I couldn’t believe what I was reading, “Starbucks to roll out $450 gift card” courtesy of USA Today.
For real? I felt like the guys from ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast crew, “C’mon, man!”
If you didn’t see the story: Apparently a $7 cup of coffee isn’t good enough, so they’re now selling a gift card made completely of steel (just like your stomach must be to drink their coffee) for $450. The good news is that it comes pre-loaded with $400 in credits, so it’s really only a $50 card with $400 of coffee on it, but still. My question is: Is this too much? Has Starbucks finally gone overboard? What purpose does this serve? What’s wrong with the iPhone app? It works the same!
Of course, being an investigative journalist for this burgeoning website, I decided to research deeper. Apparently, this card is only going to be available on the website Gilt.com. What is Gilt? It’s a smorgasbord of $85,000 watches and $1,500 pairs of shoes. You know…just in case your Timex ever runs out of batteries. And there are no other batteries available. Anywhere. Ever again.
Do I have you sufficiently fired up? Are you tired of this all-you-can-eat-and-then-eat-some-more-until-you’re-utterly-exhausted-type of consumerism? Have you had enough?
Me neither.
I absolutely love it. I think it’s the worlds most awesome thing that people exist who buy $450 Starbucks cards and $1,500 loafers. I’m so happy that those people have a heartbeat. I’m not personally overly materialistic, but I do have some nice things and I have things on my “wish list” that someday I’d like to buy. On the very top of that list is a red Ferrari. I just think it would be cool. And no, I’ve never driven one. Someday? We’ll see.
I love the fact that we’re able to make our own buying choices, and for the most part, must pay the consequences of those actions (except the federal, state, and local governments. Don’t get me started). Consumer spending counts for nearly 70% of our GDP. I say: the more the merrier. I hope they sell out of those cards. They’re only making 5,000 of them, so by my math that’s $2,000,000 of pre-bought coffee.
That’s a whole lot of no-whip peppermint mocha lattes.
I suppose if you make a few million a year a $450 gift card really isn’t that much. A bit hard for most people to imagine buying, though.
It isn’t on my list, but I’m with you: if I had millions what’s $50?
I saw this story yesterday too, and I think my favorite part was how reverent the PR people were when talking about the card. “With only 5000, many baristas will never see one.” So what, if they do, they’re in the presence of a god or something?
I’m sure it’ll sell like hotcakes, but I wish as a society we cared less what others think. =/
Ha! They are, Mrs. PoP….the great god named Grande.
$450 to prepay and get only $400 worth of already overpriced coffee? Really?
Really. Isn’t that awesome?
I think it was a great move by Starbucks. The story is getting a ton of attention and they will likely have a few customers that are even more loyal after they buy one. Sounds win win to me from Starbucks view.
You hit the nail exactly, Lance. Huge attention move. Well, it wasn’t until we talked about it (only showed up in newspapers…who reads those?). But now that OG has put it on our blog…Starbucks is probably calling me right now.
I’m not sure I understand how it works based on what you wrote about the $50 and $400 part but two things struck me when I saw the headlines the other day: One, there’s no way I would ever buy this (because it’s too expensive and I don’t like Starbucks) and two, I know a lot of people probably would, espeically if it somehow works out to give them a discount (say if it was $400 and came with $450 of spending power). For people that go every day, something like that would save them money in the long term, it’s just that they’d be spending up front, so hopefully this wouldn’t go on a credit card.
That’s what’s amazing: there is no discount. You read it correctly. The card COSTS $50 and you get $400 in coffee. You PAY $50 for the “honor” of having the card. In this case, membership without any other privileges than “I’m one of the 5,000 people on earth who have this card.”
I echo Pauline’s sentiment. Though I am certain it’ll sell out in no time.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it already was sold out.
Oh, Starbucks. I despise your burnt taste coffee and how you market yourself, but I can’t deny your mass-market appeal. People will purchase this stupid gift card and love it. They just want to be a part of something that Starbucks creates. Many people pride themselves on being a part of the “club” and this one will be exclusive with only 5,000 members. I would never do it and I frown upon those that would. Congrats to Starbucks for creating the buzz.
Agreed, Grayson. We can all learn from the Starbucks/Apple marketing lessons…..
I want that card…but I want it to be made entirely of gold, dusted with diamonds, and encrusted with emeralds 😉
They’ll call it the Christa Card!
$450 for a card – and for some people, that’s less than 2 months of coffee (400/7).
I’m looking forward to a blogger getting it and finding a way to explain it away!
They’ll probably pretend they don’t have one. Just like all the brilliant stock picks you read about.
I like Starbucks coffee, but this is just insane. And $1500 loafers? Who are these people?
The same people, Mackenzie, who do all their shopping in the SkyMall catalog.
Good for the people that can afford it! Of course I hope they do more wise things with their money, but $400 is chump change to many. I don’t think I spend that much a year in coffee, but realistically I could spend that over the course of a couple of years. Do I care to have the card though? Not at all.
