A few weeks ago, I received in the mail a coupon for a free holiday bakery treat. Gingerbread loaf might be my pick. 😉 I think that is my favorite of the current line up of holiday bakery items. It looks like the coupon is also good for a free Cranberry Bliss bar or a free Mint Brownie, assuming you are no fan of the Gingerbread Loaf. The Cranberry Bliss bar has been offered by Starbucks (with some recipe variations) since about 1998 and Seattle urban legend is that the recipe was originally thought up by a former SSC partner (in the legal department) in the mid to late 1990s. I can neither dispel nor confirm this rumor.
This is one more in a string of coupons that are mailed to selected Gold level participants of My Starbucks Rewards. Unfortunately, I’ve since lost this little card. I really don’t know where I put it! You can see it got rained on when I took it to be photographed by Molly of Seattle Custom Framing.
If you are reading this and wondering how you too can be a part of My Starbucks Rewards, then here is what you need to do:
- Go get a Starbucks Gift Card
- Load money on to it. If you are in a store, you can load as little as $5 on to the card.
- Register the card. You’ll find some numbers on the back of the card used to register the card at the Starbucks Card site.
- Use your card to pay for your purchases. If you find you like a different card, you can load many more than just one card to your account at the Starbucks Card site.
- You earn “stars” every time your card is used to pay (swiped) at the register.
- After earning 30 stars, you get to “gold” level which then may earn you these coupons if your activity is high enough.
- You also earn free drink coupons at the “gold” level.
There are a variety of card benefits which you get for having a registered Starbucks card that you use to pay for your purchases. I am not going to detail of all the benefits here, but some of the perks include free birthday drink, free basic syrups like classic, vanilla, or hazelnut, and any free tall beverage when you are purchasing one pound of beans.
Which treat are you going to indulge in? Did you get this coupon too? Your thoughts are welcome, as always…
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Interestingly, blogs like yours expose the differences in offers that Starbucks is making to its Gold card holders. I never received the pastry (or the %discount) post card. I understand the need to spread out offers, but perhaps Starbucks needs to look closer at their rewards program. To me, Gold is Gold. Tiering Gold Card members is not a good way to build loyalty. If Starbucks is wanting to offer more select offerings, they should add another more select level like, “Platinum, “Diamond,” or “Melody” (the latter being the highest attainable level of loyalty! 😉 )
On a related side note, I have to admit that I am not a fan of Starbucks using postcards as they are not something I am prone to redeeming. In fact, I think I still have some of the old green “free drink” coupons that Starbucks used to give away with mug purchases in the 1990s.
Happy “Boxing Day”!
re: that elusive free holiday pastry coupon…….. no, I did not get one. This is old news for anyone on msi (and for you Melody!) I would have liked it, since I’ve been ravin about the Peppermint brownies…..not that the lack of a coupon stopped me from indulging once in a while and also bringing a tray or two of them to Christmas celebrations…
I called the newly located (N.M. as opposed to Seattle) customer service and altho very nice, the only thing the girl could tell me was: no, the pastry coupon was NOT part of the “rewards” program and there must have been a glitch in the system or something…so, none of that info even added up. rewards or not rewards, and if NOT rewards, how could a “glitch” explain it? crazy. It, I learned absolutely was part of the ‘rewards’ program..which I became involved with back in ’08 with the black 10% gold card. Th email response from cust. serb=vice was even worse, totally canned, twice. Finally, after another reply from me, someone who was actually READING my concern replied with: since these coupons were printed a while ago (this was all early-mid December), she would be unable to send me one now. period. At least that was ONE sentence that made sense. (I also did not get the 15% off mechandise, earlier, coupon) No one can explain. I have normally gotten all reward-assoc. ‘things’, that I know of (this yr) and a few msi-assoc. things also.
Obviously this was NOT so much about the coupon itself, altho it (or both) would’ve been nice, but the idea of who gets what and why. And, even more to the point, was the issue that really no one could even explain IF this was from the ‘rewards’ program…which clearly it was…or ????? and this was Sbux corp.
I have to add that since this incident on the phone and email, I did receive a Sbux gift card, which was nice….with no note or explanation, just from Corp. Sbux. (not msi, did not mention ‘rewards’)
I think the issue is consistency and the customer service. I’m pretty much sure of my ‘status’ as a rewards member. It would seem this would not all be so complicated.
I’ve said before, I do think it’s a good idea to keep track of what’s going around out there……..what’s being sent out by Sbux.
