methods, and interfaces and currently exists in subsets in which B2C is part. The technology went through some tough times in the past but has managed to fully revive itself, especially in the past five years.

B2C technology registered a major presence in the trading industry in 2005. In this year alone, over $170 billion worth of shopping was done online. By the end of last year, consumers were expected to spend over $330 billion and the trend is expected to continue in a positive direction. In 2011, online shopping is expected to grow from 48% in 2010 to 52%. Any young business, therefore, would benefit much by being part of the market that is experiencing the benefits of B2C technology at such high levels. As the world gets more and more connected through the internet, new and existing businesses can take advantage of such inventions to launch themselves to the mainstream markets. A new business such as ours can do this by putting a catalog for their products online and integrating with their clients’ systems.

Several characteristic steps have defined e-commerce since its inception in the 1960s. As a starting point, digital commerce became synonymous with advancements in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) (Turban, King, Lee, & Viehland, 2002). The standards for EDI were developed as an avenue for exchanging business information and transacting electronically. In its infantry, the standardization was hectic and so most companies still developed their formats and platforms of EDI. Several transformations have since then occurred, such as the ASC X12 Standard eventually becoming stable as a module for large volumes of electronic transactions.

Later on, the DSL was developed, another landmark innovation for e-commerce. It boosted the pace of e-transactions because connections became persistent and reliable. By the end of the 20th century, AOL was posting over $1.2 billion in online sales over the Christmas holiday seasons (Weisman, 2008).

Recent developments leading to e-commerce stability give online users a cheaper and reliable operating system (OS) platform choice. It has also given users an alternative to Windows, which became too costly for many businesses. To divest, Microsoft concentrated on more e-commerce. Developments, such as the Napster application through which music files would be shared, were major transformations in the entertainment industry. In the last five years, the music industry has proved to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of these inventions, trading billions of dollars every year online, through different players in the mobile music industry such as Apple Inc.

In the last five years, an interesting parameter of business-to-customer technology has been how it is being embraced all over the globe. Globalization has played a major role in the growth of B2C applications. It has become one of the easiest ways for businesses to make a global presence. The US is the largest market for e-commerce products and accounts for over half of the total sales across the world, although it’s clear Europe and Canada are catching up at a fast rate (Rowland, 2009).

Commodity prices have been an important consideration in this poise for online purchasing power. In addition, the quality of services, the ease of online ordering, the information available to the buyers before making decisions to buy, speed and reliability of goods delivery, and the degree of trust that a consumer may be having over a vendor, such as the security of payments and available redress mechanisms, have been major concerns in the last five years of the industry. These concerns determine the degree of propensity towards B2C e-commerce (McFadyen, 2008).

Characteristics of B2C

E-tailing has made it easier over the years for manufacturers to sell directly to willing buyers without the middlemen. The B2C makes brick and mortar offices almost invalid since the client can communicate directly to the producer at the comfort of their home, without the need to have a physical meeting. In place of retail distributors and other intermediaries, there has emerged Web or electronic store-fronts, a reference to single company websites, through which the sale of products and services take place.

Shopping is now easier and more convenient through online browsing. Catalogs replicates of finished products are displayed on the sites (Turban, King, Lee, & Viehland, 2002). For example, at Amazon.com, customers can browse catalogs at their own time and convenience. They can then proceed to place orders and instruct the company on the best delivery time and methods. The product is then delivered as is convenient to both parties and directly to the customer.

In B2C e-commerce, five major activities define the business. These include information sharing, ordering, payments, fulfillment, support, and service in that order (Dosi, 1988). Essentially, the B2C e-commerce model uses the company website, online catalogs, e-mail, online advertisements, message board systems, newsgroups, or discussion groups to communicate with their clients. Ordering takes the form of an electronic outline or e-mailing. Payments proceed through credit cards, digital cash, or electronic cheques. The fulfillment function proceeds under complex platforms but usually depends on the nature of the delivery or service.

For example, software products can be directly downloaded from a site after payment. Services may be offered online and as a result, they are delivered with ease. However, tangible products may take days or even months to ship and the nature of the transaction may then involve intermediaries. Servicing and support may involve e-mail confirmations, periodic news flashes, online surveys, online help desks, and chat systems, guaranteed secure transactions, online auctions among other tailor-made services.

The B2C has proven to be a success both for the merchants and for the consumers over the past few years. As different businesses evolve, so does the future of traditional businesses looks bleak. The possibilities for e-commerce are expanding and so are those of B2C businesses emerging. B2C e-commerce has encroached into the fabric of international business wherein, it leads to defining consumer relations. According to Patton (2001), B2C business’s gains from market capitalization pose a real threat to traditional brick and mortar systems.

The cost of sustaining business without traditional stores, reduced inventories, remote concerns about actual earnings, and unlimited access to capital are factors that have made e-commerce a preference for many. As the history of e-commerce, attests, major strategic alliances have emerged and continue to emerge among e-commerce giants, all aimed at stationing formidable forces in what is continuously becoming a trade model of choice. TV and online advertisements augment these strategies. Websites are plentiful, an apparent implication that the B2C platform is acceptable and will stay for a long time to come.

It was predicted that revenue from online sales would grow to newer levels surpassing the 40-50% that it registered yearly from 2000 to 2006 (CIO, 2007). Businesses also expect higher prices and large profits with the expansion of markets for their online sales. Even with the economic slowdown in the US and other countries around the world, the growth of online trading is inevitable. The average amount spent on online purchases at every purchase is also on the rise. Long-term prospects for e-commerce are positive with predictions that stocks of leading e-retailers will completely level off after much loss in the duration that followed the recession.

There are also hopes of experienced traditional companies venturing into the e-business to boost consumer variety and/or provide new merchandise to already existing ones. Whereas offline brick-and-mortar trade will remain a choice for bulky goods, it is anticipated that most stores will adopt a two-framework approach with offline and online sales to keep pace with new developments in e-commerce (Laudon, Traver, & Guercio, 2002).

Whereas the business-to-consumer trend continues to provide incredible opportunities for reshaping the conduct of business, it poses several challenges to most platforms of e-commerce. These challenges are shared in equal magnitude and even much more by the B2E e-commerce platform, owing to an increase in the volume of transactions through the platform. Essentially, the real significance of B2C e-Commerce is not fully exploited. Its growth remains a relatively small portion of retail commerce.

The mode of conducting business, which is a pure online transaction, with little deviation to distribution and chain management, is yet to emerge fully as a result of consumer concerns about privacy and security for their wares and finances. In addition, limited trust, poor websites usability, inability to assess tangible products sufficiently, and the lack of social appeal continue to torpedo B2C progress (Turban et al, 2002 P. 124).

The slow growth of B2C e-commerce is largely attributed to the late delivery of products, which affects customers’ trust. As a result, businesses have been slow to venture into potential areas of online sales for fear of reprimand should they fail to deliver goods on time. For some e-retailers, attempts to ensure customer satisfaction fulfillment and shipping costs occasionally lead to negative margins of operation. So, even as the success of B2C e-commerce remains, online stores are faced with challenges of product and service delivery, customer satisfaction and operational excellence, logistics of chain management, and even bottlenecks occasioned by outsourced services.

Another major challenge is information availability, which may vary from one company or country to the other. Placing orders online may differ and customers may face a challenge due to the differences from one side to the other. Different countries also have different regulations and rules when it comes to information available about products. As a result, B2C e-commerce remains concerted in only a few product groups such as banking and finance, tourism and travel, audio-visual products and books, and, lately, software sales and services, since these products share a more common infrastructure/logistic background.

Concerns about privacy and security for wares and finances have been a subject of major debates concerning business-to-consumer e-commerce. Customer traffic concerns have also jeopardized the ability of internet technology to sustain B2C e-commerce. Denial-of-service attacks and outages experienced in prominent websites have more often than not coalesced customers into a cocoon of non-believers. Orchestrated by hackers, outages have left transactions incomplete with some clients unsure if their financial commitments would be fulfilled. Others have lost lumps of money in such transactions and as a result, they have been hesitant in influencing the progress of e-commerce and individualized B2C e-commerce in particular. A good example is the solitary hackers who followed Amazon.com offline for a long time only to cause a loss in sales due to the downtime (Nissanoff, 2006, P. 26-7).

Issues of limited accessibility continue to haunt B2C frameworks. Persistent limitations on internet accessibility resulting from inadequate infrastructure and underdevelopment in some regions make it a tough challenge to conquer. The growth of online stores is also occurring unevenly across the world, which means physical infrastructure to boost B2C sales are developed at different rates (Gasos & Thoben, 2003). A current survey on internet connectivity indicates that they are an uneven distribution across countries. The distribution of secure servers, for instance, shows more concentration in the US, Iceland, and Japan where most other OECD countries experience lesser server connectivity per a given number of inhabitants.

Application to the new company

The use of websites has allowed business organizations to create new and less expensive methods of reaching new markets across geographical boundaries while offering customers the opportunity of buying goods and services any time of the day or night. This has further been enhanced by the use of e-mails which help business to market their goods and services directly to potential customers and engage in integrated marketing communications with customers and suppliers. E-business has also increased the marketing campaigns of businesses by the use of technologies such as Customer Relationship Management systems, which allows them to co-ordinate, monitor, and report, and has a wider view of all aspects of marketing campaigns from initial customer contact to ongoing repeat purchases.

E-business provides easier and more efficient ways of accounts management and consolidation. Through the use of software like Sage and Excel, the new business stands to profit from better data and financial management. Embracing such technology will allow the business to look at financial information when required, monitor, respond and forecast customers purchasing patterns, thus resulting in several reductions in accountancy fees.

The need for business personnel to work remotely while keeping in touch with the central office has further been enhanced by advancements in information and communications technology. The need for staff to be away from the office attending meetings or work from another location has grown, especially with more employees demanding more flexible working patterns. Since effective communication and the ability to access information is critical for business success, calls for mobile working would have been frowned at a few years ago. However, through the use of Information technology, the new business will be able to use a range of technologies to achieve flexible working schedules, as well as save on additional space required when employees are working remotely. Some of the recent enabling tools include mobile phones, e-mail, broadband, laptops, etc. Adapting them as support measures will allow the company to be more flexible and adaptive to the ever-changing business needs.

Virtually all businesses across the world now have or have access to a computer and the internet, making it easy to utilize B2C business trends. The existence of two or more computers in an office almost always leads to the creation of a network. This makes resource sharing easier and less expensive and improves the communication capability of businesses. With networks, businesses can leverage the power of computers, gather information easily, better enhance their capabilities and sustain a competitive advantage.

B2C technology is a tool that will be very useful in our newly formed business. The purpose of e-business technology is to help a business enhance its communication, information handling, and ultimately the business’ returns. Business-to-customer technology will help the business facilitate better communication with its customers. By investing in an enhanced model of the technology, the business will have a great opportunity to reap the benefits of the latest communication technological trends.

The B2C technology will offer the business important benefits such as an efficient order management system, a customer management system, and an inventory management system. These important applications and features will allow our young business to customize its applications and meet its needs in a more timely manner. This technology will positively affect the new business environment by leveraging communication capabilities, fostering greater collaboration among employees, improving information management among business units, as well as enhancing productivity, and providing greater efficiency.

The use of technology has oriented much business into easy trading of goods and services through internet-based technologies. Business is thus not limited to face-to-face trading and is more global with new technological inventions every day. The entry of technology into the field of business has brought with it advantages and concurrent limitations that the business industry needs to critically explore before expressly adopting the use of technology in business. The merits largely outweigh the demerits and should therefore be encouraged.

Business-to-consumer has faced major challenges in the past but has survived them to be accountable for a considerable amount of retail transactions happening globally. Its characteristics include e-tailing, which has made it easier over the years for manufacturers to sell directly to consumers without the middlemen. It is also characterized by the ease to trade in global markets. Since more people have the internet today, businesses can easily sell their products in different parts of the world without having to be there physically. Another important characteristic of business-to-consumer is the availability of information for consumers on different products, an element that has allowed consumers to make more informed decisions before purchasing.

Business-to-consumer trends have allowed businesses to save on costs created by middlemen. Businesses are also able to save on advertisement and marketing costs by reaching more customers at the same time. Major challenges facing this brilliant way of trading include privacy and security concerns, and relatively slow growth as opposed to what would have been expected. Businesses are also not able to reach the big population which has no access to the internet. Different legal requirements for different products in different countries may also make it hard for a business to sell in certain regions.

Despite the few challenges, business-to-consumer e-commerce allows for bigger collaborations between manufacturers and consumers. It also allows for friends-based merchandising, which means that customers can be the biggest avenue for marketing a product, by recommending a product or a site to friends. Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty are therefore key in online trading to ensure more recommendations. Since customers have a wide variety of products to choose from, a business must ensure that its customers stay loyal to its brand through uncompromised quality standards. Through technology and social shopping, customers can browse independently and see what friends are viewing, show friends some items, chat with friends and save items in a favorite list. The use of social networks such as facebook has enabled friends to easily access many retail sites, which makes it easy to send links of the available and needed products or services to an e-mail address.

Recommendations

For the new business, business-to-consumer e-commerce is a good way to launch its products into the market. The immediate response the business will get from consumers will be very important in developing quality. It will help the business leverage its communication capabilities, fostering greater collaboration among its employees, improve information management among business units and enhance productivity and greater efficiency.

Business-to-consumer is one of the tools that every new business must adapt, especially if they intend to extend their presence to a global level. Even for businesses operating in local markets, many people are increasingly busy today and may not have the time to go to the stores for shopping. A majority of the consumer today are willing to pay even more for convenience. The new business must therefore adopt the technology if its presence has to be felt in the market. It will make it easier for the business to catalog online and reach a bigger audience at the same time.

