How to Use B2B vs B2C Analysis in Amazon: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Understand how business buyers differ from individual consumers on Amazon

Introduction to B2B vs B2C Analysis

If you're selling on Amazon, understanding the difference between your business (B2B) and individual consumer (B2C) customers is crucial for optimizing your sales strategy. Business buyers typically have different purchasing patterns, order volumes, and product preferences compared to individual consumers. This analysis can reveal opportunities to tailor your pricing, inventory, and marketing strategies for each segment.

Amazon Business has grown significantly, with millions of business customers purchasing everything from office supplies to industrial equipment. By analyzing the behavioral differences between B2B and B2C customers, you can:

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to perform a comprehensive B2B vs B2C analysis using your Amazon sales data. We'll cover three key questions: What percentage of your orders are B2B? Do business buyers spend more? And what products do businesses prefer?

Prerequisites and Data Requirements

What You'll Need

Before starting this tutorial, ensure you have the following:

Understanding Your Data Fields

Your Amazon order report should include these essential fields:

Field Name Description Example Value
order-id Unique identifier for each order 112-3456789-0123456
is-business-order Boolean indicating if order is B2B true / false
order-item-id Unique identifier for each item in order 34567890123456
purchase-date Date and time of purchase 2024-01-15T14:23:45Z
item-price Price of individual item 29.99
sku Stock Keeping Unit (product identifier) WIDGET-001-BLK
quantity-purchased Number of units ordered 5

Exporting Your Data from Amazon

  1. Log into Amazon Seller Central
  2. Navigate to Reports > Fulfillment
  3. Select All Orders report
  4. Choose your date range (recommended: last 6 months)
  5. Click Request Report and download when ready

Step 1: What Percentage of Orders Are B2B?

The first step in your analysis is understanding the composition of your customer base. Calculating the percentage of B2B versus B2C orders gives you a baseline understanding of your business mix.

Why This Matters

Knowing your B2B percentage helps you:

Performing the Analysis

Using SQL

-- Calculate order counts by customer type
SELECT
    is_business_order,
    COUNT(DISTINCT order_id) as order_count,
    ROUND(COUNT(DISTINCT order_id) * 100.0 / SUM(COUNT(DISTINCT order_id)) OVER (), 2) as percentage
FROM amazon_orders
WHERE purchase_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '90 days'
GROUP BY is_business_order
ORDER BY is_business_order DESC;

Using Excel/Google Sheets

  1. Create a new column labeled "Customer Type"
  2. Use formula: =IF(B2="true","B2B","B2C") (assuming is-business-order is in column B)
  3. Create a pivot table with Customer Type in Rows and Count of Order-ID in Values
  4. Add a calculated field for percentage: =(Count/Total)*100

Expected Output

Customer Type | Order Count | Percentage
--------------+-------------+-----------
B2B           | 1,247       | 23.45%
B2C           | 4,070       | 76.55%
--------------+-------------+-----------
Total         | 5,317       | 100.00%

Interpreting the Results

Step 2: Do Business Buyers Spend More?

Understanding the spending patterns between B2B and B2C customers reveals the true revenue impact of each segment. Often, even if B2B represents a smaller percentage of orders, they may contribute disproportionately to revenue.

Key Metrics to Calculate

Performing the Analysis

Using SQL

-- Compare spending metrics by customer type
SELECT
    is_business_order,
    COUNT(DISTINCT order_id) as order_count,
    SUM(item_price * quantity_purchased) as total_revenue,
    ROUND(AVG(order_total), 2) as avg_order_value,
    ROUND(AVG(total_units), 2) as avg_units_per_order,
    ROUND(SUM(item_price * quantity_purchased) * 100.0 /
          SUM(SUM(item_price * quantity_purchased)) OVER (), 2) as revenue_percentage
FROM (
    SELECT
        order_id,
        is_business_order,
        SUM(item_price * quantity_purchased) as order_total,
        SUM(quantity_purchased) as total_units
    FROM amazon_orders
    WHERE purchase_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '90 days'
    GROUP BY order_id, is_business_order
) order_summary
GROUP BY is_business_order
ORDER BY is_business_order DESC;

Using Excel/Google Sheets

  1. Create a column for Order Total: =SUMIF(order_id_range, order_id, revenue_range)
  2. Create a pivot table with Customer Type in Rows
  3. Add Values: Count of Order-ID, Sum of Order Total, Average of Order Total
  4. Calculate revenue percentage for each segment

