Starbucks re-vamping their rewards program.

[bhlombardy]

Just go this via email... not sure I'm super impressed with the changes, but it might be beneficial for some.


Attachment 306241

[Ciel]

Saw the news too. At least I won't have to load the card first all the time-I understand for the birthday freebie-so this new program is going to work like most loyalty programs, you earn something for every $1 spent.

[Decaf]

Got the email too.

to this new program.

(I have to spend $210 to get a free item. No thank you!)

[salady]

Ah, I see. Well then. Goodbye, Starbucks!

[Ciel]

A croissant is over $2 so that would mean 4 stars would get applied to my card when the new program is in effect. That just might get me into their shop more often.

[lilo0003]

My coffee is currently 1 star at 2.00 a cup. If it is now worth 4 stars then it will take forever to get free item. The only time this is going to work is when I buy something for the kids or DH which is maybe once a month. I am trying to kill my coffee habit so thanks Starbucks for helping me achieve that.

[Edm Erin]

Glad I already switched to Second Cup. They still have the points per dollar spent system, but I don't have to load any money onto my card in advance and I don't need gold level to qualify for a free purchase. Thanks Starbucks for reinforcing my switch.

[avocado300]

I am ok with this. I only go to Starbucks every so often but I get a grande specialty latte so it is around $5. I am happy to get 10 stars instead of just 1.

[bhlombardy]

I am ok with this. I only go to Starbucks every so often but I get a grande specialty latte so it is around $5. I am happy to get 10 stars instead of just 1.

I think you missed the point, however. Starbucks isn't doing anyone any favours here, as those stars are worth less than they used to be...



So for your usual $5 beverage (does that include tax? - probably, and tax is not factored into the equation), so you'll get 8 stars (not 5 - your drink is likely $4.39 before tax) instead of 1... you're getting 8x more than you do today, granted. But it's going to cost you 125 stars for a free item, when it used to be 12 (that's a bit more than 10x). Kudos, you're getting about 25% LESS star-value than you did before. But let's talk dollars...

In your specific case, you used to spend $60 (incl tax, because it was 1-star per transaction... $5 x 12 transactions is $60) to get a free item... come April you'll have spend somewhere in the vicinity of $75 before you get enough stars for a free item. (or maybe a bit less, *if* the .39 from the $4.39 is accounted for and tallies up toward stars... but I wouldnt count on it.)


For people like me, my $2 coffee (which is $1.75 before tax) currently nets me 1 star. To achieve 12 stars, it currently costs me $24, after tax. But now, it's going to cost me about $72 (including tax) in coffee before I get a free item. Sorry, but that's just not worth it.


I can get my coffee cheaper at McDonalds (about $1.40 incl. tax). Each cup has a sticker and when I've collected 7 stickers, I get any medium hot beverage I want (of any kind) for free. And for what it's worth, I get a sticker attached to the free beverage, and I only need to buy 6 more for the next one (so about $8 to collect 7 stickers there-after).

And they don't know my name, where I live, and I don't need a special app to pay for them, nor collect them.

[cookiemonster]

Wow, this makes me very unhappy. My husband's (just under) $3 coffee used to be 3x12=$36... redeemed for a free frap for the kids. Now at 2 pts per dollar, so 5 pts (since it is just under $3) it will take 25 ($74) coffees to get a free one instead of 12.

[bhlombardy]

To reverse engineer the math... regardless what you buy

You need 125 stars for a free item...
you earn 2 stars / $1 spent...
Means you need to spend no less than $62.50+tax (so roughly $72 out of pocket) to get a free item.

And that's assuming that your partial dollars accumulate toward full dollars and hence stars.


*oh, and stars expire after 6 months Good luck!

[Decaf]

"*oh, and stars expire after 6 months Good luck!"

What!?!? Not per year? I have a hard time maintaining my gold status at the current program.

I'll stick with Mcdonald's then. I'll get a free drink for spending less than $12.

425 stars for a free drink/food.

[Kerricakes]

I am happy about this. Right now I only get 1 star when I buy one beverage on my Starbucks card. When I buy 3 for me, hubby an daugther I still onl get one star. If I ask them to ring each drink in separately which is super annoying, I would get 3 stars. We usually spend $15 when all 3 get a drink which is once a month. Plus I buy $5 beverages two days a week. This means for me every month or little over a month I'll get a star. I am very happy with this change as right now it takes me 3-4 months to get one.

[bhlombardy]

I am happy about this. Right now I only get 1 star when I buy one beverage on my Starbucks card. When I buy 3 for me, hubby an daugther I still onl get one star. If I ask them to ring each drink in separately which is super annoying, I would get 3 stars. We usually spend $15 when all 3 get a drink which is once a month. Plus I buy $5 beverages two days a week. This means for me every month or little over a month I'll get a star. I am very happy with this change as right now it takes me 3-4 months to get one.

Yea but you'll need 125 stars for a free item not 12. According to your buying habits it'll take you about the same amt of time to get your free item

However, Look above to my earlier post... your stars are not worth as much, despite that you're getting more of them. It's going to cost you more money out of your pocket to earn your free item than it used to.

[MapleLeaves]

Hey, why did everyone not notice the other important fact that all current gold members would be switched back to "green level" starting April? And that starting from that point we would all need 300 stars ($150 purchase before tax) to become gold member again, and then we can think about getting free item after achieving ANOTHER 125 stars (- $62.5 before tax)?

Basically, starting April, you'll need to spend minimum $212.5 before tax to get you first free item, and then every $62.5 before tax for the next one.

Bye, Starbucks!