To fully reap the benefits of B2C e-commerce, the business will need to address some of the challenges facing the platform. There are several endpoint devices available today to help deal with security concerns. The business will need to learn how to have more control over their servers to address breaches and other threats. The business should also make their site easy to use to attract more people who may not have so much time on the internet. By networking with other regularly visited sites, the business will benefit from more traffic. The business must also ensure that it provides consistent information for its customers on every site where its products are available. The business must identify its target market to avoid spending money in regions or markets where its products may be irrelevant.

Constant communication with consumers is imperative if any business intends to register success. It is through constant communication that a business can have updated market information. Customers feedbacks are the best way for a business to relate to a market. By adopting and investing in business-to-consumer e-commerce, the business will be constantly updated on the changing market trends and consumer preferences.

Reference List

Bidgoli, H. (2002). Electronic Commerce: Principles and Practice . New Jersey: Academic Press.

CIO. (2007). E-Commerce Definition and Solutions . Web.

Dosi, G. (1988). Sources, procedures, and microeconomic effects of innovation. Journal of Economic Literature, 26, 1120-1171 .

Gasos, J. & Thoben K. (2003). E-Business Applications Technologies for Tomorrow’s Solutions . New York: Springer, Berlin.

Laudon, K., Traver C. & Guercio C. (2002). E-commerce: business, technology, society . Addison Wesley. Boston, MA.

McFadyen, T. M. (2008). eCommerce Best Practices – How to market, sell, and service customers with internet technologies. McFadyen Solutions.

Nissanoff, D. (2006). FutureShop: How the New Auction Culture Will Revolutionize the Way We Buy, Sell and Get the Things We Really Want. London: The Penguin Press

Patton, S. (2001). The ABCs of B2C. The E-Business Research Center . Web.

Rowland, R. (2009). ‘E-commerce Canada’s changing economy’. Web.

Turban, E., King D., Lee J. & Viehland D. (2002). Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective . New York: Prentice Hall.

Weisman, J. (2008). ‘ The Making of E-commerce: 10 Key Moments ’. Web.

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1.0 Introductions Business to business (B2B) marketing refers to the techniques and best practices used by many different type of company with producing their own products and services then sold to other businesses (brafton, n.d.). The main purpose of the business to business marketing is to meet the needs of other companies and businesses, although ultimately consumers drive the products these businesses offer (opening doors, n.d.). Dell is a largest direct-sale computer vendor in the whole world. Dell Computer Corporation sells desktop personal computers, notebook computers, network servers, and a variety of computer peripherals and software (reference for business, 2016). The main selling product for Dell Company in business is selling server to other company. Selling server is the main direction for Dell to get more profit and more customers. They are four tasks to complete in this assignment. For the first task is about comparing the differences between business to business (B2B) marketing and business to consumer (B2C) marketing. The second task was asked to explanation of the marketing mix of server produced by Dell Company and the key unique features in each element of the marketing mix of their server. The third task consists of the illustration of the organizational buying decision process for Dell Company. The final task is about the explanation of the market segmentation strategies used by the Dell Company for their server.   2.0 Business to Business Marketing (B2B) and Business to Consumer Marketing (B2C) There are two types of marketing, Business to Business (B2B) Marketing and Business to Consumer (B2C) Marketing. Business to Business (B2B) Marketing definition is product marketing companies or other organizations for the production and use of goods in general use in business operations, such as office supplies, or resold to other users, such as wholesalers sell to retailers. Business to Consumer (B2C) Marketing definition is a common term for all the company to use when searching for the type of business that going to run. Besides that, Business-to-consumer companies are more focused on selling their products to individuals and marketing for personal use. Other than that, they also offer packaging options that are appropriate for individual consumption (study, 2016). 2.1 Differences between Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Marketing and Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketing Nowadays, most of the organizations would operate their businesses by selling most of their products into two types of markets, which is the consumer market and the business market. Yet, the characteristics for these two kinds of markets are totally different. Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Marketing Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketing Market Structure and Demand – contain more but smaller buyers – more elastic demand – affected more by price changes – contain fewer but larger buyers – more inelastic demand – not affected as much by price changes Types of Decisions and the Decision Process – buying decision process is more simple – buying decision process is more complex Table 1: Summary of Differences between B2C and B2B Marketing The table above shows that there are three differences between business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. Below are the following comparisons of the few differences between these two types of markets. 2.1.1 Market Structure and Demand For business to business marketing, even though it just few buyers from it but all of them are purchasing a large amount of product from the companies. Besides that, compare with business to business (B2B) marketing, business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing are totally different because there are a lot of buyers in the business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing, but all of them would just purchase a small amount of products from the companies. For example, other big companies will purchase a large amount of server from Dell Company in business to business markets. Dell Company will produce an amount of server only just for the company that order from them. It was because big companies are the main customer for dell because they are the one that will purchase a large amount of server from Dell Company and they can earn more profit. Besides that, business to consumer (B2B) marketing is customer will only purchase one or two server from Dell retailer and it earn little profit from it. In the other hand, demand in business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing is more elastic, whereas the business-to-business (B2B) marketing has inelastic demand. It represents the quantity of a good that a single consumer would buy at a specific price point at a specific point in time and in the same time purchase decisions in business market are so critical on their organizations’ marketing efforts (know this, 2016). Furthermore, the total amount of server demand in business market will not make a big impact on the price because nowadays quality is more important. For example, Dell Company won’t decrease their price on their server that demanded on other company in business market but only they will increase or maintain the price as well as giving the best quality of it. Meanwhile, in business market other company will continue purchase server from Dell no matter the price increased or decreased because they know that Dell has the quality assurance. 2.1.2 Types of Decisions and the Decision Process The difference buying decision process between business to business (B2B) marketing and business to consumer (B2C) marketing is business to business (B2B) marketing are more complex and complicated compared to the business to consumer (B2B) marketing. For business to business (B2B) marketing buying decision, these come after a long process and probably discussion with committee and only make the final decision. In the other hand for business to consumer (B2B) buying decision are opposite with the business to business buying decision, because consumer might discuss major purchases with partners or friends, but ultimately it is usually one person making the decision. Consumers are more liable to make impulse purchases than businesses (chron, 2016). Business customers often look for specific product attributes such as economy in cost and use, productivity, and quality. Additionally, B2B purchasers generally spend more money, as the buying process tends to be more complex and lengthy (bundless, 2016). Dell is as an example, dell supply their server to the retailers and companies in business to business markets when the order has been make. Dell will supply their servers when the total payment and order has been received. When send the order it mean that already make the right decision on purchasing which server from dell and it was the buying decision process. The companies need to pay to the Dell Company before they start to make the purchase and order so that it won’t have the misunderstanding on payment between each other. Business to consumers (B2C) marketing are totally different from business to business (B2B) marketing. Business to Consumers (B2C) marketing is consumer take a time to think on the product weather is it worth to buy, the product quality good enough for the price and should need this product. 2.2 Summary In summary, it is very important for all of the organizations to know and understand about the few differences between business to consumer (B2C) marketing and business to business (B2B) marketing that are mentioned above so that they can use some suitable marketing strategies to provide and sell a lot of their products more effectively and efficiently in both consumer markets and business markets. 3.0 Marketing Mix The diagram above show the marketing mix of 4Ps they are product, price, place and promotion. Marketing Mix meaning is some of the ideas and plans followed by sales representatives to promote a particular brand or product mixture known as the marketing mix. Some of the concepts and ideas that are combined together to draft a final strategy helps in creating a brand that is popular among many of the marketing mix (management study guide, 2016). The marketing mix refers to a standard strategic tool used by a lot of companies to promote and sell their products in the market. This kind of tool consists of four basic elements that are commonly termed as the 4Ps of marketing mix, which is product, price, place, and promotion. A complete set of marketing mix not just only about these 4Ps, but also includes another three elements, they are process, people and physical evidence. 3.1 Marketing Mix of Dell Each and every product would be provided and sold by implement different types of marketing mix respectively. So Dell company does the same, Dell company will also implement their own marketing mix on their own servers and products to promote and sell to other company in business market. Below will explain the 4Ps of marketing mix of Dell server, they are product, price, place and promotion. 3.1.1 Product For this element in marketing mix, server is one of the products made by Dell Company. Besides that, Dell Company also believes that, marketing is not only about just providing products or services but it is also essentially about providing changing benefits into the changing needs and demands of the customer (marketing 91, n.d.). Furthermore, Dell should show different type of design, color, models, specification and feature to impress the customer in business market. It will increase Dell sales in business market because of giving customer more choices to choose for their server and they will purchase a large amount of server for their company. 3.1.2 Price Price is the other element in marketing mix; the Dell Company use the competition-based pricing strategy to set the price for their server on the basis of the competition that is existed in the business market. Therefore, pricing strategies usually change as the product passes through its life cycle, because there is constrains on the company’s freedom to price a product at different stage (marketing 91, n.d.). The main objective of Dell is to produce the low price comparing to other competitor, affordable, and profitable PC for the customers. In this pricing strategy, Dell Company will have the competitive advantage over their competitor such as Lenovo, HP, Asus and other more. 3.1.3 Place For this component in marketing mix, place is also known as channel, distribution, or intermediary. It is the mechanism through which goods or services are moved from the manufacturer or service provider to the company that make the order in business market (marketing 91, n.d.). Therefore, Dell has been able to influence the positioning of their marketing campaign strategy. 3.1.4 Promotion The last element for marketing mix is promotion, Dell Company should promote their servers or products by advertising on television and the Internet, advertising in a variety of print media, and mailing or emailing a broad range of direct marketing publications, such as promotional materials, catalogues, and customer newsletters (marketing 91, n.d.). Besides that, Dell also needs to show the display on their company so that customer can have a look before making any purchase. This will help Dell Company increase their customer and sales in business market because promotion will attract more consumers to buy their server and product to gain a large amount of profits. 3.2 Summary In summary, for Dell Company can improve their sales on server and product more successfully by using the appropriate marketing mix that consists of four main elements that have been termed as the 4Ps of marketing mix, which is product, price, place, and promotion. 4.0 Organization Buying Decision Process Organizational buying decision processes define as a process in which the organizations recognize the need of a product or service and search for the best available brand or supplier among all the alternatives. Every organization needs to go through the eight stages of organizational buying decision process. Below is a diagram show that the organizational buying decision process. Diagram above show the eight stages of organizational buying decision process (Slide share, 2016) From the diagram showing in above, there are eight steps of organizational buying decision process; there are problem recognition, general need description, product specification, supplier search, proposal solicitation, supplier selection, order-routine specification, and performance review. The following are the illustration of the organizational buying decision process conducted by the Dell Company for their servers. 4.1 Problem Recognition First step in the organizational buying decision process is purchasing process begins when someone in the company recognises a problem that can be solved by acquiring goods from the suppliers (your article library, 2015) Dell Company, they do the research in many different countries and found that most of the company that make the purchase of server from their company are demanding to have a better processor and higher ram so that it won’t lack when running more application and doing works. This happen is because most of the company use server to do their work and open many files to run so they hope to have a better processor of servers that it won’t affect and delay their works. 4.2 General Need Descriptions After identifying the problem having, the organization will start doing the general need description process of the total quantity and characteristics of the product that can be purchased from the supplier (marketing mix, n.d.). For Dell Company, they need more good quality materials and processor to build a large amount of server and sell it to their customers in business market. Furthermore, they have to make the decisions about the total amount of the processor and materials that should be purchased from the suppliers before they manufacture servers and send it to their customers. 4.3 Product Specification After obtaining the general need description, the organization will start to express the specification of the server (uk essay, 2016). For Dell Company, they need to specify and find out about what kind of materials and processor that should be used to making a large amount of servers in order to make sure that all their servers are in good quality and condition. Therefore, Dell can start to make purchase from the supplier. 4.4 Supplier Search In the fourth stage, an organization will start to do the research for the supplier of the goods needed. Therefore, this can be done by reviewing trade directories, compare few of the suppliers that are convenience or by doing computer search. Finally, there will be the one who has good reputation, convenience and offers best deals (uk essay, 2016). For Dell Company, they should have to conduct some researches on suppliers so that they can compare and look for the good quality with a reasonable price. Besides that, Dell also need to find out which suppliers have provide the necessary materials, and processor that will be used by them to produce a large quantity of servers. 4.5 Proposal Solicitation Once the supplier search is complete the next stage for the organizational buying decision process is proposal solicitation. In this stage proposal solicitation is about an organization will invite these qualified suppliers to submit their proposal (uk essay, 2016). In addition, the proposal must include product specification, price, delivery period, payment terms, taxes of experts and duties applicable, transportation cost, cost of transit insurance and any other relevant cost or free service provided (your article library, 2015) For Dell Company, they must also request for the detailed written proposals or the formal presentations from each of the qualified supplier so that they can analyse all of the proposals and choose one or two suppliers that are the most suitable to them for the produce their servers. 4.6 Supplier Selection In this step, organization will finalize the supplier by choosing one or two of the best supplier. There are few factors such as competitive prices, honest communication, quality products and services. Those are the great importance in this regard (uk essay, 2016). For Dell Company, they have to determine and choose one or two most appropriate suppliers that can provide and deliver the good quality of materials and processor on time with the reasonable price so that they can produce and sell a large quantity of server that are high quality and good performance to their customers in business market. 4.7 Order-Routine Specification At this stage the organization management will start to prepare an order-routine specification. It mean sending the final order with selected supplier and a list of other elements technical services after sales required, date of delivery return polices and warranties (uk essay, 2016). For Dell Company, they should also start to prepare and send the final order to their selected suppliers about what kind of materials and processor that are requested by them as well as the quantity of these few things that are needed and wanted by them before they manufacture those servers and sell it to their consumers in business market. 4.8 Performance Review After order routine specification, the next step organization will evaluate the performance of the supplier’s product or service provided. After that, the organization will review back the chosen supplier’s whether they need to continue, change, and drop the arrangement with the supplier (uk essay, 2016) For Dell Company, they must also evaluate the performance of their selected suppliers by asking their customers to rate the level of satisfaction on the quality. If a large number of their consumers are more satisfied on the high quality and great performance of their servers, then this situation means that the materials and processor that is offered by their chosen suppliers and used in the manufacture of servers are also have good quality as well. Therefore, Dell Company would decide whether continue purchase the same amount of materials and processor from the same suppliers in order to maintain the high quality and good performance of servers as well as retain their customers and increase more customer satisfaction. 4.9 Summary In summary, those eight steps of organizational buying decision process that are mentioned in above can help the Dell Company to avoid from making the wrong decisions by purchasing the low quality of materials and processor from the suppliers that are not suitable to them.   5.0 Marketing Segmentation Strategy The purpose of marketing is to satisfy the needs and wants of people and yet to making profit. Market segmentation in B2B is necessary as organizations in the market have different needs and wants. Therefore, marketers need to use different approaches to reach and fulfil organization need. 5.1 Vision Dell vision is “it’s the way we interpret the world around us—our customers needs, the future of technology, and the global business climate.” The definition of Dell vision means ‘an image of the future we seek to create (slide share, 2016).’ 5.2 Mission Dell’s mission is “to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in market we serve.” The definition of Dell mission is ‘who we are and what we do (slide share, 2016).’ 5.3 Porter’s generic Competitive advantage can be described in two ways in terms of a Firm’s performance, which is low cost of differentiation. A firm’s position in the market will be determines whether a firm’s profitability is low or high or just average by its performance. The generic competitive strategies are further divided into three other parts which is called Cost leadership, differentiation and focus. The focus strategy has two variant, cost focus and differentiation focus. 5.4 Cost Leadership In this strategies, a firm set out it main focus on cost by reducing it cost and becoming a low cost company in the market. This all depends on the structure of the company. This may include the scale of economic, technology management, preferential access to raw materials and many other factors. The company have to take advantage or even exploit all the different resources which will lead them to become a low cost producer. If they have achieve this then there will be above the average performer in the industry. Hence they can command prices closer or to an average range. 5.5 Differentiation In this strategy, Dell Company need to tries to come out with a product which is totally unique. The company try to come out with wider dimension which will be valued by the customers. The company will put one more or more attributes in their product which will be very important from the buyer point of view. Hence, positioning it very uniquely to meet the demands and satisfaction of the buyer, this will be rewarded for its uniqueness with a premium price. 5.6 Focus In Cost Focus the marketer seek for cost advantages in its target segment. Where as in differentiation focus a firm seek differentiation in its market seek. The both focus strategy relies on different segments of the market or targeting new segment. The target segment must have an unusual need of the buyer where as they must be able to deliver system which served best to the target segment. The different between the cost and the differentiation focus are that cost focus aims at the differences in the cost behaviour of a consumer where as the differentiation focus aims at the special need of the consumer in the market. After analysing the Porter Generic Advantage Strategies, it can be seem that Dell business model was similar to the Porter Generic Advantage Strategies because Dell came up with the cost leadership strategies, where removing all the intermediaries and keeping the cost at minimal and taking advantage of the market as well as exploiting the technology system of their production line, etc. Hence, becoming the Low Cost Producer in the market, this has leaded them to be more than an average performer in the market and allowing them to control the prices. 5.7 Segmentation 5.7.1 Geographic Segmentation When the market is divided into different geographical units such as region, nation, counties, state, cities or neighbourhoods, this method is called as a geographical segmentation. One enterprise might be determining to run its business within one or a few specific areas or to carry out its business all over the country and even the world but in terms of consumer demand will undoubtedly noticed regional differences. In the case of Dell, it has become a global famous company with its products and servers sold around every country of the world. However, due to the geographical differences, it is very important and significance to segment the global servers market geographically. Besides that, with some of the emerging and developing potential markets, such as China, it would be better to market into smaller segments (uk essay, 2016). 5.7.2 Age and Life Cycle Segmentation In age and life cycle segmentation it refers to divide a market into different age and life cycle group. Rational divide the market on the basis of age is on the demands of the people and wants to change with age. Therefore, it makes sense for Dell to provide different products or take advantage of the marketing tools changed to life and the life cycle of various groups. For example, when advertising their products by advertising on TV or via the Internet, advertising theme to teenagers and young people should be full of adventure, fashion, beat-up music and cut quickly from scene to scene, and content for adults can be more mature, more gently (uk essay, 2016). 5.7.3 Behavioural Segmentation When it comes to behavioural segmentation, it refers to segmenting a market into groups based on customers’ knowledge, use, attitude, or response to a product In this market segmentation, Dell does offer a wide range of services or products, from desktop to notebook computers, hardware products in the form of software to do a great job. To make the best use of behavioural segmentation, companies can use different people on the basis of development for business people, students, or home using servers (uk essay, 2016). 5.8 Target Market The target marketing strategies used will be differentiated marketing. The target group is main focus on company; those companies will continuously purchase servers from Dell Company. It is because they have the confidence on the quality of Dell servers so that they will purchase a large amount from Dell. Besides that, Dell Company will also target on hotel and shopping mall it is because Dell know that they need a good performance and good quality servers to do their work and good quality processor to run their system. 5.9 Summary In summary, the appropriate market segmentation strategies can help Dell Company to segment the market properly, choose the correct target market, and sell their server to a large number of their customers in the selected target market. 6.0 Conclusions and Recommendations The characteristics of business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing and business-to-business (B2B) marketing are definitely not the same at all times. Therefore, every organization must use some appropriate marketing strategies based on the differences between consumer markets and business markets in order to sell all of their products more successfully in these two markets. The marketing mix is always helpful and useful to the products that are sold to a large number of the customers. Hence, the Dell Company should use the most suitable marketing mix to distribute and promote their servers more efficiently so that they can increase the sales of their servers and gain more profit from it . The organizational buying decision process consists of eight important stages that need to be conducted by the companies when they decide to purchase some specific products, materials and processor from the suppliers that have been chosen. Dell Company have to make sure that the decisions made by them are through all the eight steps of organizational buying decision process are correct at all times so that they can buy the good quality of materials, and processors from the qualified suppliers for the production of Dell servers . Those effective market segmentation strategies will help the companies to compete with all of their competitors. Lastly, Dell Company need to segment and target the market correctly by implement the most appropriate market segmentation strategies in order to sell a large amount of their servers more to their consumers and survive in the competitive world.

