Starbucks' newly announced $2 afternoon beverage is reserved for customers that have already purchased a coffee drink earlier in the day. Essentially, the plan is a buy-one-get-one-half-off promotion, and Starbucks knows that many consumers have a tough time passing up what's perceived as a "discount."
On one hand, the three-week promotion might encourage daily customers to return in the afternoons when they may normally opt for another type of pick-me-up. But on the other hand, I'm not sure the promotion will attract customers who are already loyal to Starbucks's competitors when it requires visiting the store twice in one day. After all, $2 is still money in your pocket if you weren't planning on spending it in the first place.
Do you think the promotion will help get the ailing company back on its feet, or do you think it will be an overly caffeinated flop?
Christian Dior
Ose tes Pensﾎes
Calida
i saw this yesterday when i went to get my coffee - and interestingly enough i didn't get the same offer told to me today - but regardless, i think that it could be a good thing for them, if it works. there's an sbucks in my building but i don't usually have the urge/desire/time to go down in the afternoon for another cup, so i'm not sure that it'll work on me, but i can see how it will be a good thing for others who are big coffee fanatics and can make the time.
1If I had a Starbucks really close to work I'd probably go for it, I do feel it'd feel less like a gimmick if it was good for the whole week. I guess its better than nothing if people are addicted to Starbucks.
I'm lucky as I work on a college campus so I get to take advantage of the student run services and get iced lattes for $2.25 anyway.
2Of course it's a gimmick -- but it's great news for their loyal daily repeat customers.
3doubt it, their coffee sux! I wouldnt drink it if it were free!
4This has been going on for about a month - the coffee heads here head down in the morning and again after 2.
5I know their regular coffee isnt the greatest, but if you add enough milk and maybe some cinnamon or sugar it makes a decent drink. What i like to do is buy a cup of coffee in the morning (either hot or iced) and then keep the cup. A refill on your cup is only 54 cents...doesnt matter the time of day! I sometimes keep the same cup for days.
6As some one else said, I would be more likely to buy a coffee and then go back in a day or two to use the discount. The hassle of trying to get to a Starbucks twice in one day just for half off of a coffee just doesn't seem worth my while.
7i found out about it yesterday too- i gave my receipt to someone i worked with who i knew might be going in the afternoon, cause i wasn't about to go back again that day. however, if i had known about ahead of time i might have saved my starbucks day (cause try not to go daily!) to a day when i had class at night- cause those are days i'm more likely to stop back in after work and grab another drink before class!
8It's great for the intense coffee drinkers. Not very useful for most of the rest of us. I think it's a good business idea. If it gives them better business and fuels the economy, why not?
9Yeah I think it's a good call for the 9-5ers; I see a lot of them going in after lunch or after work. I don't work near one and I'm not a coffee person so it doesn't matter to me. That said, I'm sure it's getting them SOME business, right?
10Unless the goal is simply to increase coffee consumption, it's a bad idea - it won't attract new business, and two bucks is not that great a price, especially for office workers who often switch away from caffeine in the second half of their day.
11Who needs multiple trips to Starbucks a day? No wonder this country is losing money and overweight.
12so, i work for starbucks. i am at one of the 600 stores that is closing and i feel like the new promo for the $2 drinks is good. it's brining in new faces and increasing our pm profit. now although i do agree that sbux should lower prices i do not uinderstand y ppl down our business so much. we're more of a speciality coffee house and for those of you who dont appreciate our variety of coffee, come in one day(when you have about thrity minutes to spare) and tell the barista on duty that you're having trouble finding a coffee that best fits you. we'll do a french press of many different coffees and i promise you'll find something you'll love!
13This is a ridiculous idea! Let me poke a few holes in it. I was a LOYAL Starbucks customer for years, ordering a venti, triple shot, non-fat with whipped latte everyday (many days, one for myself and one for my boyfriend, which came to $9.01 per day). I appreciated the punch cards -- then, they were done away with. Apparently, Starbucks felt that the few people that chose to purchase a drip beverage to fill their card(s) and redeem them for specialty beverages, warranted screwing the rest of us! If I was to buy a beverage in the morning, it is unlikely that I would be near the same location in the afternoon - thus making it unlikely that I would be allowed the promotion anyway. Secondly, there could be a similar problem to that of the punch card - and, who polices the validity of whether or not it's a second visit on the same day?! It's a gimmick for Starbucks to squeeze an additional $2 out of each of their loyal patrons. Why not do something that actually awards those of us that purchase a specialty beverage EVERYDAY without exception. I (we) have since changed to Biggby. They offer incredible coupons (July 30-Aug 5 was a Buy One Get One Free week), they offer punch cards and welcome multiple coupons for one visit provided you are ordering multiple beverages. Yes, we miss our regular baristas, but hey, money's tight!
