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Starbucks succeeds (again) by selling 'exclusivity'

December 10, 2013 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

For the second year in a row, Starbucks created and sold gold metal giftcards pre-loaded with $400. The price tag, however, was $450, because each "collector's card" was handmade, featuring what one Starbucks spokesperson described as "Artisan rose base metal with rose-colored coating and laser-etched traditional lettering."

Although last year the coffee chain issued 5,000 cards of the special cards, it only sold 1,000 this year. It sold out within seconds during Friday's online sale.

"It is a collector's item and is very rare since only 1,000 of them were produced," according to the spokesperson. "We made the deliberate decision to only offer 1,000 of these limited edition Metal Starbucks Cards to elevate the experience and make it even more exclusive and premium."

The fact that the cards have been sold is not stopping hardcore Starbucks fans from getting their hands on one. As of today, several cards are still for sale on Ebay, ranging in price from $800 to $1,800.

Can you say, "Marketing genius?" Starbucks has fans so in love with its brand that they will pay an extra $1,300 just for the privilege of flashing an "exclusive card." You can't buy that type of advertising or loyalty.

As restaurant operators and marketers, what has been your most successful campaign to build loyalty or create a following? Leave your comments below.

About Cherryh Cansler

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Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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