Starbucks Coffee

No Starbucks for me today, yesterday, day before...since the 1/5/2010. Miss my baristas...miss my 10% discount, miss the old SB that treated loyal customers well. They even "forgot" to send me a "new improved" gold card (and yes, I'm registered, and they have my correct address).

@Melody: I do support a Boycott...it appears that SB doesn't really listen to anything said on this site (or emails sent to local district managers), so really the only way to "speak" to them is through the wallet. I wholeheartedly support any and all who are leaving SB behind. I don't consider it "extreme" at all.

Hi, I am new to the rewards program though I have been a fan of Starbucks for some time. There's just one thing I'm not clear on: Is a star rewarded for each individual item you buy, or for each overall purchase? Example: If I buy a drink and a pastry would that be two stars or one? Thanks for your time.

Sadly, you are only give 1 star per transaction....so unless you plan to ring up your beverage and pastry separately (or stand in line twice), then you will only get 1 star.  

@BudGreen  Absolutely 100% on the same page.  I haven't been back since the 6th.  I would go back and buy coffee this instant if they would simply admit removing the 10% discount was a business decision instead of that insulting explanation.  Find me a single $25 card holder that suggested that the discount be removed.  I sent an email to customer support asking how to close my starbucks web account as well (haven't gotten a reply).

Day 8 of the boycott and still going strong. I took three other former gold card users with me. On our first get together at the local shop, we added up the loss of our purchases to Starbucks. If we boycott for a year Starbucks loses just over $10,000.00. We were all regular bean purchasers, and I bought logo merchandise quite often.

Now we buy certified fair trade coffee at $1 .89 to $2.74 LESS a pound at the local place.  They have a punch card system where you pay for 9 and the 10th is free. A REAL free drink.

Granted it isn't 10%, but overall it adds up to about 8.7% with the reduction in bean cost.  It's a far cry better than 6.6% on drinks alone if purchased separately. Oh BTW Starbucks, at my local shop if I buy a round of drinks for my friends, each drink is an individual punch on my card. 4 drinks purchased is 4 punches on my card.

The coffee isn't as consistent as Starbucks, but far from distasteful.

We all agree that if Starbucks returned the plan EXACTLY as it was with a 10% across the board discount and a $25.00 up  front fee, we would go back to Starbucks in an instant.

The crew was the real appeal to the local Starbucks. The coffee was consistently good if we got in before Pikes Puke started brewing, but the staff made the store worth going out of our way for.

I hope Starbucks is still reading the forums and will eventually reverse this bad course of action.

PEACE

Also Day 8 and doing well. You can add my $3000 (yes we actually track our spending) to your amount. I'm visiting Tully's and a local shop called Victor's.  I also miss my local crew, but I'm finding the people Victor's a very friendly, and make a consitently great mocha.

I'd have to seriously think long and hard about returning if the real Gold Card came back. I have a pretty bad taste in my mouth from that the way SB has handled this whole situation. But, I do still keep checking this site, apparently hoping that SB will realize their mistake. Something tells me, I'm checking in vain.

A point and a question:

* I've reduced my spending by about 30% since the new card came out (by not visiting as much); thanks for this, Starbucks! This is much better than the original 10% savings.

* I would like to load exactly 3.05 on my card at the time of each visit to cover the drink I'll be purchasing.  I can do that, right?

i've reduced my spending at starbucks 100% and increased my spending at Tully's 100% and saving more at the big T

Spending reduction? 100% here also...$100/month to $0. Great new program Starbucks.

If this new Gold card concept was somebody's idea they posted I vote they are shot

Well...I was planning on a reduction rather than a boycott, which I felt was a bit extreme considering I like the place and the people.  But today was the final nail in the coffin.  My venti iced coffee rang up at $3.24, 20% higher than the discounted price. On top of cancelling the real rewards program, they went and raised prices! On a dead simple brewed drink!  In less than 10 days, I went from feeling like a valued customer to feeling like Starbucks may be actively trying to shed folks like me.  Well, they're succeeding: I'm out.

SBUX financials: Sales $10 Billion, Income $400 Million, Howard Schultz net worth: $1 billion

Starbucks lackeys: please don't insult us further by telling us Starbucks can no longer afford to give us a 10% discount after we buy a $25 annual gold card. This is all about corporate greed.

Starbucks has spat in the faces of their best customers. Our responsibility is to never, ever buy another thing from them. I, for one, am permanently done with Starbucks - my new year's resolution. Fortunately we still have choices.

