"The future of the wallet is very different than it is today, as it's becoming a much more dynamic surface," said Eric Senn, CEO and cofounder of digital wallet development startup Badge. He pointed to Apple's new ticket interface as an example-not just a ticket but a portal to merch, food ordering, and venue maps. To Senn, it's part of a larger shift: the wallet becoming a core layer of the iOS and Android ecosystem, not just a feature tucked inside it.
Success is no longer about showing up on shelf or executing your media plan to perfection. It's about being relevant at the speed of thought. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Amazon's Rufus are no longer novelties-they're the new power players in consumer decision-making. These systems don't wait for shoppers to scroll. They anticipate intent. They parse language, read between the lines of behavior, and deliver products before consumers even articulate what they want.
A quiet but significant shift is underway in digital commerce. For decades, companies that create digital products-whether tickets, game items, or software-have missed out on a massive revenue stream: They only make money when they sell a product for the first time or when they charge a recurring subscription. If a customer later resells the product, the company gets nothing; or if a product becomes more valuable over time, that additional value is captured by resellers and not the company that built it.
"To engage customers effectively, businesses must understand their progression through the buying journey, focusing on touchpoints that provide relevant interactions at each stage."