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Business Essay Examples

13 Business Essay Examples for Students

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Published on: May 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Are you struggling to figure out the structure, research, or data required to make your essay stand out? Or frustrated by the lack of inspiration and ideas for your essay?

But don't give up yet! We have a powerful solution that will make your essay writing a breeze. Our list of business essay examples is here to help! 

We have compiled expertly written business essay examples that will illustrate how to write a striking business essay.

With our examples, you'll be able to see how to structure your essay and generate creative ideas for your topic. And our tips will help you make the most of these examples.

So, let's dive in and get ready to learn!

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What is a Business Essay?

A business essay is a type of academic writing that focuses on business-related topics and issues. These essays can cover a wide range of topics such as marketing, finance, management, entrepreneurship, and more.

The importance of business essay lies in presenting a well-researched and informed analysis. To do this effectively, writers need to conduct extensive research and analysis on the topic at hand.

Referring to examples of business essays can help you gain insight into the structure, tone, and content of a well-written essay.

Business Essay Examples For Students

Here is a list of business writing examples

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Short Essay About Business

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Types of Business Essay with Examples

When it comes to business essay writing, there are several different types that you might encounter. 

Here's a brief overview of each type, including their characteristics and an example of each.

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Case Studies

A case study is an in-depth analysis of a specific business situation or problem. It involves extensive research and data analysis to provide recommendations.

Case studies often showcase the application of theory to real-world business scenarios.

Research Papers

Research papers involve a more academic approach to business writing. They typically require an extensive literature review, data analysis, and original research. 

Business research papers aim to contribute new knowledge to the field of business. These often involve a hypothesis or research question.

Argumentative Essays

Argumentative business essays aim to persuade the reader to adopt a particular point of view or take a specific action. They present an argument and use evidence and logic to support their claims. 

Argumentative essays can address various business topics such as management practices, ethical issues, or market trends.

White Papers

A white paper is a document that provides a detailed explanation of a particular issue or problem, often with recommendations or solutions. 

White papers are typically used to educate stakeholders about a specific topic. These are often used in the business-to-business (B2B) context.

Comparative Essays 

Comparative business essays compare and contrast two or more topics or ideas. They typically analyze the similarities and differences between the topics to evaluate their pros and cons. 

Comparative essays can focus on various aspects such as products, companies, markets, or strategies.

How to Structure Your Business Essays

As you begin writing your business essay, it's important to structure it in a clear and organized way. 

Here's a step-by-step guide with business essay samples to help you do just that:

Executive Summary

The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire essay. It should summarize your main points and highlight your recommendations. 

This section should be written after completing the essay, as it gives a clear picture of what the essay covers. 

Here is how you start a business essay sample:

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for the rest of the essay. It should introduce the topic, provide background information, and explain the purpose of the essay. 

Here is a business essay introduction example:

Industry Analysis

In this section, you'll conduct a thorough analysis of the industry in which the business operates. You should examine factors such as competition, market trends, and customer behavior. 

Here is a sample industry analysis

Key Issues or Problems

This section should identify the main issues or problems faced by the business. You should provide evidence to support your claims and analyze the impact of these issues. 

Here is an example paragraph:

Solutions or Recommendation

Here, you'll provide solutions or recommendations to address the issues identified in the previous section. Your solutions should be well-supported and feasible. 

For instance:

Implementation Plan

For this part, you'll outline a plan for implementing the solutions or recommendations you've proposed. This is sort of a description of the business model you suggest. 

This section should be detailed and include specific action steps. 

For example:

Finally, you'll wrap up your essay by summarizing your main points and reiterating your recommendations. 

This section should be clear, concise, and impactful. 

By following this structure, your business essay will be well-organized, coherent, and easy to follow for your readers.

Tips for Using Business Essay Examples Effectively

Now that you have quite a few business essay examples at hand, you should know how to use them effectively:

• Use them as a guide, not a template : While it's great to learn from examples, you should never copy them outright. Instead, use them as a starting point for your own research and writing.
• Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the essay : Take note of what works well in the example essay, as well as any areas that could be improved. This will help you understand how to make your own essay even better.
• Use them to inform your own research and writing : Pay attention to the research methods, sources, and evidence used in the example essay. This can give you ideas for your own research and help you strengthen your arguments.
• Avoid plagiarism and ensure proper citation: Whenever you use ideas or information from an example, make sure to cite your sources. This will help you avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

You now have a plenty of business essay examples on different topics to help you get started!

By following our tips and studying the sample essays, you can confidently write your own essays that are clear, concise, and impactful. 

However, if you still find yourself struggling with your business essays, just reach out to our professional business essay writing service . 

We have the best online essay writing service and are ready to provide you a high-quality business. Our writing service has subject specialist writers who can tackle any business essay topic.  

So why wait? Contact us today and let our AI essay writer take your business essays to the next level!

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Understanding Consumer Behavior Essay

Introduction.

Understanding consumer behavior is one of the critical elements in the success of a business. Consumers play a significant role in any economic model in determining products that are in demand. According to BBC, since the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behavior has significantly changed (Latham, 2021).

Many consumers are more conscious of the environmental impact of the products they are consuming. Additionally, due to the economic hardships that the pandemic has caused, consumers are becoming more ethical in making their purchases, with many of them preferring affordable products. According to the article, sustainability has become a significant influence on the choices the consumers (Latham, 2021). The evolved behavior is influencing the consumers to make choices aimed at reducing the length of the supply chains for better outcomes for the environment. For instance, since the pandemic, consumers make most of their purchases locally, especially from small businesses.

One of the primary reasons for this change is attributed to the lockdown period when people spend most of their time with their families and enjoy nature. As a result, they developed a more positive approach towards the environment, thus becoming ethically aware of the environmental impact of some of the products and the need to consume more sustainable products (Latham, 2021). According to The Theory of Individual Behavior topic, consumer behavior is categorized into two elements: consumer opportunities and consumer preferences (Baye & Prince, 2022). Consumer opportunities provide people with choices on goods and services, while consumer preferences are the choices people can afford.

The recent consumer behavior influenced by the pandemic focuses more on consumer preferences than consumer opportunities. Consumers are only purchasing essential goods and reducing expenditure on secondary goods (Baye & Prince, 2022). The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has made people be prepared for emergencies hence the need to be cautious about their expenditure.

Latham, K. (2021). Has coronavirus made us more ethical consumers? . BBC News. Web.

Baye, M., & Prince, J. (2022). Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (10th ed., pp. 104-108). McGraw Hill LLC.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 19). Understanding Consumer Behavior. https://ivypanda.com/essays/understanding-consumer-behavior-essay-examples/

"Understanding Consumer Behavior." IvyPanda , 19 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/understanding-consumer-behavior-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Understanding Consumer Behavior'. 19 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Understanding Consumer Behavior." November 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/understanding-consumer-behavior-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "Understanding Consumer Behavior." November 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/understanding-consumer-behavior-essay-examples/.

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IvyPanda . "Understanding Consumer Behavior." November 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/understanding-consumer-behavior-essay-examples/.

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Ethical Consumerism in Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Challenges

• Original Paper
• Open access
• Published: 29 April 2024

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• Smirti Kutaula   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8954-7234 1 ,
• Alvina Gillani 2 ,
• Diana Gregory-Smith 3 &
• Boris Bartikowski 4  

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Despite the economic, social, and environmental importance of emerging countries, most existing research into ethical consumerism has focused on developed market contexts. We introduce this Special Issue (SI) and provide a comprehensive thematic literature review considering three broad categories or aspects of ethical consumerism research, (1) contexts of ethical consumption, (2) forms of ethical consumerism, and (3) approaches to explaining ethical consumer behavior. We summarize the articles of this SI as part of the thematic literature review to provide an understanding of how these articles and this SI’s overall contribute to ethical consumerism research. Each article in this SI offers new insights into a specific field of ethical consumerism while focusing on emerging market contexts. Overall, this SI expands knowledge related to the dynamics and challenges of ethical consumerism and offers future research directions in this area.

