How the Launch of Starbucks’ Bearista Cup Caused Chaos Nationwide
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Key Takeaways
- The viral Starbucks Bearista Cup caused a nationwide uproar on its launch day, selling out in seconds at most locations.
- Customers and employees expressed disappointment over the failed launch, with some stores not even included in the launch.
- Starbucks issued a formal apology in response to the controversy but isn’t’ currently planning on restocking the Bearista cup.
If you happened to drive by your local Starbucks at 3 a.m. on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 6, and saw a line of people standing outside, you might have assumed that there was some sort of coffee shortage. Turns out, the frenzy was all over a bear (and sometimes, a cat).
Chaos ensued yesterday at Starbucks retailers across the country yesterday as customers vied to get their hands on the most viral piece of Starbucks holiday merchandise this year: the Starbucks Bearista cup. This small glass cup is shaped like a bear holding a Starbucks cup, and comes with a lid designed to look like a green Starbucks beanie.
Unfortunately, the launch of the Bearista cup didn’t go as expected, with merchandise shortages nationwide and physical altercations breaking out at some locations, leaving many customers empty-handed.
Launch Leaves Fans Frustrated
According to several different employees I spoke with, Starbucks left many stores out of the launch entirely, which limited customers’ access to new merchandise. With no way to determine which stores were participating in the launch, many customers reported that they waited in line while their nearest Starbucks opened, only to enter and find out that the store wasn’t participating in the merchandise drop at all.
Things were made especially chaotic by the fact that the launch coincided with Starbucks’ the release of Starbucks’ limited-edition Hello Kitty collection. As it turned out, there simply wasn’t enough merchandise to go around.
Each participating Starbucks retailer was given around 1-4 Bearista cups, along with 1-4 pieces of Hello Kitty merchandise items, without clear directions on how many of each item customers could buy. This meant that customers often left with nothing, even if they were second in line.
Starbucks Releases Official Apology
After the Bearista cup debacle, Starbucks issued an official apology to its customers.
“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations, and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” a spokesperson for Starbucks said. “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”
Will there be a Bearista restock? The answer is likely no, so if you want one, you’ll have to buy it from a reseller, currently priced at $25-$300, to one viral listing priced at $10,000. Starbucks has promised that more exciting holiday merchandise will be available soon, however, and at least we have Red Cup Day to look forward to.
