COFFEE chain Starbucks Philippines promises its patrons to still extend the same coffee experience even in the comfort of their homes as consumers turn online to purchase their favorite coffees.
And even with the pandemic, Starbucks said it will continue its sticker-collecting tradition this year with four differently designed planners.
Keith Cole, head of marketing and category of Starbucks Philippines, said what they now see in the middle of the pandemic is people migrating their coffee experiences from in-store to home.
He said they saw a shift toward delivery orders, especially at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when non-essential stores like theirs were mandated by the government to temporarily close shop.
“We looked to digital to continue engaging with our customers,” he said, adding that they have also enhanced their digital platform and even partnered with a third-party delivery services firm GrabFood to bring their food and beverages to customers. They also offered drive-thru services.
But as quarantine restrictions were gradually eased, Starbucks Philippines slowly reopened its branches with safety of employees, suppliers and customers in mind.
Cole said more than 80 percent of the Starbucks branches have been opened in some key cities in the country. They look forward to more branch reopenings as soon as strict quarantine protocols in other cities will be lifted.
“Our stores have fewer people in them (for now),” said Cole. “But as the government relaxes conditions and regulations, we are seeing customers returning to our stores,” he said.
Stickers
Even with the losses in revenue since the lockdown in March and people still following the stay-at-home order, the coffee chain announced it will continue its annual sticker-collecting tradition this year, which kicked off on Nov. 3 and will go on until January 2021.
It also released holiday beverages and some merchandise meant to spur holiday spending.
“This year, our global message “Carry the Merry” is an invitation for everyone to celebrate the spirit of the season, by sharing the love and gratitude through Starbucks holiday staples that bring them cheer,” said Cole.
Consumers need only to collect a total of 18 stickers using either the paper promo card or the e-promo card in Starbucks Philippines’ mobile app with one sticker awarded for any purchase of a tall, grande or venti handcrafted beverage. (KOC)