This news article in USA Today truly caught my eye. This week, Starbucks will start offering a $450 steel card. Yes, it’s a Starbucks card made out of metal. The card comes loaded with $400.00 on it, and according to the USA Today article, the cost to make the card is $50.00. The only way to buy this unique card is to order it through Gilt.com.
Unfortunately, Starbucks will only be making 5000 of these cards. That’s a depressingly tiny number. They’ll be sold out fast. If even 1% of Starbucks gold card holders want one, they’d need to produce something like 30,000 cards, by my best guess. And then there are the many people who simply like collecting Starbucks cards. I’m really not sure if I’ll be buying one – that is expensive in my book. And even if I want one, with only 5,000 being produced, it’s possible I just won’t be able to get one before they’re sold out.
Still, it’s an incredibly interesting thing they’re doing. About two years ago, there was indeed a metal card “idea” at MyStarbucksIdea.com. I think that person just got his or her wish.
It appears that on Thursday, December 6, 2012, the cards will first be available on Gilt.com, and it appears that existing Starbucks card holders have the first chance to order one.
Is anyone here going to grab a steel Starbucks card from Gilt.com?
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I agree with the USA Today article:
“Some stores will never even see this card.”
“This is a card for the 1%,” says cultural anthropologist Robbie Blinkoff. “It’s all about status, and to tell you the truth, I don’t know if I’d want to be seen with one of these.”
I’m torn. It’s $400 ill spend at Starbucks eventually anyway..I’ll take a closer look on Thursday. Let me know @ superbecca_2001@hotmail.com if you want a gilt invite.
As a card collector I…have to get this. I MUST have this!
Good for you, Chase Jaynes. As a casual card collector who just thinks the cards are cute and would like to have them around, I can’t justify $50 for the card itself. I would LOVE to see one and handle one just for the life experience, but I don’t need to own one. ^_^
[…] setter possessing a status symbol. Nothing says you’ve arrived like this limited edition Starbucks premium gift card actually made out of steel. Only 5000 of these special cards will be forged and sold through […]
Everyone wins with this card. Starbucks PR gets to enjoy the news cycle today covering a “$450 starbucks card” just like they basked in the free press when Trenta was announced. Those that want the card will get it realizing that it comes loaded with $400 in cash to spend at Starbucks which, for some of us is just over a year of coffee anyway.
@Becca – Yeah I’d easily spend $400 at Starbucks. It’s really only like spending $50 for the card. I have a Gilt profile. About 2 years ago Starbucks did a promotion where they released a Reserve coffee early through Gilt – I think, actually, that was the kick off of the then-new Reserve lineup with the Galapagos Islands coffee. I’m torn too. I might try to get one – “try” being the operative word. I assume these will sell out in literally a meager few hours, at most.
Is this Starbucks answer to the people who have been requesting a Platinum Card on MSI, well not quite 😉
Personally I think this only promotes the image of Starbucks as being for snobs who like to overpay for their coffee.
Sign me, Too Practical To Be Impressed.
as usual: what DadC….said.
This card is all about ‘status’.
Chase Bank = Sapphire made of Metal.
Chase Bank = Marriott Reward Visa Signature made of Metal.
Baclay Bank = Visa Black made of Carbon Gaphite.
American Express = Centurion (“Black Card”) made of Titinium.
and last the card the most elusive:
Chase Bank = J.P. Morgan Palladium Card made of gold and rare Metal. I don’t have.
And now; Starbucks.
I will be trying to get one tomorrow for sure. I would love to have one of these in my collection. I realize that I am a Sbux hoarder…but this is beyond my obsession. I completely agree that it is a status symbol, which makes me want it even more. I am definitely not apart of the 1%, but it would be awesome to be in the sbux 1%.
Agree with DadCooks. I remember the discussion on MSI re platinum cards. I will be curious as to how these cards sell and also if people will be using them or just saving them for future worth. I could spend the money, but do not feel it is worth it. They should do what they did for the Verismo and give some out for free! HA!
It would definitely be nice to own one. It’s definitely money that I’d spend at Starbucks anyway, but I generally don’t drop $450 at once on it either. We’ll see.