Expected Output

Customer Type | Orders | Total Revenue | AOV     | Avg Units | Revenue %
--------------+--------+---------------+---------+-----------+----------
B2B           | 1,247  | $187,450.00   | $150.28 | 8.3       | 41.23%
B2C           | 4,070  | $267,200.00   | $65.66  | 2.1       | 58.77%
--------------+--------+---------------+---------+-----------+----------
Total         | 5,317  | $454,650.00   | $85.51  | 3.9       | 100.00%

Interpreting the Results

Average Order Value Analysis:

Revenue Contribution Analysis:

Strategic Insights

If your analysis shows B2B customers have significantly higher AOV:

Step 3: What Products Do Businesses Prefer?

Different customer segments often prefer different products from your catalog. Understanding these preferences allows you to optimize inventory, create targeted promotions, and potentially develop products specifically for business customers.

Why Product Preference Matters

Performing the Analysis

Using SQL

-- Identify top products by customer type
WITH product_metrics AS (
    SELECT
        sku,
        product_name,
        is_business_order,
        COUNT(DISTINCT order_id) as orders,
        SUM(quantity_purchased) as units_sold,
        SUM(item_price * quantity_purchased) as revenue
    FROM amazon_orders
    WHERE purchase_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '90 days'
    GROUP BY sku, product_name, is_business_order
),
product_totals AS (
    SELECT
        sku,
        SUM(orders) as total_orders,
        SUM(units_sold) as total_units
    FROM product_metrics
    GROUP BY sku
)
SELECT
    pm.sku,
    pm.product_name,
    pm.is_business_order,
    pm.orders,
    pm.units_sold,
    pm.revenue,
    ROUND(pm.orders * 100.0 / pt.total_orders, 2) as order_percentage,
    ROUND(pm.units_sold * 100.0 / pt.total_units, 2) as unit_percentage
FROM product_metrics pm
JOIN product_totals pt ON pm.sku = pt.sku
WHERE pt.total_orders >= 20  -- Filter for products with significant volume
ORDER BY pm.revenue DESC
LIMIT 50;

Using Excel/Google Sheets

  1. Create a pivot table with SKU in Rows, Customer Type in Columns
  2. Add Values: Count of Order-ID, Sum of Quantity, Sum of Revenue
  3. Calculate percentage of orders that are B2B for each product
  4. Sort by total revenue to focus on top products
  5. Identify products with B2B percentage significantly different from your overall average

Expected Output

SKU          | Product Name          | Customer | Orders | Units | Revenue    | B2B %
-------------+-----------------------+----------+--------+-------+------------+-------
WIDGET-001   | Premium Widget Black  | B2B      | 145    | 1,160 | $23,200.00 | 72%
WIDGET-001   | Premium Widget Black  | B2C      | 56     | 280   | $5,600.00  | 28%
GADGET-055   | Home Gadget Set       | B2B      | 12     | 48    | $1,440.00  | 15%
GADGET-055   | Home Gadget Set       | B2C      | 68     | 272   | $8,160.00  | 85%
SUPPLY-200   | Office Supply Pack    | B2B      | 203    | 3,248 | $32,480.00 | 89%
SUPPLY-200   | Office Supply Pack    | B2C      | 25     | 100   | $1,000.00  | 11%

Interpreting the Results

Identifying Product Segments:

Strategic Actions Based on Product Preferences:

For B2B-Dominant Products:

  • Enable Amazon Business quantity discounts
  • Highlight bulk packaging and business-friendly features in listings
  • Ensure higher inventory levels to accommodate larger orders
  • Consider creating business-specific variations (e.g., higher quantity packs)
  • Add business pricing for orders of 10+ units

For B2C-Dominant Products:

  • Focus on consumer-friendly features in product descriptions
  • Invest in consumer marketing and promotions
  • Optimize for individual purchase sizing and packaging
  • Consider Subscribe & Save options for recurring consumer purchases

Cross-Selling Opportunities

Look for patterns in what products are purchased together by each segment. Business buyers might purchase your office supplies alongside your widgets, while consumers buy gadgets with accessories. Use Amazon's "Frequently Bought Together" and "Customers Also Bought" features strategically based on these insights.

