Business to business
![]() |
[edit] Introduction
Business to business (sometimes abbreviated B2B or BtoB) is a term that encompasses the range of transactions and services which can take place between a business and other businesses. These transactions can take place at one end of the scale when small businesses sell and buy products from each other, or at the other end, when large quantities of goods and services flow between big companies.
Typical examples include the activities taking place between manufacturers and wholesalers or wholesalers and retailers.
A retailer selling to a customer or end user is not included in B2B; it is in fact business to consumer (B2C). When there is a combination of business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C), that transaction is referred to as B2B2C. This type of transaction typically takes place through e-commerce portals. Furthermore, when a business enters into transactions with government, it is called business to government (B2G).
[edit] The supply chain
A typical supply chain comprises a series of B2B transactions. A company buys products and/or services from other companies to help produce its final product, or to facilitate its business activities. As an example, a specialist machinery manufacturer sells glass-making equipment to a glass-making factory which in turn buys sand from a quarry and sells the finished glass to a DIY store. All of that chain is part of B2B. However, when the DIY store sells the glass to a consumer (or end user) it is part of a B2C transaction.
B2B methods encompass a wide range of activities, usually to make a profit for each of the businesses involved. These activities include sales and marketing, publishing, use of social media and the provision of other services.
Products used by businesses can be complex, or specially designed and typically involve significant development costs. Suppliers of these products tend to be highly skilled and become intricately involved with their customers’ businesses, in many cases catering for their specific requirements.
The players in a B2B chain may be concentrated in a specific geographical area for logistical and developmental reasons. For example, businesses may agglomerate around natural resource concentrations, e.g brickmakers located close to clay quarries. Another reason may be to be close to a pool of highly skilled workers, such as is the case at Cambridge Science Park in the UK, or Silicon Valley in the US. The latter features a cluster of software and hardware manufacturing industries, related mostly to computing, all realising the benefits associated with being in close proximity with each other. In this way, clusters of industries form in specific areas.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- BS11000 Collaborative business relationships.
- Can relationships in and between organisations make tangible differences to business performance?
- Collaborative practices.
- Framework agreement.
- Government to support businesses through Trade Credit Insurance guarantee.
- Integrated project team.
- Integrated supply team.
- Leadership styles.
- Partnering.
- Supply chain management.
- Team behavioural roles.
- Team management.
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.