E-commerce Business Models

Lesson Overview

Lesson Title: Understanding E-commerce Business Models
Unit: E-commerce Innovation Lab (Lesson 2 of 6)
Time: 60 minutes
Year Level: Year 8
Subject: Business
Class Size: 1 student
Australian Curriculum Reference:
AC9HE8K03 – Explain the enterprising behaviours and capabilities that support leadership, innovation, and successful business activity.
AC9HE8K04 – Investigate how businesses use strategies to meet consumer needs and respond to economic, environmental, and social changes.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
✅ Define core e-commerce business models: B2B, B2C, C2C, and subscription services.
✅ Compare the strengths and weaknesses of different business models.
✅ Analyse real-world Australian e-commerce businesses.
✅ Apply knowledge by designing a brief e-commerce business plan.

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Lesson Structure (60 Minutes)

1. Engaging Introduction (10 Minutes) – The Future of Shopping

Activity: "Where Do You Buy?"

• Show the student a set of Australian brand logos (e.g., JB Hi-Fi, Afterpay, Kogan, MyDeal, Temple & Webster).
• Ask: Where do you shop online the most? Why?
• Introduce the different ways businesses sell online (B2B, B2C, C2C, Subscription).

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2. Explaining Business Models (15 Minutes) – The Backbone of E-commerce

Breakdown of models with Australian examples:
✅ B2B (Business-to-Business): MYOB, Canva Pro
✅ B2C (Business-to-Consumer): Kogan, The ICONIC
✅ C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer): Gumtree, Depop
✅ Subscription Services: Netflix Australia, Who Gives a Crap

Student Task:

• Write a quick definition and example for each in a mini summary.
• Discuss: Which business model do you think is the most successful in Australia?

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3. Strengths & Weaknesses Activity (15 Minutes) – Business vs. Consumer

Student will complete a pros and cons table for each business model. Some guiding questions:

• What are the benefits of selling directly to consumers?
• How does B2B create sustainable profits?
• Are subscription models reliable for businesses?

Discussion:

• Which model would they prefer to run if they had a business? Why?

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4. Real-World Application (15 Minutes) – E-commerce Startup Challenge

Student will imagine they are launching a new Australian online business.

• Choose one business model.
• Describe the product/service, target audience, and why they chose that model.
• Sketch a simple homepage layout (optional).

One-Minute Pitch

• Student will verbally pitch their idea to the teacher, using persuasive startup language.

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Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 Minutes)

✅ Quick Quiz: Define each e-commerce model in 10 words or less.
✅ Exit Ticket: What is one new thing you learned about e-commerce today?

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Assessment & Differentiation

✅ Formative Assessment:

• Observation of student discussion and engagement.
• Review of their pros/cons table and startup challenge.

✅ Adaptations:

• If the student learns better through visuals, they can create a mood board of e-commerce sites.
• Additional challenge: Research an emerging Australian e-commerce business for next lesson.

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Teacher Reflection

• Did the student fully grasp the differences between the models?
• Was the startup challenge engaging and suitable?
• How can this lesson be improved for future groups?

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Next Lesson Preview

🔜 Lesson 3: Digital Marketing & Consumer Behaviour

• Why do we buy what we buy online?
• How businesses use social media and ads to drive sales.