I just gave one of my nieces a registered Sbux card at Christmas…..she goes there everyday and was not taking advantage of this. I made sure to explain how the whole deal works, etc. (NOT such a straight-forward program, as most of us know…especially for anyone starting out…toward their *stars*;)
ha! apparently C.D. and I, both in suburban Chicago, were writing this at the same time! So, in case anyone thinks this was a ‘regional’ reward, it was not. I know of several people in this area, who go to the same store I do, who did get both these! and, I agree with C.D., there should be no ‘tiers’ within Gold. and I don’t think there are. I think it’s just a mess, sometimes.
Oh to add what has been said already- shame on SB! I have not gotten any pastry card. I really believe in 2011 they have to sit down and seriously look at the rewards program in depth and not just put a bandaid on it to appease its members.
I hear the best Christmas present I can give you is to comment on your blog Melody so here I am. I did get thant coupon for a free pastry and plan to use it before time runs out.
@CD – I am afraid that your first comment just about says it all! LOL. Yes, if Starbucks wants to add more layers of rewards, they should just add tougher levels, and then say that free drink coupons are at gold, and additional coupons at the Diamond Level or Melody Level! 😉
@Steve – Come back! I am really confused that you got this coupon. How often do you really go to Starbucks. I want to pin you down on a number. Once a week? Twice a week? Please tell us. I know you’ve said you don’t go very often.
@Denise and Purple01 – It amazes me you didn’t get this coupon!
Got my card a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed the mint brownie on Christmas Eve with the wife. Starbucks has done a great job with the gold rewards so far, and their iphone app is excellent.
Hey Melody! I’m sad to say I didn’t receive this coupon. As a matter of fact, I’ve never received anything in the mail from Starbucks, which is very disappointing because I thought I would be getting occasional discounts, news, SOMETHING!
No pastry coupon for me either, but to give you an idea of the speed with which I receive Rewards postcards – I responded to the pre-roll-out offer of a free sample of the Fusions whole bean coffees being marketed in groceries. This, to my recollection, was way back in September/October (lots of things happened in between, incuding a trip abroad, suffice it to say I had given up on it). It arrived in my mail box on Christmas Eve. 🙂 No joke. I’m approaching my 5th or 6th free drink on the gold level, but I see them more as pleasant surprises than counting on them to arrive at any certain time. This was a record holiday for my merch purchases with Starbucks – I fell in love with this year’s batch of Christmas blend and Via. Would have been nice to get a break on a pastry :).
I also got the coupon. I haven’t used it yet though, as I feel surrounded by enough sweet treats as it is with the holidays! I will likely make a trip this week to redeem for the mint brownie. I am a gold card member, and go to Sbux on average once or twice a week, either for a tea, or a latte.
Yes, I did receive it 🙂 i actially forgot about that and the starbucks rewards buy 1 drink get 1 free coupon. in fact, my husband and I usedthe free pastry coupon this morning driving from Florida to SC. We had the gingerbread loaf. I put up your card there ( a starbucks in the middle of nowhere off the highway in FL) . I am very lucky that I seem to get all the gold member coupons and My mailman never steals them but I, hate that they send postcards. Btw, how much does it take to get to melody level?
I hope everyone had a happy holiday 🙂
(Sorry if this post has typos- I’m in the car, on my phone)
Never got one of those and I’m sure I have more than 300 + stars. Just got the usual free drinks =(
@latteteadah – Holy moly the Fusions story is a shocker. There is a problem with things getting lost in the mail, or just seriously delayed. I never did get my automated birthday free drink card, although when I contact the Rewards Department at Starbucks, they quickly replaced it, sending out a new one, handwritten to me. If you count the Christmas Blend Via, then I too had a crazy record buying spree this holiday season at Starbucks. That’s a whole ‘nother topic but feel free to talk about it here. I think the merch did actually better than they expected this year, and they slightly undersupplied. They could’ve sold more.
On twitter I saw numerous tweets of people who wanted Adler Tumblers, and in most places they sold like hotcakes!
@Kerry – That’s interesting to hear! It’s weird that some people who go twice a week get a coupon, and others are 5 day a week customer and didn’t. Really odd! Thank you for joining in – It makes this thread much more interesting to see who is getting the coupon and the frequency of their visits.
Find the comments so interesting so far to read the people that got the coupon and did not get the coupon. Were these coupons distributed in different parts of the country? Or just Seattle and bigger regions? I also think it interesting that they cannot tailor coupons to gold card members based on what they purchase. For instance, I drink green tea not coffee although my husband gets coffee and speciality drinks. Why not give gold card members coupons and offers marketed to their tastes?