New gold card is very disappointing.  Although you advertised free syrup and soy, whether you actually get this perk depends on how the Starbucks employee rings up the sale (how I order is irrelevant).  Vanilla Latte = no free syrup while Latte add vanilla syrup = free syrup.  Also feel card is disincentive for die-hard customers like myself.  It seems I need to reduce my current 3 latte per day purchase down to only one to get the same stars as the next customer.  They get a free drink every 15 and I get one every 45 drinks.  Sure doesn't pay to be that loyal.   Typical to every new program, employees don't understand their own program and computers are not set up to make it full proof.  Please, please, please bring back 10% discount card, employees could understand that program and the more you purchased the more you were rewarded.

Dear FotoMoto, I spend $6,000 annually.  Not only do I feel foolish for doing so, it now aggrivates the hell out of me as well, thanks to the new gold card.  Having been a die-hard customer for well over 12 years, I think I finally have to admit defeat and call it a day.

Update to Starbucks

Sent this on 1/9/2010 got nothing from you but have save a lot of money in one week. Now make my two coffees at home before work (10.00 dollars) four day a week. Did not take coffees to Husband (20.00) on Friday. Did not go to Starbucks this weekend and pick up the coffee I need at shop own by some in the town I live (40.00 dollars). That is a 100.00 dollars this week and very week you will not make off me because I the costumer am not worth your time. I sent you e-mails and you could not even send back a got your e-mail.

sad sad sad

do not cheat the costumer

Posted on 1/9/2010 5:57 PM

by bad starbucks  

Say good bye to a long time and daily costumer.  If you look at my account you will see where I have gone to starbucks everyday for the last year I buy two are more coffees  every day using my card.   (that's 10 dollars a day minimum you do the math) A good while back you I bought a gift card so I could get the discount on my drinks.  You then came out with the gold card and then change that after I had paid 25.00 dollars just to be a member. Now you're  telling me oh we are changing again and making it  better ya -right. In the information you sent to me (and I read it very carefully)  nowhere did it say I had to put money on my card to get the benefits.  I am no dummy and do not appreciate you tying up my funds so you can get interest of my money till I buy my cup of coffee.  With the times as hard on people as they are you would think that keeping your loyal costumers would be at the fore front not how can we get one over on them. I know you do not care and no steps will be taken to correct this error in customer service but I do know other will benefit because now I will buy coffee beans from another company, I will save the money on coffee (two Mon-Thur, four or five I buy on Friday to take to my husband's job and the ones I buy on the weekends).  So starting tomorrow I will by my coffee anywhere but starbucks and I will encourage my friends to do the same. To think I have a very rude employee to thank for filling me in on the ways of starbucks.

sincerely,

(ex costumer after 15 years)

I went to Starbucks today and got a grande soy toffeenut latte. The barista swiped my goldcard and I paid for the drink using my personal credit card.

I understand that I do not get a star if I don't (at least partially) use one of my Starbucks cards for payment. But, does this apply to free syrup and free soy benefits as well?

I did not get these additional fees taken off today and am suspecting that it's because I have zero dollar on my card. This worked before when I had some cash on the card even though I paid for my coffee entirely with my personal credit card.

Let me know! Thanks!

If 15 stars make me gold an 30 keep my gold -- then what does 350 a year minimum make me  --- Stupid ?

Mailing coupons ? --- good for starbucks for breakage (% that won't be used) bad for me because I use the card to get credit and pay but it appears the communication is only one way.

15 to 1 when I was 10 to 1 with black ?  big deal -- especially when you don't recognize the amount of business I drive (see above).

A loyalty program that just makes people angry is not a really good idea --- makes Starbucks look penny wise and pound foolish.

Ok SB you have to see this new rewards program is not working out. You need to make some changes to let those of us that are loyal customers and have stayed with the new program that we mean something to you.

Why are there not respones after 12/29/2009 on the rewards card.

Because we are all just a bunch of whiners, and SB doesn't really care.

It's not that we are whiners but that Starbucks lied to us and it's a rotton deal and they really do not care.

They don't respond because they think we're idiots and hide behind the "But this was your idea!!" mantra.  Clearly, as a great many of us are protesting, this was *not* our idea.

Hello,

I want to say that for one am happy with the NEW GOLD program.  i did NOT like to buy into a discount program.

