In marketing, what does B2B describe when one business sells products or services to another business?

In marketing, B2B describes business-to-business sales in which one business sells products or services to another business.

B2B transactions can involve raw materials, machinery, software, professional services, logistics, advertising, or wholesale goods. The purchasing organization may use the offering in its operations, incorporate it into another product, or resell it. Buying decisions often involve several people, formal contracts, budgets, and longer sales cycles.

B2B is distinct from B2C, or business-to-consumer commerce, where a company sells directly to individual consumers. The distinction describes the customer relationship, not the size of the seller or the sales channel. A company can operate in both markets, such as a software provider offering enterprise subscriptions and consumer apps.