I collect the “☆” now definitely. Haha.
My Starbucks gold card is uselessness in Starbucks coffee Japan. I must get much ☆ during Seattle stay.
I too received the postcard for the holiday bakery item and redeemed it the next day for a peppermint brownie. Seems as though I receive every coupon and rather promptly, I might add. Starbucks is a once a day, maybe twice a day habit for me. Regardless of why I get the offers or how I get the offers they are just little gifts that I get in the mail now and then – a little unexpected treat.
@Michael – I’m sorry you didn’t get it!
@SuzanneC – There aren’t many that get every coupon. Congrats! You earned it. It seems as though there is tiering within the Gold level. I can understand why some people who proudly carry a Gold Card, and then realize that they didn’t coupons their friends got might feel like, “oh what am I? Chopped liver.”
I bet the whole program though is far more expensive than they every guessed it would be. I’ve heard there are 2 million Gold Card holders now. Sending out 2 million coupons can’t be cheap. What a project.
Today is actually the one year anniversary of My Starbucks Rewards so a perfect chance to talk about them. Here is my one year total:
http://twitpic.com/3jyaoa
^ You can find SuzanneC and I together an a Starbucks Anonymous Addiction recovery meeting. 😉 The coffee is bad at those sober support meetings. 😉
I didn’t get the coupon…kind of a let down, considering I use my gold card at least 5 or 6 times per week.
Gosh Melody congrats on the star count!!! Wow!
Re the tiered level of gold status. I am not sure I totally agree with creating tiers within the gold level. You achieve the gold level by reaching a certain point. Rather than creating levels within the gold status, why not (as others before me have said) just create another new level. There has to be an even distribution of rewards for each level. Why establish special rewards within the gold level? I do understand and think providing coupons and rewards geared to someone’s purchases makes sense. Wouldn’t that then perhaps make the customer return?
I actually got two used one today and gave the other to a couple having a late morning moment at my Jersey shore stbx!
I have received both the merch discount coupon and the pastry coupon. I go at once least once a day monday through friday and at least once on the weeknd. Interesting to read about how some people that are going that often dont get coupons!
Hmm, I havent received that free treat card….nor did I receive the 15% off merchandise card, but I have a mere 235 Gold Stars. No worries, I didn’t buy much merchandise and no gift cards this year (other that the BOGO Christmas Blend…and only then because a barista asked me to help her win the in-store competition)
2 million Gold Card holders? I remember it being mentioned somewhere that Starbucks had an average of 8 million customers every day…that is a heck of a conversion rate to get that many people signed up. I wonder how many people use the free wi-fi?
I don’t think they could offer all 2 million members that coupon….that would be 181 free treats per store….and I would bet there are surely many more Gold Card holders in cities than in the sticks (not to diss the sticks), so a store like U Village would need to give out 500 free things, while the store in Fowler, CA may not see any redemptions.
So @sbuxmel, according to your stats…you should have received at least 100 free drink coupons. Maybe you should track next year’s postcards to see if you get them all!
I got the discount shopping coupon, finally, but it expired before i could use it
i got the pastry coupon
and i go 1x a day (sometimes twice) on weekdays and have had a registered starbucks card since high school (199x), joined gold for free (was sent the card)
i also just got my fusions sample!
so i really have no idea how they pick and choose, age of account?
I was in the “black” gold program until Sep 30 and would receive a coupon every month. Since I was moved to the new program I have not received a thing (other then the new card). I haven’t even received any of my free drink coupons. I spend about $400 a month and live in the NYC metro. I truly feel that the new program is lacking any real rewards.
Well, as we’ve seen here there is NO rhyme to the rewards. I go to Sbux nearly every single day….for all practical purposes, every day. And I have been going there for over 20yrs! I had the black card when it first came out here (Chicago)and then rolled into this gold program. I have lots and lots of stars. I do get the ‘sweet 15’ coupons fairly regularly so, I’m doubting it’s a postal thing, in my case. And I’ve gotten actualy quite a few things. It’s just this particular thing….the pastry coupon, or lack of it, could not be explained by Sbux cust. service. “must’ve been a glitch” in the system and “no, it was definitely NOT part of the ‘rewards’ ” …which we all know was wrong.
