Why is merchant sales so difficult—and could giving software away actually make it easier and more profitable? In this episode, James Shepard breaks down why traditional merchant sales has become a numbers game, why disruptive products create a much easier path to the sale, and how free software can lower customer acquisition costs while increasing payment processing revenue.

He also explores how AI is changing software development, the potential “SaaS apocalypse,” and why agents, ISOs, and software companies need to rethink their business models before disruption catches up with them. Using CCStorage and Stackably as examples, James explains how building an ecosystem around payments and other services can create more value than relying on SaaS fees alone.

Then, in Patti Murphy’s Today in Payments segment, James and Patti discuss Florida’s lawsuit against online sweepstakes casinos and the payment companies supporting them, highlighting the growing compliance risks for high-risk merchants. They also cover Alabama’s new law exempting sales tax from credit card surcharges, Australia’s upcoming surcharge ban and interchange reductions, and Fiserv’s MoneyPass joint venture and continued international expansion of Clover.