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Introduction

The term “ethical consumerism” has been used with different meanings in various business management disciplines (Carrington et al., 2021 ; Papaoikonomou et al., 2023 ). For example, earlier, Cooper-Martin and Holbrook ( 1993 , p. 113) defined ethical consumerism in terms of buyer characteristics, namely as “decision-making, purchases and other consumption experiences that are affected by the consumer’s ethical concerns”. Similarly, Summers ( 2016 , p. 303) defines it as “the deliberate purchase, or avoidance, of products for political, ethical, or environmental reasons.” In contrast, Irwin ( 2015 ) defined it as a characteristic of firms, notably a broad label for companies providing self-appealing products (e.g., fair-trade coffee or charitable giving). More recently, Papaoikonomou et al., ( 2023 , p. 1) introduced the concept of ethical consumer literacy, referred to as the “consumer's ability to consume in a way that will not have a negative social, animal, or environmental impact”. While these perspectives vary in terms of focus on the consumers or companies, the common thread in these definitions is the agreement on the relationship between consumption and its wider impact on society and environment.

The call for papers (CFP) that we issued in June 2020 for this Special Issue (SI) on “Ethical Consumerism in Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Challenges” was not limited to a particular definition of what ethical consumerism is or a specific social sciences discipline. Rather, we aimed to encourage submissions tackling various aspects of ethical consumerism, but with a specific focus on the understudied contexts of emerging markets. Emerging markets are countries (a) with accelerated economic growth, (b) open to global markets, and (c) in a transitional (developing to more developed) status (Shankar & Narang, 2020 ). Hoskisson et al., ( 2000 , p. 249) defined emerging markets as “low-income, rapid-growth countries using liberalization as their primary engine of growth.” The focus on emerging market contexts is relevant for at least four important reasons.

First , emerging markets are powerful drivers of global economic development and represent great business opportunities (Arunachalam et al., 2020 ; Cuervo-Cazurra & Pananond, 2023 ; Deloitte, 2020 ). As established markets are saturated, multinational firms are increasingly turning toward emerging markets, where they expect to enjoy economic growth (London & Hart, 2004 ). Notably, while the global GDP is foreseen to grow by 1.7% in 2023, the GDP for advanced economies is projected to be 0.5%, while emerging markets excluding China are predicted to grow at 2.7% in the same year (World Bank, 2023 ). Companies targeting emerging markets have initially focused mostly on the wealthy elites, foremost to market high-priced luxury items, but they are now increasingly considering the bottom of the economic pyramid (BoP)—the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer segment (Hammond & Prahalad, 2004 ; London & Hart, 2004 ; Shankar et al., 2008 ).

Second , emerging markets are gaining economic power as developed economies are increasingly dependent on emerging ones, given the delocalization of manufacturing in categories such as fashion or electronics (e.g., Gillani et al., 2023 ), or the supply of raw materials such as rare earth elements or energy (e.g., Schmid, 2019 ). Two events demonstrating the high interdependency of developed and emerging market economies are the COVID-19 crisis with a dramatic shortage of medical masks in many Western countries because of global supply problems related to masks produced in China, and the 2022 shutting down of Russian gas supply to Europe.

Third , while emerging markets are drivers of global economic development, the benefits of globalization arise frequently at the expense of producers, people, and the environment in emerging countries. Such benefits are contingent upon lower manufacturing costs, minimal wages, or undesirable working conditions in emerging countries, and contribute to furthering marginalization of BoP consumers (cf., Ridley-Duff & Southcombe, 2012 ; Gillani et al., 2023 ). Governments, the media, and producers face great ethical responsibility for the economic development of emerging markets with significant implications for the “triple bottom line”—People, Planet, and Profit (cf., Carrington et al., 2021 ; Narasimhan et al., 2015 ; Rauch et al., 2016 ).

Fourth , emerging markets take increasing responsibility for global sustainability (Cheung & To, 2021 ; Dermody et al., 2018 ). Moreover, ethical consumption is frequently seen as a means for consumers to address social and ecological problems (Johnston et al., 2011 ). In key emerging markets such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey, socially responsible consumption is gaining traction (Jung et al., 2016 ; Papaoikonomou & Alarcon, 2017 ). The rise of the new middle class in emerging markets (Kravets & Sandikci, 2014 ) is driving increased consumer spending, coupled with a growing awareness of ethical and environmental practices and implications. As consumers are more aware and are increasingly considering ethical aspects in their consumption choices, they also expect greater transparency from firms and demand more frequently an end to exploitative practices, aiming for a fairer society.

Ideas revolving around ethical consumerism draw increasing attention from government bodies, journalists, activist organizations, marketers, as well research interests across disciplines (Carrington et al., 2021 ). Debates exist, for example, in relation to the fair-trade movement, consumer responses to CSR communication, anti-consumption and boycotting behavior, or social entrepreneurship. Our CFP for this SI was motivated by the fact that most ethical consumerism research, across disciplines, focuses on developed countries' contexts, but surprisingly little is known about ethical consumerism within emerging markets. Hassan et al. ( 2022 ) recently found that a significant majority (> 75%) of published studies into consumer ethics were conducted in developed markets contexts. It remains unclear whether important research ideas, devised for developed country contexts, can be generalized to emerging market contexts (e.g., Pels & Sheth, 2017 ). For example, Li et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, found that most of their study participants in China were even not aware of the term “ethical consumption.” This concurs with the view that terms such as ethical, socially conscious, or green consumers may be viewed as a “cultural phenomenon within affluent consumer cultures” (Newholm & Shaw, 2007 , p. 259).

To address these gaps in the ethical consumerism literature, this SI aimed to explore the relatively under-researched context of ethical consumerism in emerging markets. In May 2021, we organized an online paper development workshop which attracted 20 papers from 49 participants and 14 countries. Attending the paper development workshop was not a requirement for the inclusion of a manuscript in the Special Issue. The CFP ultimately resulted in a large number of journal submissions that we handled as guest editors and that underwent the peer-review process. After multiple rounds of reviews, the resulting selected manuscripts along with this introductory essay comprise our SI on ethical consumerism in emerging markets. The SI contains a wide variety of contributions that enhance our understanding of ethical consumerism in emerging markets and offer new perspectives. These include various conceptual and empirical contributions, focusing on diverse emerging country contexts that the authors sometimes contrast with developed market contexts. The authors of the finally accepted papers are affiliated with universities from emerging economies (China, India, Oman, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia), and from developed economies (Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, UK, and the US).

This essay is structured as follows. We first briefly present the articles published in this SI. The next section offers a thematic literature review to structure the existing ethical consumerism research and map the articles from this SI into the wider field. We then present key future research directions and conclude the essay. In doing so, we contribute to the ethical consumerism literature in two main ways. First , through a thematic review of the ethical consumerism literature, we classify three broad categories—contexts of ethical consumerism; forms of ethical consumerism, and understanding ethical consumer behavior, which help us to identify areas of convergence and divergence within the extant research. Further, we position the articles within these themes to highlight how their findings add to the existing ethical consumerism literature. Second , while the papers included in this SI offer many relevant insights and advance our knowledge and understanding of the field, opportunities for further research remain. Our paper provides key future research directions which can serve as a basis for more studies in this field.

The Articles in This Special Issue

Research on ethical consumerism is diverse and varied, and so are the topics that the authors of the articles published in this SI tackle. In this section, we briefly introduce the articles, we then draw upon them further in the thematic review and demonstrate how they add to the extant ethical consumerism literature, particularly in emerging markets. Table 1 summarizes these papers and we map their placement within the extant ethical consumerism research in Fig.  1 .

Themes and topics in ethical consumerism research

The opening article by Li et al. ( 2024 ) focuses on the Chinese practice of Danshari to clarify how differently morality is understood in Chinese and Western contexts, emphasizing that researchers should interpret ethical behaviors against the backdrop of specific country or cultural contexts. Using data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP), the next article authored by Prikshat et al. ( 2024 ) offers new insights into consumers’ socio-cultural capital and country-level affluence as drivers of ethical behaviors in 34 countries. The following article by Osburg et al. ( 2024 ) demonstrates significant differences in sustainable luxury consumption in emerging (Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa) and developed (the United Kingdom) markets. After this is the article by Gupta et al. ( 2024 ) who study US and Indian consumers’ expectations about Bottom-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) consumption appropriateness and implications for new product introductions and brand communication. Using consumer data from China, India, the UK, and the US, the next article by Cheng et al. ( 2024 ) explores cross-culturally how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped consumers’ ethical orientations. After this is the article by Besharat et al. ( 2024 ), which enhances our understanding of how and why consumers from emerging markets (India, South Africa, and Iran) chose organic food products (tea, coffee). Using field data from Chinese campaigns, the next study by Xing et al. ( 2024 ) investigates the success drivers of reward-based crowdfunding for poverty alleviation in China. Following this is the article by Nayak et al. ( 2024 ) which explores Indian consumers’ involvement with social networking sites as an antecedent of consumer intentions to purchase ethically. Next, Mehmood et al. ( 2024 ) offer new insights into how the publicity of information on plastic recycling affects Chinese consumers’ plastic waste recycling intentions. Lastly, the article by Chan et al. ( 2024 ) uses consumer data to explore and empirically test the idea that ethical ideologies (idealism and relativism) indirectly drive ethical behaviors through cultural values, suggesting that ethical ideologies are “culture-free” universals from which cultural values are nurtured.

A Thematic Literature Review

The objective of our thematic literature review is to provide a broader picture of how ethical consumerism research has evolved in terms of recurrent themes and topics, as well as show how the articles in this SI add to various existing debates. We do not intend to provide here a detailed and all-inclusive overview of the literature on ethical consumerism. The sheer volume of published articles in various disciplines and from the most diverse fields (cf., Carrington et al., 2021 ) prevents an all-encompassing thematic literature review. We signpost below various existing review articles that the readers can consult for further in-depth or specific information on ethical consumerism research (Table  2 ).

Thematic literature reviews are well suited to identifying overarching themes or categories with common meaning, from various sources. Researchers approach thematic reviews in myriad ways, such as theory-based reviews (e.g., Hassan et al., 2022 ), meta-analysis (e.g., Dixon-Fowler et al., 2013 ; Waples et al., 2009 ), or thematic reviews (e.g., Ford & Richardson, 1994 ). We aimed to identify suitable structures to represent the diversity of ethical consumerism research in general, into which we embedded the articles in this SI. We drew up initial lists of themes and topics through discussions within the SI editorial team. We identified literature references through keyword searches (e.g., “ethics & consumption”) through pertinent literature sources such as Web of Science (WoS) and the references related to issues on ethical consumerism in the SI. Subsequent discussions within the author team uncovered new themes which led us to restructure our previous ideas. This ongoing process lasted until a suitable structure of themes and topics appeared and no new major themes that were not already specifically or broadly covered emerged.

We, thus, decided to categorize ethical consumerism research broadly in terms of (1) contexts of ethical consumption, (2) forms of ethical consumerism, and (3) approaches to understanding ethical consumer behavior. Through our literature review, we identified various specific topics within these broad categories. We offer short introductions to the selected themes or topics, summarize relevant debates, as well as demonstrate how the articles in this SI enhance our understanding of ethical consumerism in emerging market contexts.

Contexts of Ethical Consumerism

Authors have studied ethical consumerism in numerous different contexts such as ethical investment (e.g., Pilaj, 2017 ), ethical tourism and hospitality (Fleckenstein & Huebsch, 1999 ; Ma et al., 2020 ), fast-fashion (Pedersen et al., 2018 ; Perry et al., 2015 ), hybrid vehicles (e.g., Bhutto et al., 2022 ), biodiversity protection and conversation (Boiral & Heras-Saizarbitoria, 2017 ), climate change (e.g., Habib et al., 2021 ), sharing platforms (Nadeem et al., 2021 ) as well as institutional contexts of ethical consumerism (e.g., Adeleye et al., 2020 ; Ariztia et al., 2014 ). Five contexts relevant to the articles in this SI are globalization , organic food consumption, sustainable luxury, crowdfunding , and online social networking . We briefly summarize the relevance of these contexts and the contributions of this SI.

Globalization

The contributions of this SI to ethical consumerism research are strongly related to globalization and the increasing importance of emerging countries for global sustainable development. Researchers in this vein regularly emphasize the importance of culture (Bartikowski et al., 2018 ; Belk et al., 2005 ; Husted & Allen, 2008 ; Swaidan, 2012 ) and have reported significant differences in ethical behaviors across countries or cultures (Auger et al., 2010 ; Bucic et al., 2012 ; Chu et al., 2020 ; Davis et al., 1998 ; Lu et al., 1999 ; Oreg & Katz-Gerro, 2006 ; Walsh & Bartikowski, 2013 ). Cultural values or dimensions account for such differences (e.g., Lu et al., 1999 ; Vitell et al., 1993 ). For example, Gregory‐Smith et al. ( 2017 ) found heterogeneities in the willingness to pay for environmentally-friendly products across 28 EU countries.

The following articles in this SI are concerned with globalization or conduct cross-cultural comparisons. Prikshat et al. ( 2024 ) offer insights into the role of individual socio-cultural capital and country-level affluence as drivers of ethical consumer behavior across 34 countries. The findings indicate that ethical consumerism varies between emerging and developed markets, and cultural capital is a significant predictor of ethical consumerism, even stronger than social capital. Li et al. ( 2024 ) emphasize that morality is very differently understood in Chinese and Western contexts, requiring very different interpretations of forms of ethical consumer behaviors. Osburg et al. ( 2024 ) compare sustainable luxury consumption in emerging and developed countries. Further, Gupta et al. ( 2024 ) study mainstream consumers’ expectations about consumption appropriateness in emerging and developing countries, and Cheng et al. ( 2024 ) offer a cross-cultural comparison of how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped people’s ethical orientations.

