Introduction to C2C Business Model and Its Logistics

The e-commerce industry of India has been consistently flourishing for over a decade. Moreover, while many other industries came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the e-commerce sector continued to grow. In fact, its growth rate accelerated in India quite a bit in 2020 due to the massive change in consumer habits witnessed as the result of the pandemic and the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

A great number of brand new online shoppers and sellers cropped up in India last year, as face-to-face interactions and visiting public places were highly discouraged. The last quarter of 2020 saw a 36% growth in e-commerce order volume.

Conversely, with retail shops closing down all over the country, the system of e-commerce enabled entrepreneurs to earn at least some amount of revenue. Moreover, a lot of people going out of a job due to the impact of COVID-19 also ventured into online trade to earn income through the C2C business model.

C2C Business Model in India

C2C or customer-to-customer business model initially emerged in India as a great means to fill up the consumption gap present across the country. This system is facilitated by major 3PL logistics companies offering C2C courier service and third-party e-commerce websites, and paved the way for a new wave of sellers offering personalised and innovative goods, as opposed to the typical run-of-the-mill products mass manufactured by major brands. Amidst the pandemic, the C2C business model enabled many people to cope up with the income loss due to the COVID-19 restrictions and impact, while enabling the buyers to purchase products at a better price. As there are no middlemen present in the C2C business model, the prices of the goods sold through it are fairly competitive.

C2C E-Commerce Logistics

Much like any other e-commerce venture, the C2C business model also majorly depends on the swift and safe product deliveries made to the end consumers. Unlike major e-commerce brands, C2C sellers do not enjoy a huge market name, and hence, they have to establish trust among the buyers from the ground up. The prime means to do so is to provide quality products and make timely deliveries. Both of these factors play a crucial role in ensuring customer loyalty and driving sales.

There are several renowned 3PL companies that offer C2C courier service in India, and help people selling goods through this business model to make fast and safe deliveries, as well as expand their market reach. Through such companies, C2C sellers can make sure that their goods can be delivered to even remote parts of the country within a specified time period. These 3PL firms ideally offer an expansive range of solutions and delivery options that can be perfectly tailored as per the requirements and concerns of contemporary C2C sellers. Usually, the delivery options provided by them include time-defined/slot-based delivery, on-demand delivery, and same-day/next-day delivery. By leveraging this dynamic range of delivery speeds, C2C sellers can competently meet the requirements of their varying customers. Certain 3PL companies even provide capable return management facilities to C2C sellers, in case the goods sold by them have to be exchanged or returned.