Secondly, at first it was stated that the gold status for the new program had to be re-earned every year, however now i heard a rumor that NEW GOLD IS GOLD FOR LIFE? is that true? if so you have one VERY happy customer.

for the record I spend several hundred a year at starbucks but i dont drink coffee.

P.s. would love to see the return of the oringinal green tea frap that was more green tea and less sugar.

I love the reponse on msi ---> I was bitting my fingernails waiting for the response  and there it was. Well said

mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaView

"we value EVERY customer","a free program that honors all of our customers, regardless of spend"

The entire - is Very well stated - Now that is an Extra Bold Stand.  

My membership expired on Jan 8, and my new card has not arrived.  It has become a joke at my local Starbucks - those of us in there every day, are all like 'Did it come yet?' 'Did you check the mail today?' - and meanwhile our poor baristas are ringing up each drink separately so that we get a star (f/k/a 10% discount) for each drink vs one for the entire purchase. My suggestions would be as follows:

1) Immediately overnite mail all gold members their cards with 5 free drink coupons because of all the hassle factor

2) Immediately change the discount program to give a star for each item purchased

3) Allow the option for us to print out coupons for free drinks by sending us an email with the last several digits of our card # on it, so we can have it immediately, and present it with our card for the freebie (if we choose that option, we print....if we don't, you mail it - just like our checking account statement suppression - we choose whether we want an online or paper statement)

4) Mail the birthday coupons 2 weeks before our birthday - not after for heaven's sake - you know the date - just change the system to send ahead.

5) Mail us coupons for things we actually purchase. I buy venti americanas, chai lattes, teas, and grande pikes drip, as well as ALL my beans.  I DON'T want a coupon for oatmeal or a tall coffee - what am I going to do with that?

6) APOLOGIZE for this disastrous launch

Why do people care so much about getting the stupid new gold card? You don't need the actual gold card to get the new gold level benefits! You can use any card registered on the account including your old gold (black) card! People need to stop whining.

Here's an idea:  instead of giving Starbucks the 'loan' on the gold card, let's show them really, how well this is working. When they ring up your drink, you'll have your gold card. If the total is $4.40, tell them to put $5 on your gold card, and then pay with your gold card! Everytime you go to buy a drink, load the card with the amount that you need to pay, and then pay! In a few months, when you're balance is close to your drink, you can simply pay straight from the card! Next time, you start over! It's already been a way to tell us how much they really DON'T listen or care about us.....

I am a gold card member and my membership ends on the 31st. I havent received anything new yet.

What should i do?

My gold card membership expires on January 17, 2010. Till now I did not receive the new card SB has promised. I emailed SB and did not receive a response. I tried to call SB several times and was shocked to hear a recording saying the customer service is receiving high volume of calls and could not accept any more calls. I have to agree the new program does not reward people like me who visit SB 4-5 times a week.

I did not know there are so many unhappy people out there who share the same sentiment. I feel better cos I am not alone :)

What is going on?! A previous remark in this thread said that birthday drink cards were mailed weekly.

My husband's birthday was on January 14th, still has not received his birthday drink card yet.  He emailed them a week ago, still no response.  We even tried to call the 1-800-Starbuc ph # and the automated system wouldn't even transfer him to a person!!  It just said that they were experiencing high volumes and couldn't take his call.  So what is the poor guy to do now!??

Your c-svc used to be top notch, now no emails are being replied to no calls are being accepted.  I have been a loyal customer through all the gold changes and I don't understand why there is mass chaos now?

I'm so glad I'm not alone in my frustration with the whole Starbucks Gold Card deal!! We were loyal customers and this is how they treat us! I've posted on so many discussion boards, but is there anything else I can be doing to get the message across to Starbucks corporate that I'm really disappointed in them?

I want to also say that they've lost hundreds of dollars out of me as well....and its not even February

I have noticed a brand new clientele at Starbucks because of the new my rewards program. It seems to be those types that once visited the Dounut shops or go to the Diners - places where people hang out and conversate and drink coffee. I believe it is Since the new my rewards that offers free refills.

Have Reg , decaf and extra bold dark roast available from open to close

My Starbucks Black Card expired as of 1/5/2010 and I STILL haven't received my new card as of yet.  The funny thing is that I bought my wife a Black Card after I bought (and registered) mine and she got her upgraded "Gold" Card in late December.  I'm not sure what to do at this point, as I called Customer Service and I got the standard, "They are on back-order and you should get your new card any day now".  As much as I love Starbucks, something as small as this is leaving a sour taste in my mouth, especially since it is associated with a loyalty program.  I would have been ok with Starbucks even sending out a letter noting that the cards have been delayed.......

