Business products are the things companies sell to make money.

Put another way, business products are

the goods and services that people want to buy to furnish their homes, run their own businesses, supply
their schools, churches, stadiums and factories, and generally keep the world moving forward. There are
several different product categories that are best illustrated with one or more examples of a product and
service in each category.

Skip to main content.

Small Business»Business Planning & Strategy»Business Strategy Examples»

Examples of Business Products

by David Sarokin; Updated October 29, 2018

Basic office supplies are one example of common business product purchases.

Business products are the things companies sell to make money. Put another way, business products are
the goods and services that people want to buy to furnish their homes, run their own businesses, supply
their schools, churches, stadiums and factories, and generally keep the world moving forward. There are
several different product categories that are best illustrated with one or more examples of a product and
service in each category.

Tip

"Business products" sometimes refers only to products bought by businesses, but it is also used more
broadly to refer to all products sold by businesses, whether to other businesses or to consumers. This
article uses the broader meaning of the term, and includes business-to-business, as well as business-to-
consumer sales.

Raw Materials

The manufacturing process begins with the provision of raw materials that are extracted directly from
the environment. These include minerals such as iron ore or rough diamonds; fuels such as crude oil and
coal, forest timber; and, agricultural products such as wheat, corn, beef and leather. Raw materials are
the stuff from which all physical products are eventually made.

Processed Materials and Components

Businesses use raw materials to create processed materials and component parts. Generally, these are
sold to other businesses for further processing or inclusion into final products, although some sales are
direct to end consumers. Crude oil, for example, is processed into many components, such as ethylene or
kerosene, and these components are then used by the chemical and petroleum industries to make
additional products.

Components are parts manufactured for further assembly into a final product. The car industry is a
major purchaser of component parts, turning to suppliers for everything from windshields and tires, to
radios and air bags - and thousands of other parts - to produce automobiles and trucks as a final
product. Consumers occasionally buy component parts, such as the purchase of a car mirror as a
replacement for one that broke.

Maintenance, Repair and Operating Supplies

Companies need plenty of day-to-day materials and equipment that are not directly related to making a
finished product but are necessary to keep their organizations going. Maintenance, repair and operating
(MRO) supplies include everything from light bulbs to printer paper. Some MRO materials are sometimes
known as accessories and include long-lasting items such as workbench tools, computers, and forklifts.

Buildings, Facilities and Installations

Companies may buy entire installations in which to carry out their operations. These include major
facilities like an offshore oil rig, a chemical processing plant or a soda bottling facility. Smaller purchases,
such as a headquarters building or warehouse, also fall into this category.

Consumer Products

The end result of much manufacturing and business activity is to supply consumers with products to
purchase. Consumer goods can be categorized in many different ways, such as clothing or white goods
like refrigerators and stoves. Four common categories often used by marketers are:
Convenience products: Easy, quick purchases like a daily newspaper or items in the grocery store.

Shopping products: Less casual but fairly common purchases that involve more consideration, such as
seeing a movie, buying a computer, a phone or selecting a hotel.

Specialty products: These are the occasional and often large purchases that consumers make, such as
buying a home or car, paying for a wedding, or selecting an engagement ring.

Unsought products: This category includes items that consumers generally do not consider buying
without some convincing on the part of a salesperson. Examples include funeral insurance, extended
warranties and charitable donations.