C2B

A commercial relationship in which individuals create value that businesses purchase, adopt, or rely on to improve their products, services, or strategic outcomes. Rather than companies initiating the exchange, consumers drive it: they generate content, provide data, offer expertise, or lend their influence, and organizations respond by compensating or incorporating what those individuals produce.

In practice, C2B spans a wide range of modern digital ecosystems. Influencer marketing exemplifies the model, with businesses paying creators whose audiences trust their recommendations. User-generated content (UGC) platforms and freelance marketplaces represent another dimension in which consumers sell creative assets, consulting, or technical labor to brands that need flexible, on-demand support. Even feedback loops such as product reviews, surveys, or beta testing operate under a C2B dynamic when companies reward participants for insights that accelerate product development or improve customer experience.

The rise of decentralized work, creator economies, and AI-augmented production has expanded the reach of C2B far beyond its early ecommerce roots. Today, it reflects a broader shift: individuals hold significant economic power, and businesses increasingly invest in partnerships where consumers aren’t just end users but contributors who shape strategy, reputation, and innovation.