​Online shopping x Web3 = accelerated adoption.

The easier something is to do/use, the more it gets adopted.

Before the internet came along, starting your own TV station, radio show, hotel, or retail store was no small task.

Now we can spin up modern equivalents in our spare time, using:

• YouTube

• Podcasting

• Airbnb

• Shopify

Each of these platforms massively reduced the time, money, and status required to try these things.

As a result, the amount of overall content, products, and services being produced, has skyrocketed.

​Web3 & crypto needs more 'barrier-to-entry lowering' tools like this, and Shopify has just launched some platform native apps to do just that...

Shopify merchants can now set up their stores to dictate which NFT holders can/cannot gain access to exclusive products, drops and benefits.

E.g. If you own a store's NFT → you can get early access to new products, discounts, and in-person events.

Which is cool...but you could probably do that with the right selection of Web2 tools.

The pivotal feature of Shopify's NFT integration is in its economics.

If brands can create a slew of benefits that are both highly compelling, and hard to get - the NFTs are likely to grow in value.

Which means loyal customers will not only get hidden perks, but an appreciating asset that they can then sell at a profit.

(And each time they're sold, the brand can collect a royalty cut).

Turning each NFT into a sort of tradable loyalty card, that benefits both the brand and the customer, in a whole new way.

And opens the door for small, run-out-of-a-bedroom e-commerce stores to create Web3 loyalty programs on a scale similar to Starbucks' Odyssey program.

Very exciting!