Buying is marketing, too, electronically

Marketing has always been the facilitation of exchanges. Early marketing theorists make no distinction between whether marketing should facilitate selling or buying, whereas, contemporary marketing literature focuses on the former. However, anecdotal evidence demonstrates that there is a rapid rise of electronic networks, which has significantly empowered consumers to facilitate their buying from businesses. This reviews literature that answers Kotler and Levy’s (1973) call for research into the notion that “buying is marketing, too”. We present a case in support of our proposition that in an electronic environment, a consumer as a buyer employs the rationale and techniques of marketing to facilitate buying exchange with sellers. We envisage that a paradigm shift pendulum back towards a buyer’s overture may have emerged.