14Their coffee isn't that special for me to be shelling out my already small income. I don't care if you pull in 1,500k biweekly, this is not a bargain. You're just paying for overpriced, designer coffee.
15Good business.
16i keep getting these coupons, but really, i'd only go back if i was going to go anyway.
17The one thing I haven't seen anyone mention is that the "after 2" beverage is a Grande COLD drink of your choice. So you wouldn't have to get a caffeine drink. You could get one of the new nutritional Vivanno beverages, or a Frappuccino, which come in coffee OR creme base. You could get an iced tea or a blended lemonade, though your savings would not be as great as with the Vivanno or Frappuccino. Another option is a DECAF iced latte if you don't want the caffeine too late in the day. Either way, it makes sense to me....creates and rewards loyalty!
18This happened to me this morning. The thing is I just don't go to Starbuck's that often, maybe once a month or so, so I'd never really consider going back the same day just to get 2 bucks off a drink. I guess if you're the kind of person that goes in every day and the barista already knows what you are going to order before you get to the counter then it's good for you. Will it save Strabucks? I don't think so
19live on caffeine
20i go back when i get my treat receipt so its good for biz
21totally a gimmick. i work in the mall (at macys!!!) i get star bucks when im dragging. if they see me two days in a row or what ever they tell me that im pretty strong for not coming in yesterday for my $2 beverage. almost like im missing out on all the fun of spending more money there.
22I decided it to try out the promotion to see for myself if it was good business or a gimmick. Turns out ther are additional details. If you want a GRANDE, it's $2. If you want a VENTI, it's $3. Also, they charge you for any "extras" (such as a shot or syrup) regardless of what your morning beverage is... Definitely a GIMMICK - don't plan to return.
23I think it's both a gimmick and good business.
I tried it and it worked out pretty well for me. I'm getting up super early for a long commute, and when I get off my last bus Starbucks is right there, so I get one of the cheapest coffee drinks on the menu before 9 a.m. (And there are tricks to ordering to pay less for a drink that's like one of their more expensive ones, sometimes better!)
I'm a breakfast/dinner person, not someone who eats lunch or snacks, but I do need liquids in the afternoon! I'm still by Starbucks, so I walk over around 3 p.m. and order one of the most expensive grande drinks I like on the board, something I'd usually get (I'd never get a drink larger than a grande anyway), and pay $2.
It's not bad. It cools me off and wakes me up for my late afternoon class and commute home.
But then again, that is all I buy all day. If you were buying lunch as well, that would get pricey. And sometimes I'd just rather save money by getting a 2.5 serving bottle of Arizona tea for .99 cents, if I'm not sleepy.
24I'm allergic to wheat, and there's no place to store food where I work. However there is a starbucks kiosk down the mall. There is only one other place I can get something that's gluten free for lunch (not always yummy), so I often have a nice big latte on my lunch-break. If I get a coffee before two, it's nice to sit around later with my roommates in the starbucks coffee shop near our place after work. I'm pretty new to the whole latte thing, but I like the promo. I'm no coffee addict, and I don't rely on the caffeine. Honestly, once it's over, I won't go more than once in a day, but it's fun while it lasts. Everything is a gimmick. All sales, all coupons, all discounts, from everywhere. It strikes me as fun little marketing ploy that will bring their quarter results up. Don't be mad you guys who think starbucks corp. is a demon, it's just another business trying to make it. *shrug*
25It's definitely a gimmick & you would think that when you redeem your receipt/coupon they would be a little nice. I don't know if it was the Starbucks I went to, but the girl at the counter was extremely rude & attitudy about redeeming it.
There are too many stipulations regarding it, depending upon where you purchase & redeem it. I find it's not worth it.
I've lately taken to making my own coffee or tea in order to curb unnecessary spending. It may not have those same "gourmet" touches, but I find it a lot easier to consume knowing it's not perculating my path to the poorhouse.
26I took advantage of the $2 drink offer several times. I realize I'm spending money but it feels like a deal when I get a grande vivanno or any grande drink of your choice. The Starbucks employees were always cool to me though I felt sheepish coming back for my "treat."
27SB's is never consistant with their brews it seems. I usually prefer Dunkin' Donuts but I met up with a friend for coffee at SB's and wasn't up for anything fancy so I just got a regular house brew... it tasted pretty good.
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