Starbuck’s is offering a bear-shaped cup as a Holiday merchandise item. But the move backfired when the ‘collectible’ went viral, triggering long lines, fights and $300 online resale asks. Just adding to the coffee shop’s troubles…
As if Starbucks didn’t have enough to deal with right now – what with the wholesale overhaul of the company by its new CEO, customer criticism and continued slack sales… Now, a great idea meant to raise the coffee shop’s profile over the holidays – and maybe unite staff and customers again – has backfired gloriously. It’s brought Star-buck’s attention and publicity, alright. But not the kind it was looking for…
The cup looks just like the Bear-shaped honey jar we’ve all become familiar with over many decades and multiple gener-ations.
What’s special?
What’s special about the thing is the all-Canadian Toque lid in trademark green (with a hole in the crown for a straw, where the pompom should be). They’re serving bevs in it with a signature Star-buck’s green-and-white straw. And it’s glass, not plastic, like most other bev-erage ware merch items.
The Bearista Cup costs you a cool $29.95 over and above the price of your beverage of choice. And – Key Fact alert! – it’s available in only limited quantities, while supplies last…
What’s happening
According to Cheapism.com: “Lines wrapped around buildings. Fights broke out. By the weekend, the resale market had turned a $30 cup into a $300 cup being resold online.”
But Cheapism, has a solution to the conundrum I know some of you folks out there are dealing with…
How to get one?
The site has rsearched a selection of alternative Holiday beverage ware costing a lot less. (See link, previous paragraph.) In particular, Walmart is selling basically the exact same thing for just $14. No Starbuck’s logo on the hat, but who really cares?
And you can actually get the Walmart version of the Bearista Cup (no logos) for just $9.01 online from Ali Express…
Collectors will care
Especially in years to come when many of the glass cups have been chipped, broken or lost. And the eBay price goes even higher than $300.
My take
The thing that gets me about the Starbuck’s cup stunt – aside from the restricted availability – is the ridiculous price.Even Walmart is selling its doppleganger for $14$ But I remember a time when all you had to do was buy a jar of peanut butter to get one ‘for free’.
I’ve been in love with the classic bear-shaped jars since I was little. In fact, as younger readers won’t know, Kraft here in Canada started packing its peanut butter in the exact same jars many decades ago. Mom had a whole set of kitchen canisters made out of them! Then glass went out of fashion as expensive, breakable and heavy to ship. Now, Kraft uses plain old cylindrical jars. Boo! Hiss! Poo!
But maybe they’ll go back to glass under their promise to cut the use of plastics and help save the environment… Who knows?
~ Maggie J.