Plenty of people in my area, in my same store, did get both coupons. I don’t believe it was based on activity……. there’s too much gap with that…some who go every day got it, some who almost never go or go once or twice a week (yikes….I’d be sad!) got it. Apparently, it cannot be explained…..but, as I’ve said before, I think it’s a good idea to put it out there wat’s going around.
So, Melody, this blog is doing that!
As for the tiers within rewards….I don’t see that as a reality. Apparently they can’t even keep up with the way it’s set up now……
This reply is for a number of the comments above me – Sorry I don’t “@” everyone –
Re: “Tiers within gold” – What I meant by that, is that it seems like there already is some kind of tiers within the gold level, otherwise we would all have gotten the same coupons. It’s just that based on the comments here it is really hard to sort out a pattern to what the criteria might be. Rather than sending _some_ gold level customers a coupon and some not, they should just make it harder to get coupons if the problem is that the program is too expensive. A “Diamond” level maybe gets the extra coupons but “Gold” only gets the free drinks? I’m thinking outloud here. But to have a HIDDEN tiering system within the gold program creates this weird dynamic of why did you get this coupon and not me?
@Steve – Please come back and reply to my question to you about frequency! I’m really curious since you seem to get every coupon.
@jzaleski – Welcome to the blog. When your 10% black card membership expired you would have received automatically a gold one with your name on it. I am ASSUMING your black card was registered. That makes all the difference in the world here.
One aspect of the program that I cannot stand is that there IS an actual gold card. That card does not earn you anything extra. If you started using it, but didn’t load money on it, and stopped paying WITH your card, then you are not earning stars. In order to get the perks of My Starbucks Rewards you would have had to (1) load money on your card – In fact there is no reason why you couldn’t keep using the black one. AND (2) pay with the card with money on it.
Under the old black card program, you could pay by any means, and so it has created confusion when people didn’t realize that if you swipe an empty card, you earn zilch. I don’t know your situation but it sounds like that you possibly did that?
You can use ANY card and be “gold”.
@DeniseR – If it weren’t this blog, people would figure stuff out. Biggest mistake Starbucks could make would be to assume that customers aren’t smart and won’t ask friends, ask partners, and find any one of a million online websites. This blog sometimes puts the rewards under a spot light – both for good and bad. Despite the haphazard coupons and customer service that is poorly informed about the rewards, there IS a positive side to them too. They do make so many people happy – An easy way to get free drink coupons without a membership fee. That’s enough to delight millions. 🙂
I’m still appalled though at the atrocious customer service you got when it comes to this coupon!
I was hoping there would be some pattern to who gets the coupon!
Gotta run! This is too long.
I didn’t get this coupon! Or at least I haven’t yet. Will be keeping my eyes peeled. 😉 I think I’d use it for a mint brownie! Yum…
Speaking of Mint Brownies – did anyone else think they were a bit pricey? I realize that the ingredients probably cost a lot, but the price seemed rather high when my son asked for one the other day.
Perhaps it was just me being a bit price sensitive because my son had ordered a kid’s hot chocolate the day before and the barista recommended a peppermint hot chocolate (“would you like a PHC instead?”) to which there was an almost $2 upcharge.
I got the treat coupon a few weeks ago and used it to try the Gingerbread loaf. I LOVE this bread! So moist and it has a light and not overpowering flavor. I would eat this bread again and with coffee is a great breakfast indulgence. I vote for the gingerbread!!! TRY EET! 😀
I got a cranberry bliss thingie with my coupon today. As to how many times I go to Starbucks I haven’t given it too much thought and it’s dinner time and I am going to have the leftover prime rib and muchroom dinner I brought home from Ruth’s steak house where the president of Alexander Enterprises, he is such a nice guy (he made me say that), took me for Christmas dinner. I guess, off the top of my head, I’ll have to quickly, since I am VERY hungey, say more then one but less than ten. I tend to go more often during treat receipt season. Gotta go!
I didn’t receive either of the two cards you mentioned. I’m at 440+ stars myself.
Oh Steve, I’m afraid I don’t understand you. Have some dinner and then help clarify please! Is that “More than once a month but less than ten times a month” ??? Is that what you are saying or were you talking per week? Is that “More than once a month but less than ten times a week” ???
Hi Mel! I have been reading comments here and am still a bit cnfused! I am a new GOLD CARD member and am trying to find out if I need to stop using my registered card that autoloads to continue receiving rewards or do I now need to only use my GOLD CARD??
THANK YOU for any input… My local baristas could not answer this for me…
Hi Leslee!