Does anybody know if this card is available to Canadian residents?
Agree with DadCooks. I would think this will be mocked like the $7 cup of coffee has been recently.
I think this and the “$7 cup of coffee” are the kinds of things Starbucks needs to be doing to help move their brand back up-market.
Back in the late 1990’s, Starbucks did have the snob image @DadCooks writes about, but that has long since gone away. The image of Starbucks as an exclusive up-market brand probably started to disappear with the jokes by the Onion newspaper (Starbucks puts a Starbucks in a Starbucks bathroom) and the movie Best in Show (We met at Starbucks. Not at the same Starbucks but we saw each other at different Starbucks across the street from each other) but continued as the expansion grew and the company moved down market.
Now, with the ubiquity of better coffee and facing the third wave, Starbucks has been struggling to move back up-market and has done so with offerings like the Clover, Reserve, and store improvements like the Evenings and Street Level stores. These are not things for everyone. They are just show pieces, like the Dodge Viper or the Acura NSX were – tools to give the perception of high end and permit ogling by the bulk of the customer base while purchasing the products at the lower end of the offering. Chanel sells a lot more $20 nail polish than they do $2,000 hand bags. It’s the same concept. Promote it as luxury. But sell the heck out of the low end. They’re going to need that if they want their CPG business to be as big as their retail business.
I agree, it IS a pretty hefty price. Since it’s a must that I start every morning with a $4.55 Venti Upside Down Caramel Macchiato with Extra Vanilla Stirred. I’ll eventually spend the $400 in 3 months. For me this is a win win. I not only get the coffee, I also get the card. Although I’m not in the 1%, as a Starbucks Gold Card holder, I will now be their 1%.
A word of advice and warning to those that are going to take advantage of this offer:
Gilt.com requires registration. If you do not set an account up before this offer goes live you may have a hard time getting in.
Gilt.com will use your information to tempt you with many many offers and you will also hear from third parties.
“existing Starbucks card holders have the first chance to order one”
how does gilt.com knows who is existing starbucks card holders?
@ xp – I think that’s a fair question! The USA Today article said this:
“Thursday, Starbucks members will have first access to the card on Gilt.com’s website before it’s available to all on Friday, ”
I interpreted that as existing card holders first. I’m basing that off of what happened in 2010, when Starbucks offered a Reserve coffee on Gilt. What happened was that those people who have opted into email from Starbucks.com (which was from the current article must be about 5 million now) got an email with a direct link to Gilt – So in 2010, the way it worked was to get the coffee, you clicked through a Starbucks page with a gilt.com url loaded into it. Theoretically, Gilt.com knows you’re clicking through a Starbucks.com page to get to them, and I imagine card holders will get that email. ??? Then, probably, the next day there will be a gilt.com link that works without clicking through a Starbucks.com page.
I guess we won’t know until it happens. And it seems like it should be possible to order the card tomorrow, whether or not you’re a card member, if you’ve got the right link.
Anyways, that is my best guess based upon that 2010 experience with Gilt. I think the only reason I have a Gilt.com profile is because of that Starbucks Reserve coffee offering back then.
I wouldn’t want to put $400 on a starbucks card let alone pay $50 for the privilege of having a “metal” card. I guess there are people out there who would, but not me.
@bmommyx2 – Um yes. That’s not really saying much? I’m dumbfounded that lots of people routinely want expensive jeans (really? $150 for a pair of jeans for a designer label?), or new cars, or I’m always shocked at what other women will pay for costume jewelry and purses. Really, it’s all just a matter of what you want to spend your money on. You can always find examples, of where one person thinks another spends too much on something… Welcome to the land of consumerism. I’ll take my Starbucks card, and pass on a fancy purse or jeans and many other things…
I’m guessing the card is personalized with our name and the year we started membership, much like the gold card, correct?
I really want one to give to my sister for Christmas.
