Shopify Uses NFTs to Gatekeep Products
In February this year, online shopping company Shopify launched new commerce tools to let merchants “tokengate” some of their products. Essentially, this lets merchants “segment buyers” based on who decides to buy NFTs and who doesn’t. Shopify implies this will build “communities” by putting up gates between those who decide to buy an NFT and those who don’t. Those who own an NFT could get access to specific products or discounts. Those who don’t buy in are left out.
The constant use of “gate” to describe the system seems to imply Shopify is happy with literal gatekeeping, forcing an in-group and an out-group based on who has more money to spend on FOMO. Let’s hope this new threat of using NFTs for exclusivity doesn’t catch on.