Organic Food Consumption

Food consumption is one of the mainstream contexts for ethical consumerism research. Eating and drinking are central to human life and have an important impact on our health, which may explain the popularity of research in food contexts, and related aspects such as organic-, vegetarian-, meat-free, or vegan food. For example, Aertens et al. (2011) found that consumers are motivated to buy organic vegetables primarily because they are without pesticides, better for the environment, better for children, and more animal friendly. Studies report that consumers tend to be positively disposed toward organic food, and factors such as greater awareness of and additional knowledge about organic food can reinforce such positive attitudes (Aertsens et al., 2011 ; Chryssochoidis, 2000 ; Padel & Foster, 2005 ). Besharat et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, enhance our understanding of how and why emerging market consumers (India, South Africa, and Iran) chose organic food products (tea, coffee). The authors demonstrate that marketers may trigger mental categorizations within consumers of organic food (e.g., tea, coffee) and how such mental categorizations affect consumers’ brand choices.

Sustainable Luxury

The study of ethical or sustainable luxury emerged only recently (Davies et al., 2012 ; Kapferer, 2010 ), and research interest is recently gaining traction (Athwal et al., 2019 ; Osburg et al., 2021 ). Sustainable luxury is a broad term that englobes various ideas such as responsible luxury, green luxury, eco-luxury, or organic luxury (Athwal et al., 2019 ; Janssen et al., 2014 ). Simplified, sustainable luxury is luxury marketing integrating ideas on ethics and sustainability. The context of emerging countries is particularly relevant to sustainable luxury marketing, given that emerging markets such as China and India are important driving forces behind market growth in various luxury categories such as cars, fashion or cosmetics (Bai et al., 2022 ; Bartikowski et al., 2019 ). One relevant discussion revolves around the compatibility of luxury consumption with ethics and sustainability ideas (Achabou & Dekhili, 2013 ; Kapferer & Michaut-Denizeau, 2014 ). Work by Janssen et al. ( 2014 ) suggests that the “Catch-22 of responsible luxury” relies on two key factors, the scarcity and the ephemerality of luxury products. Other research focused on explaining how luxury brands’ CSR initiates affect consumers' brand perceptions and behavior, such as willingness to pay higher prices for sustainable luxury brands (Amatulli et al., 2018 ; Diallo et al., 2021 ).

Adding to this literature, Osburg et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, study how differently a product’s sustainability characteristics shape consumers’ product perceptions and preferences for luxury as compared to mass-market products in developed (UK) versus emerging markets (Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa). Considering watches as a product category, the authors show that sustainability (vs. conventional) product features lead to more positive consumer reactions (value perceptions and behavioral intentions). The effects tend to be stronger for luxury products in developed country contexts, and stronger for mass-market than luxury products.

Social Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has emerged as a new marketing channel (Calic & Mosakowski, 2016 ; Fassin & Drover, 2017 ). Entrepreneurs can sell products to businesses- or end-consumers through campaigns that they establish on specific crowdfunding platforms through which they can reach backers worldwide. Crowdfunding is particularly promising to social entrepreneurs and poverty alleviation, given that pro-social crowdfunding campaigns, as compared to ordinary ones, tend to be more successful (reach funding goals faster, create more demand) (Calic & Mosakowski, 2016 ; Dai & Zhang, 2019 ; Simpson et al., 2021 ). However, such results are not conclusive, and social crowdfunding campaign success may also be contingent on factors such as the type of crowdfunding (e.g., donation-, lending- or reward-based crowdfunding), or the crowdedness of the platform (Defazio et al., 2021 ; Figueroa-Armijos & Berns, 2021 ).

Adding to this literature, Xing et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, explore success drivers of reward-based crowdfunding for poverty alleviation. Data from 4375 reward-based crowdfunding campaigns (2014–2020) in China shows that campaigns tagged as poverty alleviation, compared to ordinary ones, tend to be more successful, particularly for products that originate from poorer regions and when prices are lower. The authors corroborate findings from their field study with an experimental study, additionally demonstrating that engaging in poverty alleviation crowdfunding raises Chinese consumers’ feelings of warm glow which, in turn, enhances the purchasing amount. Activation of a warm glow is a psychological process that accounts for the success of reward-based crowdfunding for poverty alleviation in China. Given that China has long faced significant problems of wealth inequality, the results from this study may serve China’s government in furthering crowdfunding and targeted poverty alleviation policies to improve income for the poor.

Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, or Qzone provide consumers with a large amount of information about others (friends, family), as well as about products and services. Researchers have studied ethical consumer behavior on SNS for example about harmful misbehaviors such as identity theft, cyberstalking, or cyberbullying (e.g., Freestone & Mitchell, 2004 ; Rauf, 2021 ), or focused on ethical issues such as greenwashing or employee surveillance through SNS (Clark & Roberts, 2010 ; Lyon & Montgomery, 2013 ). SNS are also the home for ethical social media communities (e.g., green communities or responsible consumption communities), which are groups of interconnected people that attempt to encourage some form of ethical behavior, such as ecological behavior (Steg et al., 2014 ) or ethical consumption (Gummerus et al., 2017 ; Zhang et al., 2021 ). For example, Shen et al. ( 2023 ) found that informational benefits that arise from community participation reinforce consumers’ ethical consumption behavior, whereas social and entertainment benefits affect loyalty to the community.

Adding to this literature, in this SI, Nayak et al. ( 2024 ) study consumer involvement with SNS as an antecedent of consumer intentions to purchase ethically. Based on a series of qualitative studies (observations, interviews, and focus group discussions) with consumers from India, the authors identify seven dimensions or aspects of SNSs that account for consumer attitudes, norms, and behavioral control about purchasing ethically. The seven dimensions include SNS efficacy (convenience, information abundance, availability, and immediateness), online communities (common shared interests), online word of mouth (timeliness, relevance, and comprehensiveness), consumer knowledge (objective information and subjective knowledge), social support (relational and informational), SNS communication (content and positive or negative valence) and price sensitivity (informational cue and assessment of sacrifice).

Forms of Ethical Consumerism

Ethical consumerism manifests in various types of ethical consumption behaviors such as the buying of ethical product options (Xing et al., 2024 ), consumer preferences for more ethical brands (Gupta et al., 2024 ; Osburg et al., 2024 ), or types of ethically questionable consumption practices (Chan et al., 2024 ). Ethical consumerism may also manifest in anti-consumption- or boycotting behaviors (e.g., García-de-Frutos et al., 2018 ; Lee et al., 2009 ), or in charitable giving (e.g., Bock et al., 2018 ; Jamal et al., 2019 ; Simpson et al., 2018 ).

Moreover, new forms of economic models are increasingly popular, with firms putting people and the planet first, in contrast to interpreting their mission in terms of profit-primacy and -maximization. These models englobe, for example, ideas on economic democracy or democratic economies—the idea of a shift of power and benefits from corporate shareholders and managers to larger groups of stakeholders and the broader public, leading to new forms of ethical consumer behavior. Related ideas appear in research into the fair-trade movement (e.g., Andorfer & Liebe, 2012 ; Gillani et al., 2021 ), the circular economy (Kutaula et al., 2022 ) or the sharing economy (Chi et al., 2020 ). Various authors have studied ethical consumerism from the perspective of ethical corporate behaviors . Related work revolves around moral values and organizational ethical culture (e.g., Barnett et al., 1994 ; Chun, 2019 ; Forsyth, 1992 ; York, 2009 ). For example, Drumwright and Murphy ( 2004 ) studied advertiser’s view of ethics or Al‐Khatib et al. ( 2016 ) differentiated global marketing negotiators based on their ethical profiles.

Resource-Efficient Ethical Behaviors

One prominent form of ethical consumerism is behaviors that consumers engage in for reasons such as utilizing given resources more ethically or more sustainably. Resource-efficient behaviors include energy-saving, waste, and recycling behaviors. Energy saving is the set of practices that reduce energy consumption, for example as a socially responsible response to climate change. For example, Gadenne et al. ( 2011 ) and Yue et al. ( 2013 ) offer insights into factors influencing consumers' energy-saving behaviors. Focusing on waste behavior , Roe et al. ( 2020 ) emphasize that nearly one-third of food produced on the planet never meets its intended purpose of human nourishment. The authors discuss the ethics of food waste in relation to food donation behavior or buying food with cosmetic imperfections (i.e., “ugly food”). Aschemann-Witzel et al. ( 2018 ) studied consumer characteristics influencing food waste behavior (choice of price-reduced suboptimal food) among consumers in Uruguay. Focusing on recycling , Hornik et al. ( 1995 ) offer a synthesis of research results from 67 studies on the determinants of recycling behavior, finding that “internal facilitators” (consumer knowledge and commitment to recycling) count among the strongest predictors of consumers’ propensity to recycle. Other studies predicted recycling behavior based on consumers’ environmental attitudes (Vining & Ebreo, 1992 ), moral orientations (Culiberg, 2014 ; Culiberg & Bajde, 2013 ), or recycling habits (learned automatic behaviors) (Aboelmaged, 2021 ). One sub-stream of the recycling literature is concerned with “bringing your own shopping bag” BYOB behavior (Chan et al., 2008 ; Karmarkar & Bollinger, 2015 ).

Adding to this literature, as part of this SI, Mehmood et al. ( 2024 ) offer new insights into how the publicity of information on plastic recycling affects Chinese consumers’ plastic waste recycling intentions. China is among the world’s largest plastic-producing countries, and the Chinese government regularly launches initiatives that disseminate information to encourage plastic recycling. Their findings suggest that the publicity of information about plastic recycling affects consumers’ perceived social pressure and recycling intentions positively, although the effects depend on media richness and the trustworthiness of the message content. Chinese officials may benefit from these ideas as they offer new insights into the effectiveness of information that encourages plastic recycling.

Another article in this SI contributing to the literature on resource-efficient behaviors is authored by Li et al. ( 2024 ). The authors suggest that seemingly ethical behaviors among Chinese may be motivated by factors other than morality, noting that morality is conceptualized differently in Asian (Chinese) than in Western cultures. Their study findings suggest very little awareness of ethical consumption ideas among Chinese participants. Instead, the concept of Danshari (separating, detaching, and departing from possessions) can efficiently explain seemingly ethical behaviors such as reuse or recycling behaviors.

BoP Marketing

The idea that multinational firms could grow profits and help relieve poverty by doing business with the poor has gained significant attention in the management literature since the work of Prahalad and colleagues (Prahalad & Hart, 1999 ; Prahalad & Lieberthal, 1998 ) (cf., Kolk et al., 2014 ). “Bottom of the Pyramid” (BoP) consumers from developing and emerging markets are among the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer segments (Hammond & Prahalad, 2004 ; London & Hart, 2004 ; Shankar et al., 2008 ). Kolk et al. ( 2014 ) offer a systematic review of 104 BoP articles published over 10 years (2000–2009). According to the authors, BoP research has evolved dramatically since Prahalad et al.’s initial work, deemphasizing the role of multinational firms over time and portraying wide variations in terms of BoP contexts, BoP initiatives, and the impacts of the BoP approach. Among others, authors have tackled topics such as BoP business models (e.g., Pels & Sheth, 2017 ) or the role of CSR as a success driver of BoP marketing (Davidson, 2009 ).

One stream of BoP research discusses issues on adequate or permissible consumption concerning BoP consumers (e.g., Hagerty et al., 2022 ; Hill, 2005 ; Martin & Paul Hill, 2012 ). Adding to this literature, Gupta et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, suggest that the proliferation of global media may make mainstream consumers more aware of multinational’s BoP marketing, and make them judge the firm for its BoP efforts. Mainstream consumers may have ideas about what BoP consumers should or should not consume and judge firms negatively for BoP marketing that deviates from these expectations. The findings from two experimental studies show that mainstream consumers in developed markets (i.e., the US) respond less favorably to companies launching hedonic (as compared to utilitarian) products in BoP markets, but no such differences exist for mainstream consumers in emerging (i.e., India) markets. For mainstream consumers in emerging markets, these effects are contingent on the brand’s country of origin (developed vs. emerging market) and the company's profit orientation (for- vs. non-profit).

Approaches to Explaining Ethical Consumer Behavior

The study of consumer behavior is concerned with individual or collective behaviors in purchasing contexts (e.g., why people buy or don’t buy ethical products) and is essential for a deeper understanding of ethical consumerism (e.g., Vitell, 2015 ). There are various review articles or meta-analyses on ethical consumer behavior, such as Bamberg and Möser’s ( 2007 ) meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behavior, Klöckner’s ( 2013 ) meta-analysis about the psychology of environmental behavior or White et al.’s ( 2020 ) review and framework about the drivers of pro-social consumer behavior. Hassan et al.’s ( 2022 ) review of 106 articles on consumer ethics finds that personal factors, social and interpersonal factors, and consumer emotions are the most frequently studied variables in explaining ethical consumer behaviors. We review key approaches to understanding ethical consumer behavior and summarize how the articles of this SI contribute to the respective fields (see Fig.  1 ).

Consumer Segmentation

Consumer segmentation is a central concept in marketing that numerous authors have applied to achieve a better understanding of ethical consumer behavior, including demographic segmentations of ethical consumers (e.g., Belbağ et al., 2019 ; Perera et al., 2018 ) or psychographic segmentations (e.g., Burke et al., 2014 ; Walsh et al., 2010 ). Such approaches to segmentation can also be noted in practitioner reports based on extensive market research. For example, Crowe and Williams ( 2000 ) identified five clusters of consumers based on individuals’ attitudes to, and actions on, ethical issues. Moreover, Shaw and Newholm ( 2002 ) proposed that contemporary consumers should be divided into two categories according to their level of consumption: consumers who maintain a certain level of consumption; and consumers who reduce the level of their consumption. Others have argued that consumers can be located on a continuum of ethics while moving between three main categories i.e., non-voluntary simplifiers, beginner voluntary simplifiers, and voluntary simplifiers (McDonald et al., 2006 ) that can be used as main segmentation groups.