Dad Cooks I really agree with your comments re the Gilt website and the weakness re signing up with them to purchase this gift card. I also realize there are many sites that do the same thing. But for me the bigger question perhaps is even though SB has used this site before re the coffee why are they putting their customers in this position where they would have to give out info, etc. to get info they might not want? Is that truly customer friendly? Was there a better way to promote and sell this card without putting it on Gilt? Or do they just assume the people that go to Gilt are the only ones that will purchase this card?
Did anyone get the email?
I’d love an invite / link to buy / whatever today … if anyone has one, an e-mail to tijerin@ yahoo (dot) com would be awesome!
I would love to have this card! Would come in handy. Love Starbucks coffee!!
@Becca – I am a little surprised. I sort of expected to wake up to an email from MyStarbucksRewards or Starbucks/card with a link to Gilt.com – And I searched Gilt.com and didn’t find anything. Nothing yet. I’m watching my email like a hawk. Just hope it doesn’t arrive when I’m in court.
@Melody I found a back door to buy one today.. go to Gilt, then go to the Gilt Live feature where it shows you what people are buying live on the site. When you see one, click on it and it should open a window that will show you what it is and let you put it in your shopping cart. Worked for me!
@Arnold – Apparently I can’t use gilt.com live because I dont have the right browser. I’m on my work computer, and I cant download anything. Whatever link is out there, I can’t get to it. Thank you for the tip though.
@Melody – here’s a direct link. Just piece back together the first part (take away space before and after Gilt) and it’ll take you right there http://www. gilt .com/look/?s_id=d75e7b70ea874f138a2f33546d78b647f96848f85c783ef8c6d76ffcd96a04a4_0_171477002
We got one just now. Thanks for the headsup… the link didnt work for us but a couple of posts up, the directions to go to Live worked perfect!!!
@Chris Glad I could help!
Arnold: THANK YOU!!!
The link worked and I got one! I’m very happy. I was so worried they’d be sold out before I could get one. My sister is going to love this christmas gift!
@Arnold – Thanks so much for the tip! I had been watching my inbox and nothing. The link (minus the spaces) worked for me.
Brian – this will only ship to a US address – I am a Canadian too. I am trying to use my friend’s address in the States – good luck!
Many thanks, Arnold! Made my mom’s Christmas.
I got the official invite from Starbucks just about an hour ago. I click the link in the invite and it took me directly to Gilt.com. I did have to sign up first as a member of Gilt.com before I can proceed. Once I signed up and logged in to Gilt, it showed me the “Steel” Starbucks Card and I was able to order one immediately. Gilt said it will start shipping on 12/18 and it will ship out via 2nd Day Air.
I can forward the invite to anyone that is interested to get one.
Glad I could help everyone!
Thanks Arnold for your instruction. I was able to get one for my father-in-law for Chistmas. I had to go offsite from work as I was unable to assess Gilt Live site from inside company firewall. He is gonna love it as he goes to the Bucks everyday. Happy Holidays!
Faster’n you can say ‘Starbucks’, they’re up on eBay. Going to http://www.gilt.com/live via Chrome browser worked for me. This site was the best for useful info! Thx!!!
That’s weird Mike, I was able to inside our 4 walls and place an order. Many thanks to whoever posted the link.
I bought 4 of them for gift’s. It should be the only card they use at Starbucks for a very long time. So you could say that this is a gift that will last…
@Argama: would you send me the link please? I am a STarbucks member but have nothing from them!?
If you are not a gilt member,new members can get 25% off their first purchase (up to $50 off) by starting at http://www.gilt.com/mintholiday2012
That would make the card itself “free”
@Cd: Thank you. Just got mine for $407.95! 🙂
Looks like its sold out.. the page from yesterday says “Add to Waitlist” and the public page keeps saying “Sale Starts In: X” but that time keeps going up…
Ok so I went to ebay curious to see how many of these cards are being sold on its site. I saw one person asking $5000 for this card!!! I guess whatever you can get, but sure seems crazy to me. I do realize that there are people out there that have no idea this new card exists, but really….
Yesterday, I saw cards actually SELLING (as in people bought them) for $400 for just the card! The lister listed them that they would have a zero balance when the buyer received them. I looked again today and some are selling for ~$600. Glad everyone on here that wanted one got in yesterday, as am I.