Sleepless in San Jose (a.k.a., Pathfinderb)

The new rewards program is horrible.  I won't repeat all the complaints you've all heard before but at the very least, one thing MUST change:

I DO NOT WANT TO PUT MONEY ON MY SBUCKS CARD TO GET THE BENEFITS!!!  That just complicates my life.

Why would I put money into my checking account only to put it into a sbucks account only to spend it????  

Why don't I just put it into a swiss bank account first, then buy a GBP denominated CD, only to transfer it to an offshore bank account in the BVI, then have it stuffed into a suitcase and hand delivered to Howard Schultz so he can personally reload my sbucks card.....   so that one day I can actually buy a tall drip coffee with the money.

Ridiculous

Hey about the only thing you'll ever get out of Starbucks and these moderators is CORPORATE DOUBLE TALK.  They are all like politicians TALKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTHS.

2/8/2010 4:53 PM No, The store i go to we had in all 34 people with gold cards, all 34 got there new gold cards in december being you get to start at the 15 leval, in all 31 of the 34 people have thrown away there cards or do not use them,

YOU ASK WHY?

Well the economy is bad already and people have to load there cards with money to get the benefits and so on, Gold card holdersvyou got the discount without loading the card, I do not want to seperate my income for starbucks because you want me to load the card with funds its stupid really stupid, I see this program as a HUGE Failure in our store and in many of the az stores ive been told by regional managers and stores.

Please i beg please bring back the gold card, I paid for the membership, not no free membership, so many people cried we did not get it so what not everything is for everyone, starbucks gold lab has so many hate comments on loading the card sad thing is i spend 2.000$ plus a year,

Starbucks is the place for great Coffee

I too, have yet to receive my Gold Card, even though my old (Black) Gold Card expired some time ago and (obviously) was registered with a correct address.  

I even called SBUX and was told that "they were being shipped out in bulk" and I  "should have mine shortly".  I agree that I should have had mine shortly...I can only hope that when I am on my deathbed and my doctor informs me that my demise shall come "shortly", he/she is using SBUX's concept of time, for that will give me a great deal of life left to live...

I received my First ever Gold Card I am off to Starbucks

You screwed the pooch on this one. I usually went to starbucks DAILY, ain't coming back now.

I tried to use the new Gold Card program but the hassle was not worth it. I do not get soy or extra pumps of syrup so I get no discounts, adn the reloading is a complete hassle, with the black card I could use any medium of payment I choose!! Not only am I not coming back to Starbucks, but I had Customer service discontinue my gold card and remove it form my account after i trashed it. Sorry but the only reward with that card is that its shiny!!

While I like the idea of getting free drinks, I'm not happy with the fact that I'm paying more money for my drink since white chocolate is not considered a syrup, but a sauce.  My recommendation would to change white mocha from a sauce to a syrup so people such as myself can get it for free.  As mentioned in other comments, why not create anoter level of rewards (e.g., after 90 visits - a free drink every 10 to 12 stars).

Of all the ways I dislike the new gold card, the most disturbing to me is that it has to be loaded in order to get credit for drinks.  If I load my card, I am PAYING interest on my credit card while Starbucks is MAKING interest on my money.   I can live with the "stars", but refuse to load my card.  This is where years of loyalty to Starbucks gets me?

i have stop going to starbucks everyday since 1/6/2010 i have saved over $705.60 as of today!

Thanks sbuxs for canceling the 10% off card. I still have the same coffee, plus more, but i make it at home and it cost me $1.40 a cup instead of $5.53 x 2 or 3 a day

There is a (very) small group on Facebook that is against the new program. I seriously love Starbucks, but when my discount runs out, I will be using it less and less.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=103595179674837&ref=ts

I wish I knew how to organize a twitter campaign!

darreninamerica on twitter

I am glad about the free tea refills, but I have seen no indication of what that means.  Does it mean more hot water or another tea bag (or 2 tea bags if that is what served for the original order)?

I have a question about the reward program.  At the green level it says free syrup and free milk.  I am not sure if you can use it this way but could I order a Triple Vanilla Latte this way:  3 shots of espresso with the syrup & milk free?  Since it would be cheaper to order it this way.

Thanks