Starbucks is pulling the plug on Odyssey, its Web3 rewards program that gave members access to collectible NFTs. The company updated its on Friday to inform members that the beta program will close on March 31 and that they have just over a week left to complete the remaining activities (called trips). They will close on March 25. Users will not lose their Stamps (Starbucks NFTs), which are hosted on Nifty Gateway, but will have to sign up for Nifty using their Starbucks Rewards email to access them there, if they have done so. Not anymore.
Starbucks was late to the nft game with Odyssey, which launched in beta in late 2022, long after interest in digital collectibles peaked. However, unlike other big-brand nft companies, it seemed to aim for more than just a quick cash grab. It gamified the rewards system, offering coffee-related activities and mini-games that encouraged continued member participation.
In a conversation with Posted last month, Odyssey community leader Steve Kaczynski emphasized the community element, saying: “I've seen that people who live in California in the Starbucks Odyssey community are very good friends with people in Chicago and have gotten to know each other. in real life sometimes. This would never have happened if it weren't for Web3.” But it's 2024, and both brands and consumers have long since moved on from NFTs. (Naturally, Forum3who worked with Starbucks on Odyssey, appears to have pivoted toward ai).
Starbucks says the Odyssey marketplace, where members could buy and sell their stamps, will move to the Nifty marketplace. They can also withdraw their Stamps to exchange them on other platforms.
