This article examines the changing retail landscape and how one company is responding.

Appropriate Subject Area(s):

Marketing, entrepreneurship, target market, retail

Key Questions to Explore:

• How is the retail landscape changing?

Introduction to lesson and task:

In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to explore their own shopping habits as well as those of family members.

Action (lesson plan and task):

• Survey the class and ask how many do on-line shopping? What type of items do they buy? What is the process they engage in?
• Ask them to differentiate between their shopping habits and those of a family member.
• As a class, define a marketplace. Using 1-2-4-all, have students identify the characteristics of a physical marketplace and an e-commerce marketplace.  (1-2-4-all is similar to Think-Pair-Share, but adding an additional step of pairs combining into 4 before sharing as a class)
• Distribute the article for reading.
• Loblaw decided to launch the marketplace with partners who they think their customers would be interested in purchasing products from. Do t he students agree with this rationale? Why or why not?
• Using a T chart, have students identify the benefits a retailer like Loblaw derives from hosting a marketplace and the benefits to third party sellers of selling on the marketplace.
• What are the drawbacks?

Consolidation of Learning:

• The retail landscape is changing rapidly.  In small groups have students discuss how this type of marketplace influences consumer buying or is influenced by consumer buying.

Success Criteria:

• Students understand the changing retail landscape.

Confirming Activity:

In small groups, students should answer the following questions:

• What other opportunities could Loblaw engage in?
• How should Loblaw promote the marketplace?