Afterpay's Business Model: A Comprehensive Analysis Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Afterpay's business model, focusing on its operations within the Australian financial industry. The report utilizes the Business Model Canvas to deconstruct Afterpay's key components, including customer segments, key partners, value propositions, key activities, channels, revenue streams, cost structures, key resources, and customer relationships. It explores the interrelationships between these building blocks, identifies critical success factors, and discusses potential downside risks. Furthermore, the report offers recommendations for improving Afterpay's business model, particularly focusing on enhancing customer relationships and operational efficiency. The analysis covers various aspects of Afterpay's business, including its payment services, customer base, and market position, providing valuable insights into its strategies and future prospects. Appendices include a business model canvas, revenue tables, and income statements. This report is a valuable resource for students studying business models and the financial services sector.

Running head: BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
Executive Summary
The report is based on the analysis of an Australian organization named Afterpay that has
started its operations in the financial industry in the year 2015. The analysis is related to a
Business Model based approach that has an impact on the financial industry of the country.
The business model of Afterpay is based on the different aspects of business operations that
include the nine building blocks. The building blocks of Afterpay are, customer segments,
key partners, value proposition, key activities, channels, revenue streams, cost structure, key
resources and customer relationships. The interrelationships between the blocks have been
analysed and the success based factors have also been analysed. The recommended changes
in the business model are as follows,
 Improvement of customer relationships.
 Improvement of operations.

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Table of Contents
I. Introduction.................................................................................................................3
II. Business model..........................................................................................................3
A. Building blocks.........................................................................................................3
1. Customer segments................................................................................................3
2. Key partners...........................................................................................................3
3. Value proposition...................................................................................................4
4. Key activities..........................................................................................................4
5. Channels.................................................................................................................4
6. Revenue streams.....................................................................................................4
7. Cost structure.........................................................................................................5
8. Key resources.........................................................................................................5
9. Customer relationships...........................................................................................5
B. Interrelationships.......................................................................................................5
C. Critical success factors..............................................................................................6
D. Downside risks..........................................................................................................6
E. Business model changes............................................................................................6
III. Conclusion................................................................................................................7
IV. Recommendations....................................................................................................7
Appendices.....................................................................................................................8
Appendix 1 – Table 1 – Business model canvas........................................................8
Appendix 2 – Table 2 - Revenues..............................................................................9
Appendix 3 – Table 3 – Income statement...............................................................10
Appendix 4 – Table 4 – Income statement continued..............................................10
References....................................................................................................................11

3BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
I. Introduction
Afterpay is an Australian company that aims at providing digital service based on
payments of products after some days of their purchase. The money can be paid by customers
within around fourteen days of the purchase. The service has become quite popular in
Australia in a short period of time after it had started its operations. Afterpay was established
in Sydney in the year 2014 and had an impact on the ways by which people spend on the
purchase of products. The major part of the operations of Afterpay is related to the methods
by which the company is able to provide easy instalments to the customers
(Afterpaytouch.com., 2019).
II. Business model
The Business model of Afterpay is related to the methods by which the company is
able to provide its services to the customers with the help of easy instalments based on the
products that they purchase. The company however charges late fees for the failure of
customers to pay within the provided time frame (Dudin et al., 2015).
A. Building blocks
1. Customer segments
The customer segments of Afterpay mainly include, the business organizations,
merchants, retailers and the individual shoppers as well. The company aims at offering the
payment based services to the different segments based on their likes and dislikes (Dudin et
al., 2015).
2. Key partners
The key partners of Afterpay who are able to help in developing the services that are
offered to the customers include, the third party based merchants, the different payment
providers like Mastercard and Visa. The financial institutions and banks are also considered

4BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
to be major partners of the organization. The online and physical stores of Afterpay are able
to provide major support in the operations of the company (França et al., 2017).
3. Value proposition
The value propositions of Afterpay are based on secure, multi-currency, multi-
payment transaction related platform that is offered to the customers who belong to the online
platforms. The company also aims at eliminating the costs that are based on setting up huge
number of stores in different parts of the world. The development of a user friendly website is
an important factor that has an impact on the operations (Joyce & Paquin, 2016).
4. Key activities
The key activities that are performed by Afterpay include, security levels that are
provided to the merchants and other partners of the company as well. The development of an
effective research and development based platform is also an important factor that has an
impact on the operations of Afterpay. The company also provides 24/7 based support to the
customers and the merchants as well (Ladd, 2018).
5. Channels
The major channels that are used by Afterpay include, the website of the organization
that is able to attract the consumers. The process of digital and online purchasing is
considered to be a major channel that has been used by the organization. Social media is
considered to be a major channel that is used by the organization in order to reach the
customers. The advertisements and programs arranged by the partners are able to provide
effective channels of growth to Afterpay (Lüdeke-Freund & Dembek, 2017).
6. Revenue streams
The revenue streams of Afterpay are based on the commissions that have been gained
by the organization from its partners with the help of different transactions. The incomes that

5BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
are gained by the organization are also related to interests and the late fees that are provided
by customers if they are not able to pay the instalments (Murray & Scuotto, 2016).
7. Cost structure
The costs that are based on the proper development of the online platform has to be
considered by Afterpay as a part of its total operating costs. The costs are also based on the
ways by which security levels can be developed by the organization based on transactions
that are being made by the company. The company also needs to make some major
investments based on the ways by which customers can be acquired (Pyo & Ha, 2015).
8. Key resources
The major resource of Afterpay is the effective and interactive online platform which
is helpful for providing the best levels of services to the consumers. The position that has
been formed by Afterpay in the market is also considered to be highly significant for the
methods by which the company is able to communicate with the consumers. The partnerships
that have been formed by Afterpay are also major resources of the organization that can play
a key part in the development of revenues (Sund et al., 2016).
9. Customer relationships
The relationships are established by Afterpay with the customers by providing them
with effective benefits that can increase their loyalty towards the company. The opportunities
are also based on the ways by which different payment options are offered by Afterpay in
order to pay for products that they purchase (Taran et al., 2016).
B. Interrelationships
The nine building blocks of Afterpay are able to play a key role in the methods by
which the organization is able to continue its operations. The key partners of Afterpay are
able to affect the customers and their shopping process as well. The relationships that are

6BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
maintained by Afterpay with the customers are considered to be important factors that can
influence the revenue levels (Murray & Scuotto, 2016). The costs based on development of
an effective customer base is a major factor that can affect the revenue streams and levels of
profitability as well. The huge amounts of resources gained by the company have an impact
on the services that are provided and the customers as a whole (Zolnowski, Christiansen &
Gudat, 2016).
C. Critical success factors
The ease of services provided by Afterpay is a major factor that is related to the
success of the organization in the financial industry. The partnerships are also developed by
the organization quite easily and are able to influence the ways by which Afterpay is able to
operate in the industry. The retailers who are partners of Afterpay include, Rebel, Mimco,
Running Bare, Icebreaker, Recreate Yourself (Zolnowski, Christiansen & Gudat, 2016).
D. Downside risks
The trusts levels that need to be earned by Afterpay based on its online operations are
important for the ways by which the organization is able to gain huge number of customers.
Security and trust levels are considered to be important factors and the lack of trust can lead
to major risks to its operations. Development of effective partnerships are also considered to
be important factors that have an impact on the risk levels that will be faced in the future
(Sund et al., 2016). The companies that are already operating in the industry have been able
to develop partnerships with many retail organizations. This is able to increase the levels of
competition in the market and have an impact on partnerships which have been formed by the
organization (Antikainen & Valkokari, 2016).

7BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
E. Business model changes
The major change that can be implemented by Afterpay in order to improve its
operations in the financial industry is based on increasing the number of partnerships that are
developed. The organization has developed its operations recently in the industry and the
innovative business operations can provide major value to the customers. The revenue
streams of the organization can be increased with the help of effective partnerships with big
brands (Lüdeke-Freund & Dembek, 2017).
III. Conclusion
The report can be concluded by stating that Afterpay will be able to develop its
operations in the industry with small changes that can be made in the business model. The
business model of the organization has been effective for the operations and the ways by
which it is trying to build its operations. However, the increase in levels of competition will
lead to the levels of impact that it has on the revenues and levels of profitability as well.
Afterpay will be able to develop a major position in the industry with the proper
improvement in different parts of its operations in Australia.
IV. Recommendations
 The major recommendation that can be provided to Afterpay is based on the
improvement of customer relationships with the help of its website.
 The innovation based implementation will be able to play a key part in the
proper improvement of the processes of Afterpay.
 Afterpay also needs to develop a huge customer base in the financial industry
in order to face the increased competition.
 Afterpay needs to improve the partnerships that can be developed in order to
improve the levels of revenues and profitability in the competitive industry.

8BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS

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Appendices
Appendix 1 – Table 1 – Business model canvas
Key Partners
 Third party
merchants.
 Payment
providers.
Key Activities
 Security in
transactions.
 Research and
development.
Value Proposition
 Multi
currency
secure
transaction
platform.
Customer
Relationships
 Loyalty
Customer
Segments
 Business
organizatio
ns.
 Merchants.
Key Resources
 Interactive
online
platform.
Channels
 Website of
the
organizatio
n.
Cost Structure
 Operating costs.
 Security costs.
Revenue Streams
 Commissions.
 Interests and late fees.
Source – Created by Author

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Appendix 2 – Table 2 - Revenues
Source – (Afterpaytouch.com. 2019)

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Appendix 3 – Table 3 – Income statement
Source – (Afterpaytouch.com. 2019)
Appendix 4 – Table 4 – Income statement continued
Source – (Afterpaytouch.com. 2019)

12BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS ANALYSIS
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https://www.afterpaytouch.com/who-we-are
Afterpaytouch.com. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.afterpaytouch.com/images/APT_2018_Annual-Report.pdf
Dudin, M., Kucuri, G., Fedorova, I., Dzusova, S., & Namitulina, A. (2015). The innovative
business model canvas in the system of effective budgeting. Asian Social
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business model innovation and design for strategic sustainable development. Journal
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617318103

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http://symphonya.unimib.it/article/view/12040
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