Consumer Motivation and Personality

Motivation is an internal psychological force that drives people to act to fulfill some goals or satisfy needs. Besides physiological needs, researchers consider various psychological or psychogenic needs for a better understanding of ethical consumer behavior. Psychological needs may derive from consumers' individual traits and identity and include goals such as creating a positive self-perception or social recognition, both of which may be satisfied through ethical consumption (e.g., Cherrier, 2007 ; Dermody et al., 2018 ). Authors have considered various individual characteristics such as personality traits (Lu et al., 2015 ) or materialism (Kilbourne & Pickett, 2008 ) to explain some type of ethical consumer behavior. For example, Song and Kim ( 2018 ) found that virtuous traits of self-efficacy, courage, and self-control, as well as the personality traits of openness and conscientiousness, predict socially responsible purchase and disposal behavior.

Significant research considers that consumers’ moral principles and ethical values guide the adoption of pro-social or ethical behaviors (e.g., Chen & Moosmayer, 2020 ; Hassan et al., 2022 ). For example, Brinkmann ( 2004 ) suggested that ethical marketing initiatives invite consumers to take moral responsibility for the consequences of their buying behavior (i.e., how other people, animals, or the natural environments are affected). Morality is broadly about the internal norms, values, and beliefs that define to an individual what is right and wrong (cf., Crane & Desmond, 2002 ). Moral principles or motivations that support pro-social consumer behaviors may not be the same moral motivations for condemning unethical actions (Chowdhury, 2019 ). Researchers consider that individuals differ in terms of their moral maturity, with a significant impact on the adoption of ethical behaviors (e.g., Bray et al., 2011 ).

Adding to our understanding of how moral principles affect ethical consumer behavior, Chan et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, developed a new conceptual model suggesting that ethical ideologies (idealism and relativism) indirectly affect Chinese consumers’ ethical behavior through cultural values. Although numerous authors acknowledge the important role of ethical ideologies and cultural values in explaining ethical consumer behavior, only a few studies have integrated the two as determinants of ethical consumer behavior (e.g., Culiberg, 2015 ) and it is conceptually unclear how they are interrelated. Considering ideologies as an individual’s unconscious motivational processes, they assert that idealism and relativism are “culture-free” or universal and form the soil from which cultural values are nurtured. Results from a large-scale online consumer survey in China are consistent with the postulated impact of ethical ideology on forming an individual’s beliefs and cultural values, as well as highlight the importance of a thorough understanding of ethical ideologies for an enhanced understanding of ethical consumer behavior.

Moral principles and ethical values provide a conceptual background to studies considering consumers’ religiosity and spirituality as drivers of ethical consumer behavior. The link between morality and religiosity can be traced back to the theoretically unresolved discussion of whether morality can exist without belief in God or not (cf., Arli & Pekerti, 2017 ). Indeed, most religions largely agree on moral norms for good doing such as charity, honesty, or justice. More religious consumers may, therefore, be thought to be more ethical than less religious ones, but past research has suggested mixed results (Arli & Pekerti, 2017 ; Arli et al., 2021 ; Ramasamy et al., 2010 ; Vitell et al., 2016 ).

Consumer Attitude Formation and Change

Attitudes are learned predispositions about objects, ideas, or people and are central to understanding consumer behavior. Attempting to explain ethical consumer behavior, some authors have studied the antecedents of consumer attitudes toward CSR. For example, in the context of business students, Kolodinsky et al. ( 2010 ) found that CSR attitudes were positively related to ethical idealism, and negatively to ethical relativism and materialism, but there was no relationship with spirituality. Others have focused on the attitudinal consequences of consumers’ CSR perceptions in terms of attitudes toward the brand or other behavioral dispositions (e.g., word-of-mouth behavior, or purchasing intentions) (e.g., Ferrell et al., 2019 ).

One specific topic that has received significant research attention in ethical consumerism research is the “attitude–behavior gap”—the phenomenon that consumers may hold positive attitudes toward some type of ethical behavior, but frequently fail to execute them through attitude-consistent behaviors (e.g., Auger & Devinney, 2007 ; Carrington et al., 2010 ; Hassan et al., 2016 ). The phenomenon has led to significant theorizing about its socio-psychological origins (e.g., Carrington et al., 2010 , 2014 ), ethical decision processes (e.g., Hunt & Vitell, 1986 , 1993 ), or the processing of ethical information and believe formation (Shaw & Clarke, 1999 ). Researchers have studied the attitude–behavior gap in various contexts, including organic food consumption (Padel & Foster, 2005 ) and fair-trade consumption (Chatzidakis et al., 2007 ; De Pelsmacker et al., 2005 ).

Closely related to the study of attitudes is the role of emotions as drivers of ethical behavior (Aertsens et al., 2011 ; Camerer & Fehr, 2006 ). Authors have considered various types of emotions such as guilt and pride (Antonetti & Maklan, 2014 ; Chen & Moosmayer, 2020 ; Gregory-Smith et al., 2013 ), anticipated emotions (Escadas et al., 2019 ) or feelings of warm glow (Bhattacharya et al., 2021 ) to explain ethical consumer behaviors. Adding to our understanding of how emotions affect ethical consumer behavior, Cheng et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, explore how global crises affect people’s ethical orientations. According to the authors, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered terror (emotions of fear, death-related anxiety) within consumers, and ethical consumption may serve as a form of psychological defense mechanism against such terror. Moreover, ethical consumer responses may be affected by consumers’ belief in a negotiable fate, a characteristic that is particularly prevalent in Asian countries. The results from two studies with data collected from consumers in China, India, the UK, and the US show that perceived pandemic severity increased consumers’ intention to consume ethically. Ethical consumption can mitigate consumers’ mortality anxieties during crises, but this effect is reduced in tight (China, India) as compared to loose (UK, US), cultures. Consumers’ belief in negotiable fate is found to enhance ethical consumption but alleviates the effect of pandemic severity on ethical consumption in tight cultures.

Communication and Persuasion

Numerous researchers have explored consumers’ CSR perceptions (e.g., perceptions of firms’ CSR initiatives or CSR communication) as drivers of consumer behavior, broadly finding that positive CSR tends to positively impact relationships between firms and stakeholders (e.g., Bhattacharya et al., 2009 ; Osburg et al., 2020 ). This relationship is moderated by various company-specific or individual-specific factors (Cheung & To, 2021 ; Sen & Bhattacharya, 2001 ). For example, Ramasamy and Yeung ( 2009 ) studied the importance placed on Chinese consumers’ perceptions of firms’ economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities, finding that economic responsibilities are most important while philanthropic responsibilities are of least importance.

Most companies today recognize the important role of brands for business success and strive to enhance brand awareness as well as cultivate a positive brand image and reputation in the minds of consumers. Not surprisingly, numerous studies have focused on the role of signaling CSR or ethical corporate behaviors to enhance brand image and positioning both in business-to-consumer (e.g., Balmer et al., 2011 ; Bartikowski et al., 2021 ; Singh et al., 2012 ) and business-to-business settings (Su et al., 2016 ). For example, Brunk ( 2012 ) conceptualized the construct of consumer perceived ethicality (CPE) of a company or brand and developed scales to measure CPE empirically. Alwi et al. ( 2017 ) found for industrial buyers from Malaysia that perceived price and service quality affect brand reputation through ethical branding (i.e., the positioning of the brand with and “ethical identity”).

Consumers’ CSR perceptions result from information that they learn from sources such as the press, social media, or advertising. Numerous studies have focused on message effects ( message appeals and framing ) for an enhanced understanding of ethical consumerism. For example, White and Simpson ( 2013 ) studied how and why various types of normative message appeals (i.e., what others think one should do vs. what others are doing vs. benefits of the action) encourage consumers to engage in sustainable behaviors, finding that appeal effects depend on whether the individual or collective level of the self is activated. Message framing broadly refers to communication techniques that stimulate a certain interpretation of a given piece of information. Studies concerned with message framing in CSR communication tend to conclude that positively framed CSR messages (i.e., highlighting the positive) lead to more positive consumer reactions, although factors such as the product category (high vs. low risk) or the message specificity (concrete vs. vague) can moderate such message effects (Bartikowski & Berens, 2021 ; Olsen et al., 2014 ).

Consumer researchers frequently think of belief formation and persuasion in terms of a learning process and consider categorical learning (or categorization) to explain consumer behavior. Categorization means that people learn, remember, and integrate new information as they assign new incoming information in terms of how well it fits with existing knowledge categories (e.g., Bartikowski et al., 2022 ; Rosch & Lloyd, 1978 ). Drawing upon categorization ideas, the article by Besharat et al. ( 2024 ), in this SI, enhances our understanding of how and why emerging market consumers choose ethical products, focusing on the context or organic products (tea, coffee), and considering consumer data from three emerging markets (India, South Africa, and Iran). According to the authors, marketers may present products in terms of broader or narrower categories. For example, coffee may be presented to consumers either broadly by roast only (e.g., light, medium, dark) or narrowly by roast and origin (e.g., light roast, Argentina; light roast, Colombia). Such categories that marketers can easily create may lead to different product categorizations in the minds of consumers and inform their information processing and persuasion. In particular, they expect that consumers will notice more details when presented with narrow (as compared to broad) product options. A series of four experimental studies show that when consumers see narrow (vs. broad) product categories, they are more likely to engage in deeper processing and incorporate both salient (self-focused) and non-salient (other-focused) attributes into their choice decision. The findings are relevant to marketers of consumer-packaged goods aiming to overcome resistance against ethical consumption in emerging market contexts. Narrowly presented products encourage consumers to consider ethical attributes to a greater extent than they normally would and can encourage ethical consumption in emerging markets.

Future Research Areas

While the articles in this special issue have made significant headway into advancing new perspectives within the area of ethical consumerism in emerging markets, there remains scope for further research. In this section, we proffer some avenues for future research, drawing on insights from the submissions for this SI (outlined in Table  1 ) and our reflections. First , conceptually, while this SI explicates what constitutes ethical consumerism, it is also important to examine related constructs such as consumer social responsibility (Vitell, 2015 ), political consumption (Gohary et al., 2023 ), or green consumerism (Akhtar et al., 2021 ) to explore how these concepts intersect, which can often generate innovative insights. Further, the research could investigate the potential interactions between some of the themes we have identified in this essay—for instance, globalization and ethical consumerism, and how reshoring impacts ethical consumption in emerging markets as opposed to developed countries (Gillani et al., 2023 ).

Second , theoretically, going forward, studies could review more novel antecedents, mediators/moderators, and outcomes, which can drive more context-dependent theorizing. In this SI, Chan et al. ( 2024 ) advocate studies to use all four Chinese cultural value (CVS) dimensions, namely integration, moral discipline, human-heartedness, and Confucian work dynamism, and examine their effects on ethical consumption. Similarly, Prikshat et al. ( 2024 ) in this SI propose that researchers can consider using different indicators of ethical consumerism and trust and examine various individual-level values, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors.

Third , contextually, future research could focus on comparative studies with other emerging markets and developed countries to identify commonalities and differences and offer a wider context for the findings from these articles in the SI (e.g., Besharat et al., 2024 ; Chan et al., 2024 ; Mehmood et al., 2024 ). This can be done by studying the role of other relevant cultural factors that the studies in this SI do not consider, such as—autonomy, egalitarianism, and interdependent self-construal in shaping ethical consumption (Cheng et al., 2024 ) or assessing variables such as collectivism at a cultural level (Mehmood et al., 2024 ). We also urge researchers to integrate, replicate, and build upon work from this SI. An example is Nayak et al. ( 2024 ), who present a comprehensive model through their in-depth qualitative study, which can be tested on different types of consumers or in varied research settings.

Finally , methodologically, studies could be designed longitudinally to consider changes over time. For instance, Li et al. ( 2024 ) in this SI suggest examining Danshari among consumers over a period of time to provide insights into such culturally nuanced phenomena. We also recommend researchers expand causal associations, e.g., undertake field experiments, longitudinal surveys, and case studies (Chan et al., 2024 ; Gupta et al., 2024 ; Prikshat et al., 2024 ). Further, Cheng et al. ( 2024 ) in this SI encourage researchers to examine other constructs such as pandemic-related death thoughts, self-esteem, and symbolic immortality, and identify their temporal impact on ethical consumption.

Conclusions

Research on ethical consumerism is diverse and varied. Our thematic literature analysis has provided readers with a broad overview of existing research on ethical consumerism, as well as contextualizing the findings and contributions that the articles published in this SI are offering. Given the increasing economic importance of emerging markets and their impact on sustainable development, it is important that studies continue to explore and test the validity of concepts, models, or phenomena of ethical consumerism considering the specificities of emerging market contexts. The articles in this SI expand on important future research directions.

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Why small businesses matter to all businesses.

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Peter is the CEO and cofounder of Seniors Helpers , a leading national non-medical in-home senior care franchise.

There is no better small business success story than that of Sam Walton—within five years of the 1962 opening of his small general store in Arkansas called Walmart, it grew to 24 stores, making millions in sales. Now, more than 60 years later, it’s valued at nearly $480 billion and employs over two million people. That’s the impact of small business in our country.

May is Small Business Month , designed to give a deserving nod and grow awareness to the 33 million small businesses operating in the United States, based on figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Most of us are also familiar with Small Business Saturday —a concept created by American Express back in 2010 to support small businesses during the holiday shopping rush and stimulate revenue. Timing-wise, it was introduced on the heels of the 2008 recession to spotlight small businesses. Consequently, it assisted small-business retailers who needed a much-needed boost following the pandemic closures.

