Starbucks Gold Card


Location: All Starbucks Locations

Author: My Husband

Several months ago, I received an offer from Starbucks (via email) to become a member of their Starbucks Gold Card pilot program. I was a little surprised, to say the least; while I would consider myself a good Starbucks customer, I certainly didn’t think I was that good. But since I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I signed up. (As this program was supposedly extended to their ‘best’ customers, I got a little alarmed and went through my records to figure out what I had bought at Starbucks in the last little while. Budget wise, I don’t mind being a ‘good’ customer, but I have no aspirations to be one of their ‘best’ customers…)

The Starbucks Gold Card program was introduced in two test markets – Vancouver and Denver – earlier in the summer. Why these two cities? Well, I don’t know about Denver, but Vancouver is one of Starbuck’s top-tier markets. What makes it so? Well, let me offer up one example: the constant over-the-top line-up of customers at the two store locations on Robson & Thurlow, enough said? :-)

A good 10 weeks after I signed up for the program, the card finally found its way into my hands.

Starbucks Gold Card

Starbucks Gold Card
Share on Facebook

It looks very much like a Christmas edition Starbucks card, nicely understated with some interesting detailing. I’m relieved it isn’t all blinged up with chrome or gold paint or blinking lights – it’s actually something I wouldn’t hesitate to use.

So what does the Starbucks Gold Card offer? Well, as far as I can tell – you get a free drink for every ten that you buy, a “gift drink” on your birthday, as well as access to discounts on “friends and family” days (see the letter below for Starbuck’s take on the program). In return, Starbucks gets to understand their customers’ buying habits better, and will be able to tailor their products and services to serve specific markets more effectively. I suppose this is one of the pillars for rebuilding the business, given the challenges that Starbucks has been facing lately.

Starbucks Gold Card

Will the card change my coffee drinking habits? Well, I don’t think I will drink any more than I currently do. And I will certainly continue to patronize Artegiano, JJ Bean, Tim’s and others for variety - but I think that free drink after every 10 will incent me to be a little more loyal to *$ from now on.

Hmmm…all this writing is making me thirsty, now where did I put that card…..

7-Nov-2008 Update:
The Gold pilot program ended on Oct 31. Starbucks has officially rolled out the Starbucks Gold program in the USA. Learn more about it here: Starbucks Gold

Related Article(s)

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

Comments and Other Posts

Comments
9 Comments
Comment Feed
Other Posts
Bin 941 Tapas Parlour
Kedah House Restaurant and Cafe

Sponsored by:


Write a Comment

Take a moment to comment and tell us what you think. Some basic HTML is allowed for formatting.

Reader Comments

Comment Number:
1
Written by:
Wendy
Posted on:
October 10, 2008 at 4:09 pm

Do you see your name on the card and the letter? Someone told me that there should be your name on the card and the welcome letter.

Comment Number:
2
Written by:
webmaster
Posted on:
October 10, 2008 at 6:13 pm

Wendy, yes my name is on the card and letter. But in the interest of maintaining my Mysterious Blogger persona, :-) I’ve edited out that information on the posted photos.

As an aside, I just received an email from Starbucks stating that the pilot program will end on Oct 31. If the response from the pilot users was good, I would guess that a slightly reworked Gold Card program will be rolled out to the larger market.

Comment Number:
3
Written by:
Casey Billups
Posted on:
October 15, 2008 at 5:51 am

“I’m relieved it isn’t all blinged up with chrome or gold paint or blinking lights”

Hehe, that made me laugh. I got mine yesterday and it’s matte black with a gold cup in the middle.

I’m in VA, but I just got my invite mid september so I’m surprised it took them so long to get you yours. So far, I’ve transfered my balance and the auto-reload from my old card and it seems to work and give you all of the benefits of the registered starbucks card as well as the 1 in 10 thing and random goodies throughout the year.

I’d probably buy it for the proposed $25, as I just spend enough there yearly for that to work out in my favor, but free is better.

Comment Number:
4
Written by:
webmaster
Posted on:
October 16, 2008 at 8:42 pm

Hey Casey, yeah I’d almost forgotten about the card until I saw it in the mail. It probably got stuck at the border sitting in some mail backlog.

That said, now that I’ve been partaking of the buy 10 get 1 offer, I think it’s awesome!

Comment Number:
5
Written by:
jake
Posted on:
October 21, 2008 at 12:53 am

hawaii just got these cards too. ours looks a lot cooler and nice haha. its pure black with a gold cup in the middle.

Comment Number:
6
Written by:
leonardo
Posted on:
October 24, 2008 at 3:01 pm

how can I obtain a card.

Comment Number:
7
Written by:
webmaster
Posted on:
October 24, 2008 at 4:31 pm

Leonardo: The Gold program will be rolled out in North America in early November - I assume you will be able to walk into any *$ store and purchase the card.

More info here: Starbucks Gold

[ET]

Comment Number:
8
Written by:
ion
Posted on:
October 25, 2008 at 2:15 pm

do you get free starbucks internet with this card? i believe you do with the standard card (but have to register?)

Comment Number:
9
Written by:
webmaster
Posted on:
October 26, 2008 at 1:22 am

Ion, I actually haven’t tried accessing the internet @ *$. I pop-in, get my drink, and leave; but theoretically, the version of the Gold card I have is supposed to include all the features of my registered *$ card, so internet access should be included. But knowing that there are several versions (with different T&C’s) of the Gold card out there, YMMV…

[ET]