The Common Types Of eCommerce Businesses In Zambia

13/04/2015 Sandi

what-is-ecommerce-infographic — Image Source: Visualizing

We all know eCommerce has been steadily growing over the years in Zambia especially after the introduction of mobile services like eWallets and mobile money., so it is no surprise then that we can categorise these new kinds of business transactions into these common types:

B2B: This is Business to Business. They sell products/provide services to each other online. An example is manufacturers of goods in another town that supply to local retailers but have payments done via online banking, for them to process the order and deliver the goods.

B2C: This is Business to Consumer eCommerce. The business sells a product to the consumer, online, with a payment gateway in place. An example is the way we pay for electricity bills via mobile money for ZESCO (Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation), or making pizza orders for Debonairs via mobile money as well.

B2B and B2C eCommerce buyer behaviour influences be seen in this chart from DWS Associates that shows how it is determined:

C2C: This is typical of online marketplaces e.g Kaymu, that serve as a platform for consumers to sell goods to other consumers online through a payment gateway. The goods are ordered online and orders are processed there before the payment can happen via mobile money as one of the payment options.

B2G: Business to Government transactions occur when a business pays the government online for a service or product they obtained/need to obtain. For example companies can now pay their taxes online on the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) website, without having to go stand in queues at the ZRA offices themselves. These payments can even be automated using a valid bank account so the transactions can occur without the business having to prompt it.

C2G: similar to B2G, only this time dealing directly with consumers. They can also pay for government services using online transactions such as paying for taxes/returns through online banking.

For B2G and C2G, the opposites are also possible i.e G2B, where a government pays a business to undertake some work, or G2C, where a government pays a consumer directly for a service rendered e.g pensions, education scholarships, and more.

Hope you now know your business!