Interpreting Your Results: Putting It All Together

Now that you've completed all three analysis steps, it's time to synthesize your findings into actionable insights. Let's look at a complete example scenario:

Sample Complete Analysis

Your Amazon Business Profile

  • B2B Order Percentage: 23.45%
  • B2B Revenue Contribution: 41.23%
  • B2B Average Order Value: $150.28 (vs. B2C: $65.66)
  • Revenue Value Multiplier: 1.76x (B2B orders are 76% more valuable)
  • Product Insights: 35% of your SKUs are B2B-dominant (>60% B2B orders)

Strategic Recommendations Based on Results

Scenario 1: High B2B Revenue Contribution (30%+ of revenue)

If business customers contribute 30% or more of your revenue, they're a critical segment:

  1. Enroll in Amazon Business if you haven't already
  2. Implement business pricing for high-volume purchases
  3. Optimize B2B-popular products with bulk packaging and business-focused descriptions
  4. Increase inventory for B2B-dominant SKUs to handle larger orders
  5. Consider B2B-specific products or variations (e.g., 100-count packs vs. 10-count)

Scenario 2: Low B2B Percentage (Under 15%)

If business customers represent a small portion of your sales, you have growth opportunities:

  1. Analyze why: Are your products consumer-focused, or are you not reaching business buyers?
  2. Test business pricing on your top-selling products
  3. Add business-friendly features to product listings (bulk discounts, tax exemption compatibility)
  4. Create multi-packs or bundle offerings that appeal to businesses
  5. Monitor results over 90 days to see if B2B percentage increases

Scenario 3: High AOV Disparity (3x+ difference)

If B2B customers spend significantly more per order:

  1. Protect your B2B relationships with excellent customer service
  2. Create VIP programs or special offers for top business accounts
  3. Ensure stock availability to avoid disappointing high-value customers
  4. Consider account management for your largest business customers

Setting Up Ongoing Monitoring

B2B vs B2C analysis isn't a one-time exercise. Set up a quarterly review process:

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Missing is-business-order Field

Problem: Your order report doesn't include the is-business-order field.

Solution:

Issue 2: All Orders Showing as B2C

Problem: Every order has is-business-order = false.

Solution:

Issue 3: Inconsistent B2B Percentages Across Time Periods

Problem: B2B percentage varies wildly month-to-month (e.g., 10% one month, 40% the next).

Solution:

Issue 4: Unable to Calculate Average Order Value

Problem: Your data shows line items, not order-level totals.

Solution:

Issue 5: Product Analysis Shows All Products Balanced

Problem: Every product shows approximately the same B2B percentage as your overall average.

Solution:

Issue 6: Data Export Size Limits

Problem: Your order volume is too large for Excel (over 1 million rows).

Solution:

Next Steps with Amazon Business

After completing your B2B vs B2C analysis, you're equipped with actionable insights. Here's how to move forward:

Immediate Actions (This Week)

  1. Enroll in Amazon Business if you haven't already (free for sellers)
  2. Enable business pricing for your top 5 B2B-dominant products
  3. Update product listings for B2B-popular items to highlight bulk purchasing and business benefits
  4. Check inventory levels for B2B-preferred products to ensure you can fulfill larger orders

Short-Term Actions (This Month)

  1. Create quantity-based pricing tiers (e.g., 5% off orders of 10+, 10% off orders of 50+)
  2. Develop business-focused product variations (bulk packs, industrial packaging)
  3. Optimize your Amazon Business profile with business-specific imagery and descriptions
  4. Set up automated reports to track B2B performance monthly
  5. Analyze your competition to see what business pricing they offer

Long-Term Actions (This Quarter)

  1. Develop a B2B growth strategy based on your analysis insights
  2. Consider B2B-specific product development if you've identified clear business needs
  3. Participate in Amazon Business promotions to attract new business customers
  4. Implement account management for your top business customers
  5. Review and optimize quarterly based on performance data

Advanced Analysis Techniques

Once you've mastered the basics, consider these advanced analyses:

Resources for Further Learning

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between your B2B and B2C customers is crucial for maximizing your Amazon sales potential. By following this tutorial, you've learned how to:

Remember that B2B customers often represent a disproportionately valuable segment—even if they're a minority of your orders, they may contribute significantly to your revenue through higher order values and repeat purchases. By tailoring your Amazon strategy to serve both B2B and B2C customers effectively, you can optimize inventory, pricing, and product development for maximum profitability.

Set up a regular cadence to review these metrics (quarterly is recommended) and adjust your strategy as your business evolves. The insights you gain from this analysis will help you make data-driven decisions that grow both segments of your Amazon business.

Ready to take action? Start with Step 1 today and discover what percentage of your Amazon orders are coming from business customers. The insights might surprise you!

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