Week 2 Assignment

Running Head : B2C and B2B Supply Chains

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B2C and B2B Supply Chains

Developing supply chains that meets customer demand is in every business ' long term plans . This an easy task for businesses that deal with only one cluster of customers . However , enterprises that engage in both B2B and B2C operations face upheaval tasks of developing systems that meet the various needs of mixed customer base . This essay shall illustrate differences in B2B and B2C site supply chains , all of which enterprises serving

the two groups of customers must consider

The most visible difference between the two supply chain sites is the integration of respective operational systems . B2B supply chain site integrate consumer and supplier networks on respective sites . This enables the supplier to immediately understand what the consumer business could be running out of stock and consequently embark on arranging for shipment . This integration thus smoothen the two businesses ing and supplying processes . On the other hand , the B2C supply chain is a single system that is usually owned by the supplying businesses . Consumers have to just visit the sites and their suppliers . The single system helps businesses lower operational cost by maintaining one system for respective consumer base

The B2C supply chain site is therefore a one way system with supplies getting shipped to consumers and money coming into the supplying business . On the other hand , B2B supply chain site has more items , other than money , coming into the supplying business . The bid-sized s call for more information to be shared between the partnering business (McCormack Johnson Walker , 2002 ,

. 64 . Such information include feedback , aspects of additional services , and data among others . On receiving this extra information , the supplying business responds to queries promptly , obviously through the site . In this regard , the B2B site becomes more than a selling portal that is main characteristic of the one used in B2C operations

The B2C supply chain site is usually a homogeneous system catering for the needs many customers . On the other hand , B2B supply chain site has additional systems that cater for special needs of client businesses This is meant to provide clients with much friendly systems that match with their needs . In additional , the sites are tweaked so they could easily integrate with client businesses ' system . All these are attempts to retain customers , because of their big s . Any failure to make such integration and specialized services could lead to loosing the sizable potion of revenue sources

Product marketing is heavily incorporated in B2C supply chain sites (Lysons Farrington , 2005 ,

. 114 . Indeed , B2C sites are increasingly becoming primary routes of gaining new customers . The sites are designed to incorporate product branding so they could attract new customers as well as remind current ones on the existence of respective businesses products in the market . B2B supply chain sites have close to marketing and branding . This arises from fact that client businesses contracts can hardly be achieved through sites . Instead , supplier company...