Man, Jason, I agree. If they’re spending $450 on the card then hopefully they’re giving thousands to charity.
Yes I read about those $7 coffees at Starbucks and really I don’t fancy them at all to be honest. Starbucks is so glamourized in my opinion and it reminds me of a post I did about being a grocery store snob. I remember Mrs.CBB telling me a story about her mates at work talking about why one doesn’t go to Starbucks and the other goes to Tim Horton’s where the low wage earners go. What a crock of pathetic that was. I’m not surprised… to be honest.. and you know what though. Even if I had money to burn you still wouldn’t catch me drinking $7 Lattes I’d be spending my money on something that will last me more than 5 minutes of pleasure. Great post mate.. nice laugh…
That’s a big-ass coffee in the $7 cup. I’m already hyper. I can’t imagine how I’d be then….
Yeesh. This is for the people that have those diamond-studded cell phone cases, I’d imagine.
I agree with the Ferrari concept, though – we all have that one thing that, impractical as it might be, tops the list for when we join the “$1,500 Sneaker Club.” I have to stay out of Coach stores for that reason…
I bet they go together nicely, Jennifer (the cell phone case and this card).
I’d love it if I got a $450 gift certificate! It would last me forever and could get lunches and snacks too! lol! no seriously!
At $7 a drink it would last me about two weeks.
I would like one for my birthday. Just saying. Also, I have once worked at any event to paid in Starbucks gift cards. Best weekend ever.
Duly noted. I wrote here “accidently forget to send Marissa the $450 card on her birthday.” Got it!
From a marketing perspective Starbucks scored big time coup with this! From a personal finance perspective…well…I’ll continue to use my plastic one with the birthday motif. But I’d be happy to receive the steel $450 one!
My wife has already sent me “hints” on email for a stocking stuffer. I think that you are all forgetting that you do get something for free with this new card. You also get an automatic enrollment into Starbucks Gold Card loyalty program that gives you a free coffee on your birthday and one free coffee for every 15 purchased.
The comment of the day goes to…..Hank! I didn’t start laughing really hard until the “one free coffee for every 15 purchased” part. Epic.
What happens when it’s used up? Will the salvage shop take it. I think they pay like $8/ton for steele or something like that. I don’t like coffee, so I don’t get it, but if you gave me a gift card to the convenience store so I could get my fountain sodas that would be sweet.
How about a steel 7-11 Gift Card for Big Gulps AND Slim Jims?
I love it as well! I think of it like the movie Up In The Air, where he gets a platinum frequent flyer card for reaching 1,000,000 miles! It is more of a status symbol than anything else!
That is insane!!! I hate Starbucks, it’s too strong. That is definitely not a gift I would want!
Have you told Greg? I’m sure this was #1 on his shopping list.
Just curious. If I am ever that wealthy…is there a more ritzy coffee shop other than starbucks….like is starbucks the middle classes ritzy coffee shop…
Starbucks like the gas station coffee for the rich?
Haha sometimes my mind wanders off topic.
That’s fantastic! I’m envisioning a coffee shop that if you have to ask how much the coffee costs, you’re in the wrong place.
Holy moly. I’d say that should do someone for a year. That would be the only gift I bought someone I loved a lot, if I had a ton of money, and I’d wrap it in a huge box so they got adequately excited. Do they get any perks like line hopper passes for having a steel card?
Over the top? Surely you jest! Actually I would like to slip one of these Starbucks gift cards into my Hermès crocodile Birkin, please. Oh wait. Steel, you say? I am so sorry. Only titanium cards gloss across these fingertips.
I give Starbucks gift cards, but a lot less than $450! I don’t get the part of paying $50 for the card material though. I guess it doesn’t matter because I would never give that much on a Starbucks card.
That’s insane! Although lots of people really do like their coffee and $450 would only last most people a couple of months.
Still, that’s a little unusual.
Absolutely ridiculous by any measure. You could spend that money on a coffee maker and enough coffee to last you for an entire year!
Not gonna lie – this would be the PERFECT gift for my mom. Or for me. We both have bad chai tea habits. We’ve both been Starbucks “gold card” members for years, and love our free gift after every 12 purchases. My mom would really kill for a steel card!!!
Another example of how there is a market for just about anything out there, and people with money to throw around like it’s going out of style. I’ll give them credit for getting attention with something so over the top and getting attention and further awareness.
How many of us know people that hit up a Starbucks everyday? I know quite a few… So let’s take it this was $7 Dollar coffee X 30 Days = $210.00 a month spent on the “juice”. Now that gift card gives them less then a 2 month fix, and costs them $50 for the “privilege” to show off the steel card. I think I can come up a better use for the funds – even as others have said buy a coffee maker and make your own!
Maybe my favorite oldest brother and his wife will get me one of these fancy cards for Christmas…..