But these acknowledgments to small businesses are more than gestures—they are necessities. When small businesses are thriving, so is the economy because it drives innovation and employs workers.

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It's in the economy’s best interest for small businesses to succeed, but it takes the support from consumer and business communities to happen. In an interesting study, about one in five Americans say they shop at small businesses often. However, about 80% of those respondents indicated that they would like to shop at small businesses more often, but they also like the convenience and prices of the big box chains—you know, Walmart-type stores. Of course, the full circle moment here is that Walmart was once a fledgling small startup.

Small businesses need the community and vice versa. Typically, those small businesses that do well are rooted in the community. Small-business owners are members of the local Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary, they go to your church. I think that has a greater impact on people—beyond their business. It’s not that big business isn’t woven into the community, but bear in mind that a small business depends on those relationships to sustain their livelihood.

Small Business, Big Impact

I proudly lead a company that provides affordable in-home care to our senior population. Some of our locations throughout the country are corporately owned, but the vast majority are franchises, each a small business operating in a local community. As a small business, we impact three groups of people: the families we serve, the community—specifically the healthcare community, and employees because we put a lot of people to work.

The question is: What’s the difference between our corporate stores versus our franchise stores? I like to say it’s the difference between dedicated and committed. It’s like ham and eggs—the chicken is dedicated; the pig is committed.

When people work for you, they are committed. But, when you have franchisees who own a location, it’s their small business. I don’t have to motivate them to get up in the morning and go to work; they’re going to work for themselves. Small businesses have got to run hard; they have to be great to be successful because the competition is so fierce.

Learning Opportunity

As business leaders, understanding the influence of small businesses can be beneficial for your organization. However, I recommend going beyond mere consumer recognition and actively supporting small businesses. The advantages of doing so can be transformative. Here are a few ways to do so:

1. When examining the DNA of small businesses, what’s important to note is the way small businesses operate can actually help big businesses—so pay attention. When a small-business owner has a new idea, they have the flexibility to test it in the marketplace immediately. The proposal doesn’t have to run through the board for approval or be market-tested in key demographics before it’s incorporated. These are crucial real-time observations that assist with corporate improvements—taken from the small-business playbook. As a small-business experiment with new designs, concepts or innovations, it’s in your best interest to be attentive to the outcomes because they may be adaptable to your organization.

2. If you’re in a position to partner with a small business, do it. Alliances lend credibility to a business that’s trying to earn its wings. Encourage partnerships, for example, when it comes to investment opportunities or landing contracts. This can run the gamut from partnering with a smaller business on government infrastructure proposals to collaborating on a construction project. Giving a small business an opportunity is a win-win: for you, for them and for the economy.

3. Be a mentor to a small business. I’m not suggesting sharing trade secrets; I respect healthy competition. However, providing guidance, answering questions and giving feedback are valuable assets to a small-business owner trying to grow. Whether through a casual networking opportunity or a more scheduled chamber of commerce event, doing your part to help keep small businesses thriving can be a good investment for your company.

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While some aspire to evolve into industry leaders, others find fulfillment in serving their local communities. Regardless of their size or ambition, small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, driving innovation creating employment and contributing to the tax base. Supporting and nurturing these enterprises is crucial for the vitality and growth of our economy.

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Essay About Consumerism: Top 5 Examples Plus Prompts

Consumerism is the child of capitalism; Here is a list of essay about consumerism examples and prompts you can read to further your understanding.

The word consumerism can seem daunting to some, but it’s pretty simple. It is defined as “a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods.” In the consumerist theory, people’s spending on goods and services drives economic growth- their spending preferences and habits determine the direction a company will go next.

Many businesses practice consumerism. It is a common belief that you must adopt a consumerist approach to succeed in your trade. Consumerism refers to people’s prioritization of spending on goods and services. They have the drive to purchase more items continuously.

If you are writing an essay about consumerism, you can get started by reading these essay examples.

1. What You Need To Know About Consumerism by Mark Scott

2. long essay on consumerism by prasanna, 3. consumerism: want and new pair shoes by tony richardson, 4. my thoughts on being a blogger & consumerism by anna newton, 5. consumerism and its discontents by tori deagelis, 1. does consumerism affect your decisions , 2. opposing consumerism, 3. how does consumerism negatively affect mental health, 4. how does consumerism positively affect mental health, 5. do you agree with consumerism.

“Although consumerism drives economic growth and boosts innovation, it comes with a fair share of problems ranging from environmental and moral degradation to higher debt levels and mental health problems..”

Scott gives readers an overview of consumerism in economic and social terms. He then briefly discusses consumerism’s history, benefits, and disadvantages driving economic growth and innovation. It also raises debt, harms the environment, and shifts society’s values toward worldly possessions rather than other people. Scott believes it is perhaps most healthy to find a balance between love for others and material things. 

“Consumerism helps the consumers to seek redressal for their grievances against the unfair policies of the companies. It teaches the consumers about their rights and duties and helps them get better quality of products and services.”

In this essay, author Prasanna writes about the history of consumerism and its applications in India. First, it helps protect consumers from companies’ “unethical marketing practices.” For example, she cites policies put in place by the government to inspect food items, ensuring they are of good quality and prepared per sanitation standards. When used appropriately, consumerism serves the benefit of all. 

“Anything people see they buy without thinking twice and knowing that they already have brand new pair shoes they have not worn because there to focused on buying and buying till they see they no longer have space in their closet to put new shoes in.”

Richardson takes a personal approach to consumerism, recalling several of his friends’ hobbies of collecting expensive shoes. Advertisements and the pressure to conform play a big role in their consumerism, enticing them to buy more and more items. Richardson believes that consumerism blinds people to the fact that their standards and desires just keep increasing and that they buy shoes for unjustified reasons. Instead, society should be more responsible and remind itself that it needs to take importance above all.

“Take online creators out of the way for a minute, because the pressure to buy is everywhere and has been since the dawn of the dime. The floorplan of stores are set out in a way that makes you stomp around the whole thing and ultimately purchase more, ads on the TV, radio, billboards, in magazines discounts and promotions – it’s endless..”

In her blog The Anna Edit , Newton explains the relationship between blogging and consumerism. Bloggers and influencers may need to purchase more things, not only for self-enjoyment but to produce new content. However, she feels this lifestyle is unsustainable and needs to be moderated. Her attitude is to balance success with her stability and well-being by limiting the number of things she buys and putting less value on material possessions. 

“In a 2002 paper in the Journal of Consumer Research (Vol. 29, No. 3), the team first gauged people’s levels of stress, materialistic values and prosocial values in the domains of family, religion and community–in keeping with the theory of psychologist Shalom Schwartz, PhD, that some values unavoidably conflict with one another. ”

DeAngelis first states that it is widely believed that more desire for material wealth likely leads to more discontent: it prioritizes material things over quality time, self-reflection, and relationships. Increasing one’s wealth can help solve this problem, but it is only a short-term fix. However, a 2002 study revealed that the life satisfaction of more materialistic and less materialistic people is not different. 

Prompts on Essay about Consumerism

This is not something people think about daily, but it impacts many of us. In this essay, write about how you are influenced by the pressure to buy items you don’t need. Discuss advertising and whether you feel influenced to purchase more from a convincing advertisement. Use statistics and interview data to support your opinions for an engaging argumentative essay.

Consumerism has been criticized by economists , academics , and environmental advocates alike. First, research the disadvantages of consumerism and write your essay about why there has been a recent surge of its critics. Then, conduct a critical analysis of the data in your research, and create a compelling analytical essay.

Consumerism is believed to impact mental health negatively. Research these effects and write about how consumerism affects a person’s mental health. Be sure to support your ideas with ample evidence, including interviews, research data such as statistics, and scientific research papers.

Consumerism often gets a bad reputation. For an interesting argumentative essay, take the opposite stance and argue how consumerism can positively impact mental health. Take a look at the arguments from both sides and research the potential positive effects of consumerism. Perhaps you can look into endorphins from purchases, happiness in owning items, or even the rush of owning a unique item. 

In this essay, take your stance. Choose a side of the argument – does consumerism help or hinder human life? Use research to support both sides of the argument and pitch your stance. You can argue your case through key research and create an exciting argumentative essay.

For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

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Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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I own a New York craft distillery; businesses like mine are dying

Since 2005, New York wineries have safely shipped directly to consumers. Credit: Getty Images/svetikd

This guest essay reflects the views of Mark Heuwetter, co-founder of Harbor Lights Stillhouse in Huntington.

New York State’s craft distilleries are facing extinction. A once-thriving industry filled with hope is collapsing under the constraints of a system that severely limits its market access. More than 20 of New York’s 180 distilleries closed in the last year. Even more alarming: A New York State Distillers Guild survey in April that asked members whether they would close operations if economic conditions did not improve by 2025; 17% responded “yes” and 33% responded “not sure.”

State legislative leaders can avert this crisis if they look to the New York wine industry for a solution.

Since 2005, New York wineries have safely shipped directly to consumers, allowing wineries to build their brands and reach their fans nationwide while benefiting tourism, agriculture, and job creation and generating billions in state and local tax revenues.

Our New York distillers are asking for all alcohol manufacturers to have the same opportunities to reach consumers. Without leveling the playing field, distillers will continue to disappear, along with their well-paying jobs and a $3.2 billion ecosystem impacting local tourism, local farmers, and regional and state tax revenues.

Our opposition contends that direct-to-consumer shipping would be unsafe and lead to an increase in underage drinking. The thought is illogical since manufacturers would utilize the same age-verification technology and shipping methods as our New York wine manufacturers and other retailers that ship direct-to-consumer. Why would we be any less capable of shipping than other licensees?

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Others suggest further studies on direct-to-consumer shipping before changing the system. What further evidence of the efficacy and safety of direct-to-consumer shipping is needed beyond the glowing example of New York’s nearly 20 years of legalized wine shipping? Over this period, underage drinking has declined every year as wine manufacturers safely reached consumers with zero reported issues of shipments to minors.

Additionally, for more than a year during the pandemic, our distillers used a COVID-19 exemption to safely ship to consumers throughout the United States with no reported issues by any law enforcement, liquor authority, or taxing agency.

Manufacturer direct-to-consumer shipping is not an attempt to take market share away from New York’s neighborhood bottle shops or disrupt the distribution tiers. New York distillers are pro-retail. Retailers carrying our spirits offer the most convenient and cost-effective method for fans to get their spirits; however, with hundreds of distilleries and thousands of products there is not enough shelf space for our brands.

Unfortunately, more than 60% of New York’s craft distillers do not have a distributor in the state, so we self-distribute. Even fewer have distribution outside of New York. The finite amount of space on brick-and-mortar retail shelves means store owners must make hard decisions about what to carry. Distributors, in turn, are obliged to respond to that demand. We get it. But this dynamic leaves many craft distillers holding inventory they’re not legally permitted to sell until someone walks into their tasting room.

Allowing direct-to-consumer shipping for New York craft distillers ensures the breadth of choice that 87% of U.S. consumers say they want and virtually guarantees the viability of New York’s distilling industry for generations to come.

Passage of legislation in the State Senate and Assembly will give New York’s craft distilleries, cideries, and meaderies a fighting chance by providing access to the same opportunities the wine industry has proved to be safe, effective and transformational.

New Yorkers are all in this together. We can save an industry if we say it loud enough so lawmakers will hear us in Albany.

This guest essay reflects the views of Mark Heuwetter, co-founder of Harbor Lights Stillhouse in Huntington.

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• -  May 13, 2024

CHINA’S consumer prices rose for a third straight month in April, while producer prices extended declines, signalling an improvement in domestic demand, as Beijing navigates challenges in its bid to shore up a shaky economy. The closely watched numbers follow better-than-expected imports data for April, suggesting a flurry of policy support measures over the past several months may be helping consumer confidence. Consumer prices edged up 0.3 per cent in April from a year earlier, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Saturday, versus a rise of 0.1 per cent in March and a Reuters poll forecast for an increase of 0.2 per cent.

“Strip out food and energy prices, and the consumer inflation data suggests a comeback in demand, especially in services,” said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Core inflation, excluding volatile food and fuel prices, grew 0.7 per cent in April, up from 0.6 per cent in March.

Overall the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.1 per cent from the previous month, beating a forecast fall of 0.1 per cent in the poll and reversing a drop of one per cent in March. Most China watchers say Beijing still has its work cut out, though, and the momentum might prove unsustainable, as official surveys show cooling factory and services activity, while a lengthy housing crisis shows no sign of easing, boosting the case for more policy support.

“Price hikes by utility companies is another potential driver,” Xu added. “The fiscal strains some local governments are facing affect the subsidies they receive, which could be forcing them to pass the extra cost on to households to make ends meet.”

Officials are grappling with municipal debt of $13 trillion, and the State Council, or cabinet, has told heavily indebted local governments to delay or halt some state-funded infrastructure projects. “The prices data suggests that domestic demand is recovering, supply and demand continues to improve and the outlook for domestic demand and price recovery is optimistic,” said Zhou Maohua, a macroeconomic researcher at China Everbright Bank.

“However, consumer prices remain low and the industrial manufacturing sector is still under pressure, reflecting insufficient effective demand and that recovery in the sector is still not sufficiently balanced.” The producer price index (PPI) dropped 2.5 per cent in April from a year earlier, easing from a slide of 2.8 per cent the previous month but extending a 1-1/2-year-long stretch of declines.

On Friday, China’s central bank said it would make monetary policy flexible, precise and effective and promote a moderate recovery in consumer prices to consolidate economic recovery. The comments in a quarterly monetary policy report follow remarks in April by the Politburo, a top-decision making body of the ruling Communist Party, that China will use policy tools, such as banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) and interest rates, to prop up growth.

