Part of me thinks there may be, but the way you sometimes see them used interchangeably also makes me think that consumer has taken on much of the same meaning as customer. Maybe depends on from which context you’re speaking, i.e. out/in business?
Part of me thinks there may be, but the way you sometimes see them used interchangeably also makes me think that consumer has taken on much of the same meaning as customer. Maybe depends on from which context you’re speaking, i.e. out/in business?
As others have said, there can be a difference.
Another example is children, my kids are consumers but almost never customers. I as the parent am the customer in most transactions for goods/services they consume. They sometimes buy candy or toys with birthday money, they would be both customer and consumer for those.