What the Starbucks Bear Cup Rush Says About Coffee Store Demand

Starbucks stores across North America saw long early-morning lines on November 6, when the holiday collection launched with a limited glass bear cold brew cup that had earlier appeared in South Korea. Priced at $29.95, the cup sold out fast, with some locations stocking only one or two, and unhappy customers confronted staff. On resale platforms it has been listed above $1,500, more than ten times its retail price.

The brand apologized but has not released production numbers or restocking plans. The appeal comes from the bear shape with a knit hat, its photo-friendly design, and the limited and exclusive labels, all of which drive coffee store demand. The episode also echoes broader specialty coffee interest in collectible drinkware, where scarcity and social media attention can push prices far past the original tag.

The scene of a cup being hard to find has once again played out at Starbucks stores across North America. On November 6, the day the holiday collection launched, a glass bear cold brew cup that had previously appeared in the South Korean market became the focus of a buying frenzy. Consumers began lining up in the freezing wind in the early hours, yet some stores could offer only one or two in stock, sparking customer dissatisfaction and conflicts. Even more astonishing, this cup, originally priced at less than $30, has been listed on second-hand trading platforms for over $1,500, a markup of more than ten times. Although the brand publicly apologized, it did not disclose specific production numbers or restocking plans.

▲

Click to follow | Daily specialty coffee culture magazine Coffee Workshop

At midnight, the vast majority of people had long since fallen asleep. Yet in the early hours of November 6, Starbucks fans in North America braved the biting cold wind and spontaneously gathered outside coffee stores, forming long lines as they waited for the moment the doors would open.

What triggered this rare scene outside Starbucks stores in North America was a glass bear cup recently launched by the brand. It is reported that November 6 happened to be the day Starbucks' full holiday collection launched, and on that day stores across North America not only brought out highly anticipated Hello Kitty collaboration merchandise, but also stocked a glass bear cup that had previously been sold at Starbucks in South Korea.

According to the official description, this glass cold brew cup shaped like a bear wearing a knit hat was available in limited quantities at only some North American stores, priced at $29.95 (about 213 yuan). After purchase, consumers could have their drink poured directly into the glass cup and take it away on the spot.

Perhaps precisely because its design is appealing and suitable for photos to share, combined with the added labels of "limited edition" and "exclusive," this bear cup had already attracted a great deal of fan attention before its official release. Many users counted down the days, waiting only for the early hours of November 6 to rush to a nearby Starbucks store and hopefully become the lucky first person in the store to get the limited-edition item.

However, what happened next caught many fans who joined the rush completely off guard. Multiple people posted on social media that before the store doors had even opened, they saw through the floor-to-ceiling glass that staff preparing to open the store took the bear cups off the shelves and bought them themselves. Others said that when they asked staff after arriving at the store, they were told the bear cups displayed on the shelves were "not for sale."

In addition, many consumers pointed out that although the bear cup had attracted widespread attention early on and a large number of netizens had left comments under the official account expressing their desire to buy, upon actually arriving at stores they found that some locations could only produce one or two bear cups to cope with this wave of buying frenzy. This directly led some customers to get into physical altercations in stores over the limited-edition cup, and many netizens subsequently posted on social platforms criticizing the brand's move as hunger marketing that ignored consumer experience.

It is worth noting that because demand far exceeded supply, the price of this bear cup on the second-hand market has climbed all the way up and has now risen more than tenfold. From screenshots shared by netizens, some people were even willing to bid $1,500 (about 10,681 yuan) in an attempt to secure this distinctive Starbucks bear cup through auction.

In response to the public's enthusiasm for this limited-edition bear cup, a Starbucks spokesperson said in an email statement sent to media: "(Users') excitement for our merchandise even exceeded our biggest expectations. Although more bear cups were sent to cafes before the holiday season event than any other item, they still sold out quickly."

Regarding the various complaints users reported online, the spokesperson responded: "We understand many consumers' excitement about the bear cup and apologize for any disappointment it may have caused." However, the statement did not disclose how many cups were initially produced, nor did it mention whether inventory would be replenished later, saying only that "more exciting merchandise will be coming this holiday."

Image source: Internet

Disclaimer: Some images in this article are from the Internet. For some content on the website, such as images, we will respect the original author's copyright and indicate the source. However, due to the large volume, some images and texts may not have been credited in time. Please understand. If the original author has any dispute, they may contact the website for handling. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. Compiled and edited by "Coffee Workshop." Please indicate the source when reposting. If there is infringement, please inform us for deletion. Thank you ~ !

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.