Where Web3 Payments & Loyalty Are Happening Now

Most people hear “Web3 shopping cart” and think: sounds cool, but where would I even use one? The good news is that early experiments are already live—and you don’t need to be a developer or crypto native to try them. Here’s where to look:

1. Shopify + Crypto Checkout

Thousands of Shopify merchants now offer crypto payment plugins. If you see an option to “Pay with WalletConnect” or “Checkout with Coinbase,” you’re looking at a Web3-enabled cart in action. Many of these stores accept stablecoins (like USDC), which behave like dollars.

2. CJ Foodville (Korea / Asia F&B)

CJ Foodville is an early mover in Asia’s restaurant space, deploying an NFT-based loyalty program in Vietnam. Customers earn NFT-tiered rewards, real-time perks, and experiences tied to their engagement. The company also operates the Tour les Jours bakery stores located in the U.S.

3. Nike .SWOOSH

Nike’s Web3 initiative blends physical and digital goods. Buy a pair of sneakers, and you may also get a digital twin for your wallet. In the future, those assets could unlock discounts, special drops, or resale benefits.

4. Luxury Brands & Proof of Purchase

Brands like LVMH are experimenting with blockchain receipts to prove authenticity. Imagine buying a bag or watch and receiving a digital certificate in your wallet that verifies it’s the real thing.

5. Marketplaces That Bridge Physical and Digital

Platforms like Origin Story and Rarible are hosting shops where NFTs are bundled with real-world products. Think limited-edition vinyl with a digital collectible attached.

How to Get Started Safely

• Start small: Try a $20–$50 purchase with a trusted merchant.

• Use stablecoins first: They’re pegged to the dollar and remove volatility concerns.

• Stick with known brands: If Nike or a large retailer is behind it, you can trust the pilot more than a random Twitter ad.

• Remember gas fees: They’re often just cents, but check before confirming.

Shopping With Security and Convenience

The luxury sector has taken a leading role in applying Web3 to solve a very practical problem: authenticity. Through the Aura Blockchain Consortium—a collaboration between brands like Cartier, Prada, and Louis Vuitton—luxury retailers are issuing blockchain-based “digital product passports.” Each item can be linked to a QR code or embedded chip that verifies its origin and history. Buyers can scan the code and save a digital certificate of authenticity directly to their wallet, ensuring confidence in ownership and boosting trust in the resale market.

Beyond fighting counterfeits, Aura sets the stage for next-generation loyalty and engagement. Because these digital certificates live in consumer wallets, they create a direct channel between brands and buyers. A luxury watch or handbag that carries its own blockchain passport could also unlock invitations to private events, early access to collections, or resale royalties in secondary markets. In this way, Aura isn’t just about proving what’s real—it’s about deepening the relationship between brand and customer long after the purchase.

How Aura Works

• Digital Product Passport (DPP):
  Each luxury item (handbag, watch, jewelry, etc.) is issued a unique, blockchain-anchored “passport.” This passport contains manufacturing details, proof of authenticity, and in some cases ownership history.

• QR Code or NFC/Chip Integration:
  Products come with either a QR code or an embedded chip (like an NFC tag) that can be scanned. When scanned, it links directly to the digital certificate stored on Aura’s blockchain.

• Consumer Wallet Storage:
  Buyers can save this digital certificate in their wallet (often as a token/NFT). This creates a direct, verifiable link between the physical item and a secure, immutable record.

Why It Matters

1. Anti-Counterfeit:
   This tackles one of the biggest issues in luxury goods: fakes. Scanning the chip or QR immediately tells you if the item is genuine.

2. Resale Market:
   With blockchain receipts, items can be resold with confidence. Ownership and authenticity history are built-in, boosting secondary market value.

3. Consumer Engagement:
   Saving authenticity documents to wallets lays the groundwork for brands to later add loyalty perks, digital content, or even resale royalties.

A Loyalty Program Gone Wrong: Lessons from Starbucks Odyssey

When Starbucks launched its Odyssey program in late 2022, it was pitched as one of the first major mainstream Web3 loyalty pilots. The concept was ambitious: customers could earn and purchase NFT-based “stamps” that unlocked perks ranging from exclusive merchandise to virtual coffee experiences and even trips. Then-CEO Howard Schultz, a known enthusiast for digital innovation, saw Odyssey as a way to take the already-massive Starbucks Rewards program and layer in community, digital collectibles, and new forms of customer engagement. At the time, Odyssey was considered a leading edge experiment in how Web3 could reinvent loyalty.

But momentum never quite materialized. The rollout was limited to a beta group and didn’t expand widely, leaving Odyssey without the scale effect that makes loyalty sticky. Many customers didn’t see enough real-world value in collecting NFT stamps, and the benefits often felt disconnected from daily coffee purchases. The broader environment didn’t help either: Odyssey launched during a bearish period for crypto, when NFTs had fallen out of fashion and mainstream media coverage was skeptical. And internally, Starbucks’ leadership transition meant less focus on an experimental program as priorities shifted back to mobile ordering, store expansion, and core rewards.

The failure of Odyssey is less about the viability of Web3 loyalty and more about execution and timing. Other brands—from Nike’s .SWOOSH to luxury groups experimenting with blockchain receipts—have shown that Web3 programs can thrive when rewards are clear, tangible, and seamlessly integrated into existing customer journeys. Odyssey serves as a reminder that technology alone isn’t enough; user experience and integration matter most. Far from proving that Web3 loyalty is broken, it shows how important it is to build programs that feel natural, valuable, and accessible to everyday customers.

The Last Word

Takeaway: Web3 shopping isn’t a sci-fi idea—it’s already quietly happening. By experimenting with these early examples, you’ll see how checkout starts to feel less like giving away data and more like carrying value forward.

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Other Articles In This Issue:

• The Future of Checkout: Web3 Wallets, Rewards, and On-Chain Receipts

• Editorial: Owning the Checkout Experience

• CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS EDITIONS