“Considering the judgement of the Politburo meeting that ‘effective demand is still insufficient…’ the policy support should take advantage of the momentum, by strengthening expectation management and creating more consumption scenarios,” said Bruce Pang, chief economist China at Jones Lang LaSalle. Many analysts say China’s economic growth target of about five per cent in 2024 will be a challenge to achieve without further policy support. (Reuters)

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Why Companies Are Nervous About the Consumer

On earnings calls, dozens of corporate executives have cited a slowdown in spending to explain why sales are slipping.

By Andrew Ross Sorkin ,  Ravi Mattu ,  Bernhard Warner ,  Sarah Kessler ,  Michael J. de la Merced ,  Lauren Hirsch and Ephrat Livni

The “stretched” consumer

Better than expected quarterly earnings have helped propel the S&P 500 to within a whisker of a record high on Friday. But Wall Street and Washington are closely monitoring another worrying economic indicator: the struggling consumer.

The split-screen view of the economy is becoming clearer as earnings season draws to a close. Mass-market brands, like the fast-food companies McDonald’s, KFC and Starbucks, have reported that a lot of customers are pulling back on spending as high inflation bites. But less price-sensitive sectors, such as airlines and hospitality, say customers are still booking flights, hotel rooms and tables at pricier restaurants.

The starkly different snapshots may explain why voters give President Biden poor marks for economic management, even as jobs are plentiful and growth is resilient . This is “an economy of the haves and have-nots,” Michael Reid, an economist for RBC Capital Markets, told DealBook. “The haves just have so much more spending power.”

What’s making “the haves” so flush: They tend to have little to no mortgage debt or car or student loans, and their stock-market-tied retirement accounts have accumulated healthy gains to finance vacations or nights out.

But the less-affluent are feeling the pinch. They’ve blown through their pandemic savings, and they’re racking up credit card and other loan debt. One area to watch : A surge in “buy now, pay later” programs may be masking America’s “phantom” consumer debt problem.

Company executives are increasingly warning about this cohort . On earnings calls this quarter, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of times C.E.O.s and C.F.O.s cite “low-income consumers” to explain why sales are slipping or why they give lackluster guidance on profit.

Here’s what they’re saying:

John Peyton, C.E.O. of Dine Brands Global, the parent of Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants, told analysts that lower-income consumers are “more aggressively managing their check, finding our value-oriented items.”

Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo’s C.E.O., was more blunt. “The lower-income consumer in the U.S. is stretched,” he said, adding that this type of customer “is strategizing a lot to make their budgets get to the end of the month.”

Hal Lawton, C.E.O. of Tractor Supply Company, the farming retailer, sees something similar: “In the first quarter, our upper-income consumer over-indexed in big ticket categories and recreational purchases compared to our lower-income consumer, who is prioritizing their spend on needs.”

HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING

Israel hits out at President Biden’s threat to withhold more weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would “stand alone” if needed after the U.S. refused to send bombs that could be used in a major assault on the Gazan city of Rafah. The comments are the latest sign of a widening rift between Israel and the Biden administration over the war.

T-Mobile and Verizon are said to be in talks that would divvy up U.S. Cellular. The telecommunications giants are in discussions to split one of the country’s last big regional wireless carriers , with each getting a different part of the business, according to The Wall Street Journal. One scenario: T-Mobile’s U.S. arm would pay $2 billion for some operations and wireless spectrum licenses; Verizon is in talks on a separate deal with U.S. Cellular.

The White House is reportedly planning to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The government could target some of China’s key strategic sectors including E.V., batteries and solar cell manufacturing as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg. Biden has called Chinese E.V.s a national security threat and has accused China of using unfair industrial policies to distort markets.

Apple apologizes for the iPad ad that spurred a big backlash. The tech giant said a 60-second spot that showed a giant machine crushing tools used by artists had “ missed the mark” and that it would not run on TV. The ad was slammed by actors, artists and designers, who said it was a metaphor for Big Tech destroying or co-opting their work.

How Biden and Trump are wooing business

President Biden is on a West Coast fund-raising tour, looking to extend his money lead over Donald Trump. The trip caps a week during which the president pitched his economic policies to business leaders to gain their support and reports emerged of some of Donald Trump’s promises to C.E.O.s to win their backing and donations.

Biden is heading to Silicon Valley and Seattle. Vinod Khosla, the venture capital investor, and Marissa Mayer, the former Yahoo C.E.O., will host two separate events on Friday, as first reported by Puck. Biden will then head to Seattle for a fund-raiser tomorrow.

The trip follows a push to gain business leaders’ support. Biden hosted seven C.E.O.s at the White House on Tuesday, including Citi’s Jane Fraser, the Evercore founder Roger Altman and the United Airlines boss Scott Kirby to talk geopolitics and economics.

Biden administration officials are ramping up outreach. Jeff Zients, Biden’s chief of staff, and others drew up a list of more than 100 C.E.O.s to contact (the White House hasn’t disclosed their names). The group of officials charged with smoothing relations with boardrooms — dubbed “The Hub” — includes Janet Yellen, the Treasury secretary; Lael Brainard, the director of the National Economic Council; and Gina Raimondo, the commerce secretary. “At the president and Jeff’s request, we’re strategically engaging with business leaders,” Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury secretary, told DealBook.

Biden wants the C.E.O.s to help make his case. The administration is asking executives, including the former PayPal C.E.O. Dan Schulman, to call other business leaders for feedback that they might not give the president directly, a senior official said.

Many in big business haven’t been happy with his first term. Some executives are frustrated by Biden’s plans to raise taxes on the wealthy and companies. Business groups have sued Lina Khan’s F.T.C. for banning noncompete agreements and banks say that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under Rohit Chopra has gone “rogue” in applying his pro-consumer agenda.

Trump is promising business that he’ll roll back Biden-era rules. The Republican candidate told Big Oil executives last month that they should give $1 billion to his campaign because he would kill environmental rules that have hit the industry. He also has promised to extend the tax cuts he passed as president and said he would slash further if re-elected .

Fast-food executive charged in “sham” loan case

Federal prosecutors on Friday have charged Andrew Wiederhorn, chairman of Fat Brands, the parent of the fast-food chains Fatburger, Johnny Rockets and Hot Dog on a Stick, with orchestrating a series of “sham” payments that netted him $47 million.

Federal prosecutors accused Wiederhorn of concealing payments from the company to him between 2010 and 2021. They were categorized as “shareholder loans,” and made directly from the board, according to a grand jury indictment released on Friday. Wiederhorn “had no intention of repaying these sham ‘loans’,” the filing says. The charges include tax evasion, filing false tax returns, wire fraud and certifying faulty financial reports.

Wiederhorn has had previous run-ins with the law. Twenty years ago, he served a federal prison sentence on filing a false tax return and other charges associated with his running of Fog Cutter Capital, a holding company. His case drew national media attention, including in The Times , as Fog Cutter continued to pay his salary, a bonus and “leave of absence pay” while he served his 18-month sentence.

Wiederhorn founded Fat Brands in 2017. . In February, the publicly listed company informed shareholders that the S.E.C. was investigating Wiederhorn and two other unidentified associates in a possible criminal matter, but did not disclose details. At the time, the company said it was cooperating with the authorities.

The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The other defendants named in Friday’s indictment are William Amon, Rebecca Hershinger and the Fat Brands company.

“There is no law that says that the Fed moves first.”

— Andrew Bailey , the Bank of England governor, has signaled that the central bank could cut interest rates as soon as this summer — potentially ahead of the Fed. Meanwhile, first-quarter G.D.P. data released on Friday showed the British economy had emerged from recession .

A not-so-sweet cocoa rally

Cocoa prices have been on a roller-coaster ride this year , leaving some of the biggest food companies in the world unsure of how to price their chocolate. The market volatility began with a disappointing 2023 cocoa crop. The commodity price more than tripled in a matter of months, reaching a record of more than $11,000 per ton in mid-April.

What will this mean for chocolate lovers? Mondelez, the makers of Chips Ahoy cookies and Cadbury chocolates, raised prices by about 6 percent in the first quarter, and Hershey did so by about 5 percent. Both companies said they wouldn’t rule out further price increases if cocoa prices stay high.

THE SPEED READ

Todd Boehly’s investment firm is said to be in advanced talks to buy Hayfin Capital Management to extend its reach in European private credit. (FT)

The investment firms that took Calpine private are reportedly weighing a sale of the power plant company, taking it public or selling a stake at a valuation of roughly $30 billion . (Reuters)

A federal jury found a finance executive guilty of securities fraud in an insider trading case involving Donald Trump’s social media company. (NYT)

How Eric Schmidt, Google’s former C.E.O., has emerged as a top A.I. matchmaker in Washington. (Politico)

Best of the rest

A chat with Sam Bankman-Fried in prison. (Puck)

Shares in Bill Ackman’s investment firm have soared since he became an outspoken campaigner after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.

Elsewhere, Ackman reportedly got an earful from Wall Street executives at this week’s Milken Institute Global Conference for his attacks on corporate diversity policies. (Semafor, Bloomberg)

Why did Miss USA and Miss Teen USA resign within days of each other? (WSJ)

We’d like your feedback! Please email thoughts and suggestions to [email protected] .

Andrew Ross Sorkin is a columnist and the founder and editor at large of DealBook. He is a co-anchor of CNBC’s "Squawk Box" and the author of “Too Big to Fail.” He is also a co-creator of the Showtime drama series "Billions." More about Andrew Ross Sorkin

Ravi Mattu is the managing editor of DealBook, based in London. He joined The New York Times in 2022 from the Financial Times, where he held a number of senior roles in Hong Kong and London. More about Ravi Mattu

Bernhard Warner is a senior editor for DealBook, a newsletter from The Times, covering business trends, the economy and the markets. More about Bernhard Warner

Sarah Kessler is an editor for the DealBook newsletter and writes features on business and how workplaces are changing. More about Sarah Kessler

Michael de la Merced joined The Times as a reporter in 2006, covering Wall Street and finance. Among his main coverage areas are mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies and the private equity industry. More about Michael J. de la Merced

Lauren Hirsch joined The Times from CNBC in 2020, covering deals and the biggest stories on Wall Street. More about Lauren Hirsch

Ephrat Livni reports from Washington on the intersection of business and policy for DealBook. Previously, she was a senior reporter at Quartz, covering law and politics, and has practiced law in the public and private sectors.   More about Ephrat Livni

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As the Red Sea crisis continues, pressure on consumer prices follows in its wake

UK manufacturers and retailers are not yet passing on all the costs of diverting ships round southern Africa – but can that last?

When footage first appeared of Houthi rebels hijacking the cargo ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea last November, it sent shockwaves through the world of trade.

The coordinated attack on the ship, which was partly owned by Israeli billionaire Abraham Ungar, was the start of a six-month campaign by Yemen-based militants to terrorise western vessels using the route, in response to the conflict in Gaza.

The campaign has since escalated: vessels on the key shipping route are being targeted by missiles and drones, with the Houthis claiming 107 attacks. Three seafarers have been killed. The result has been a complete realignment of global trade.

The Suez Canal, through which 12% of global trade used to pass, saw traffic drop by 66% at the start of April, when compared with a year earlier.

Many shipping firms are now diverting vessels on to the safer, but much longer and more costly, route around the tip of southern Africa, passing the Cape of Good Hope. This can add 10 days to a journey and increase fuel costs by 40%.

The few ships that use the Red Sea route are still under threat, however. This was underlined last week when shipping line Maersk said attacks had intensified, and the risk zone was now bigger . Maersk said it would continue to send its ships around Africa for the foreseeable future, but that that would result in a 20% drop in capacity in the second quarter of the year, and additional costs. Last week, it trebled the surcharge on containers travelling between Asia and Northern Europe from $250 to $750.

For huge companies like Maersk to small businesses in the UK and elsewhere reliant on goods from Asia and the Middle East, the crisis continues to have an impact.

A British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey in February of its exporter members found that more than half (53%) of manufacturers and retailers had been affected by the Red Sea crisis. Some reported price rises of 300% for container hire, and four weeks being added to delivery times.

Manufactured goods from Asia, including cars, furniture and textiles, appear to be the worst hit, but oil from the Middle East is also affected.

About 70% of all of Europe’s car parts are shipped through the Red Sea from Asia. The disruption has meant carmakers including Volvo and Tesla suspending some production lines because of a lack of parts . Vauxhall owner Stellantis said it was turning to air freight for some parts, to bypass the Red Sea.

The oil market has not seen the huge spike in prices that was initially expected, but the crisis, along with the wider Middle East situation, has contributed to prices increasing from just under $76 a barrel at the start of the year to almost $84.

Despite this, there has as yet been no significant rise in consumer costs. John Stawpert, environment and trade manager at the International Chamber of Shipping, says the crisis has shown how resilient the shipping industry is. “The impact that some people predicted, particularly with respect to inflation, we just haven’t seen. A few months ago, we were talking 0.1 and 0.2%, which is just a rounding error.”

The Office for National Statistics’ UK trade report, out on Friday, said there had been no evidence the crisis had affected UK import levels between January and March.

Some of this will be because companies are realigning their supply chains. Asos and Boohoo have ramped up their “nearshoring” – sourcing more products from Turkey and Morocco rather than Asia. Marco Forgione, director general of the Institute of Export and International Trade, also points out that some companies have switched to rail freight, with the number of trains leaving China for Europe dramatically increasing in recent months.

For William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC, the long-term impact of the disruption will depend on how long it goes on.

“Companies will have to make decisions on sourcing and supply chains, and if this does become a new normal, they will need to decide whether this is something they can adjust to, or whether it is too difficult,” he says.

With the Houthi leadership reaffirming last week that they would not stop their campaign until the conflict in Gaza had ended, businesses will not be counting on the disruption ending any time soon.

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