[GTM glossary](/glossary.md) Business-to-business-to-consumer GTM Strategy & SaaS Metrics # Business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) Also known as: b2b2c In short Business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) is a model in which a company sells to a business partner that, in turn, offers the product to its consumers. The partner is the paying customer, and the consumer is the end user. Examples include a payments provider embedded in a retailer checkout, or an insurance product offered inside a bank app. The company must win and keep the partner while also delivering a good experience to people it may never contact directly. ## How B2B2C works There are three parties: the provider, the partner business, and the consumer. The provider builds the product or service. The partner distributes it under its own brand or alongside its own offer. The consumer uses it and often judges the partner, not the provider. --- ## B2B2C vs. B2B and B2C * **B2B:** You sell to a business that is the final user. * **B2C:** You sell directly to consumers. * **B2B2C:** You sell to a business so it can reach consumers. Your revenue depends on partner adoption and consumer usage. --- ## Go-to-market for B2B2C ### Target partners first Define the type of partner that already owns the consumer relationship and has the reach you need. Use account-based prospecting for these partners, since each one is a large, long-cycle deal. ### Make the partner successful Offer integration support, co-branded materials, and clear reporting on how consumers use the product. Partners stay when it improves their own metrics. ### Watch consumer outcomes Low consumer adoption hurts the partner and eventually your contract. Track activation and satisfaction, even if you rely on the partner for access. --- ## Example Say a fitness-app company wants consumer reach. It signs employers and insurers who offer the app to their members as a benefit. The employer pays, the member uses it, and the company measures renewal by how many members stay active. --- ## Common mistakes * Ignoring the consumer experience because the partner pays. * Depending on one large partner for most revenue. * Unclear ownership of customer data and support between you and the partner. * Pitching the partner on features rather than the outcome for its customers. --- ## Business-to-business-to-consumer FAQs **What is B2B2C?** B2B2C stands for business-to-business-to-consumer. A company sells to another business, which then offers the product or service to its own consumers. The partner pays, and the consumer uses it, so the provider has to satisfy both. **What is an example of a B2B2C business model?** A payments company embedded in a retailer checkout is one example. Another is an insurance product sold through a bank app. In both cases, the provider contracts with the business while the end consumer is the one using the service. **What is the difference between B2B2C and B2B?** In B2B, the buying business is the final user. In B2B2C, the buying business passes the product on to its own consumers. That adds a second audience whose usage and satisfaction affect whether the partner keeps buying. **What are the challenges of selling B2B2C?** Common challenges include long partner sales cycles, dependence on a few large partners, limited direct contact with consumers, and unclear ownership of data and support. Teams must win the partner and also make sure consumers adopt the product. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [Distribution channels](/glossary/distribution-channels.md) * [Business-to-business](/glossary/business-to-business.md) * [Go-to-market](/glossary/go-to-market.md) ## Similar phrases * [B2C2B (B2C2B)](/glossary/b2c2b.md) B2C2B is a go-to-market model where a product wins individual consumers first, then uses that adoption to sell into the businesses they work for. * [Business-to-consumer (B2C)](/glossary/business-to-consumer.md) Business-to-consumer (B2C) describes companies that sell products or services directly to individual people, usually for personal use, rather than to other businesses. * [Channel partners](/glossary/channel-partners.md) Channel partners are the network of resellers, referral partners, agencies, and integrators a company manages as a program to extend its sales reach. * [Partner-led growth](/glossary/partner-led-growth.md) Partner-led growth is a go-to-market strategy where partners such as resellers, agencies, and tech vendors drive much of acquisition and expansion. * [B2B sales](/glossary/b2b-sales.md) B2B sales is the process of selling products or services to other businesses, usually with longer cycles, multiple decision makers, and larger deal values.