10-08-2006, 06:30 PM
This:
http://tinyurl.com/fv2vg
says:
It led me to this:
http://tinyurl.com/zlbpk
which says:
It's confirmed: Starbucks is fine with all of this. And by definition, if Starbucks is fine with it, then it's not stealing. By definition, they're inviting you to be creative and do what you wish with the condiments.
It just turned out that some nosy busybodies decided that corporate was "wrong" and thought they had to spout off about it.
Well, it says Starbucks on the door--not "cutebaristabucks".
From the Tribune article, this pretty much sums it up:
Please allow me to repeat that last point, as it is crucial to understanding much of the consumer world today and to understanding the underlying business model of Starbucks and places like it:
http://tinyurl.com/fv2vg
says:
The official word from Starbucks is that they're cool with the Ghetto Latte. "Customization is a fundamental attribute of the Starbucks Experience. We provide condiments to our customers so they can make their drinks to their liking and we appreciate their patronage. We trust our customers to make the choices that are right for them," Starbucks Gossip reports.
It led me to this:
http://tinyurl.com/zlbpk
which says:
A report on Starbucks Gossip, starbucksgossip.typepad.com, a site not affiliated with the company, said Starbucks' response to the flap is: "Customization is a fundamental attribute of the Starbucks Experience. We provide condiments to our customers so they can make their drinks to their liking and we appreciate their patronage. We trust our customers to make the choices that are right for them." Although the statement isn't found on Starbucks' official Web site, a company spokesman confirmed that this is the official position. Also, the manager of the Michigan Avenue store said she has been told not to interfere with bootleg latte makers.
It's confirmed: Starbucks is fine with all of this. And by definition, if Starbucks is fine with it, then it's not stealing. By definition, they're inviting you to be creative and do what you wish with the condiments.
It just turned out that some nosy busybodies decided that corporate was "wrong" and thought they had to spout off about it.
Well, it says Starbucks on the door--not "cutebaristabucks".
From the Tribune article, this pretty much sums it up:
Joel Goldhar, professor at the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology, was called to comment as someone with expertise in business ethics. He didn't see it as a question of ethics, however, but capitalism in action.
"I believe in capitalism," Goldhar said, "and prudent people who see the same product at different prices will find a way to get the cheaper one. What's the difference between the Starbucks thing and my flying to Florida for $175 while the person in the seat next to me is paying $450? If your diesel car runs on home heating oil, which is cheaper, maybe you think about getting a 500-gallon tank installed. If you order a coffee in a cafe on the Champs Elysees, what are you really buying? Not the coffee. You're buying the view, and you're buying it with the cheapest thing on the menu."
He said that too much marketing today is to convince people that the same things are different, or as one online commentator noted of the Starbucks latte, "It's strong coffee with milk in it."
Please allow me to repeat that last point, as it is crucial to understanding much of the consumer world today and to understanding the underlying business model of Starbucks and places like it:
He said that too much marketing today is to convince people that the same things are different...