This is one aspect of MyStarbucksRewards that I am amazed that the corporate headquarters didn’t see coming.
You can use ANY card to get your gold rewards so long as it has money on it, and registered to your Starbucks.com account. No, don’t stop using your auto-loading card!!
There is NOTHING magical about the gold-colored actual card. I can’t tell you how many baristas, customers, and everyone is confused that they just mail out a card with a name on it. There were customers right and left who thought that if they swiped that gold card and paid by any other means, you still earned stars = Not true!
And there were baristas right and left who thought that customers had to switch to get gold benefits. Not true. Use ANY card you like.
In fact, when we get to 2012 or even 2011, it will be possible that there will be customers who have a nice gold card, but didn’t go to Starbucks enough to stay at the gold level. How confusing will that be?
But Leslee, here’s my thought to you: Keep doing what you are doing!! Use your autoload card. That’s perfect. And also, you can always email rewards@Starbucks.com for more information too!
Thanks for stopping by the blog! 🙂
@Leslee – My apologies for being a little hostile at the Gold Card. But that Gold Card with your name on it has caused a ton of confusion and your post is a perfect example, and even your own local baristas were a little confused. 🙁 Thanks for posting – It’s important that we get this confusion cleared up!
Wanted to add one more data point: I average only about 7 stars/month but I got the free pastry coupon. Maybe because I’ve never bought a pastry with my card and they’re trying to entice me? Unfortunately for them, it won’t work—I’m extremely allergic to nuts/peanuts, so I never buy baked goods!
I tried a peppermint brownie with my coupon, and it far exceeded my expectations. I was afraid it would be too sweet, but no, it was delicious! I may have to have one again before they’re gone…
Just some random thoughts on getting the cards and coupons: I know it sounds crazy, but at least for me, I started getting more of the free drink coupons regularly when I updated my address. I had had a permanent address (which still is a very perm address) but I had long suspected that we had a sloppy mailman, and who knows what happens with a mail box in front of the house, right up against the street. When I updated my address to a more secure address (a second in city valid address) I definitely noticed that my coupons are now coming without a long break in between them.
When you log into MyStarbucksRewards, somewhere there is a button that says, “Manage My Profile” – I was just digging around for fun. In order to get the pastry treat coupons you have to have clicked the box that says, “Yes, please send me Starbucks news and offers through the mail” – That is under the tab “Contact info”
Hope that helps!
I got the coupon; I’m going to use it for a friend who might like a pastry more than I would. I liked the oatmeal coupon and I see plenty of things they can send coupons for…bagels, extra shots, and fruit, for example.
I got the same card and shared it with a friend 🙂 the Gingerbread would of been my choice as well!
Thanks for the tip on the “My Profile” setting. I changed it just now. 🙂
No worries Mel! I can see by the comment thread that this is indeed most confusing! I appreciate your advice 🙂
“holy moly” is right Melody! Clearly, nothing makes sense about who did and who didn’t recv this pastry (and/or 15%) coupon. Some people who go ALLLL the time and spend plenty of $$$ with Sbux did get it and some who seem to seldom go also got it. And, vice versa. And I cannot see that it possibly has anuthing to do with what one buys por doesn’t. I can barley think of anything I haven’t bought at Sbux….at least within a certain category! (oh wait…no tea! I’ve never bought tea at Sbux….or, not within the last 10yrs anyway…maybe once or twice before that!)
After hearing all this, I really believe it was more like the luck of the draw….. since, as you pointed out, the ‘gold’ carders are way up in numbers now. I get that…but, if you are a huge corp. and you create a program, get it straight!
And STEVE: I don’t really care how little or much you go to Sbux but it seems like a simple answer? and I don’t think anyone is judging you, we’re just talking about the rewards and how they work, or don’t. That more than one (or twice?) and less than 10 is very vague and am wondering why.
I agree it has to be the luck of the draw re rewards and coupons. I can’t begin to say how many coupons I have not received and then get a few but not really ones I would use. And the bottom line is for SB to get it straight! I just can’t seem to understand why it is so difficult for them to create a program (rewards) that makes the customer feel wanted and gives them a return for all the money they spend. Have they kept track of the number of people they have lost because of poor management of the rewards program and/or poor customer service?
I am a partner in WI and have see several of these coupons coming through my store. I am also a Gold Card member and have not received the free holiday treat coupon nor the other mentioned above (free oatmeal, 20% off merchandise). I was operating under the assumption that my account was somehow flagged as a partner so that is why I did not receive the coupons. I often receive the 15 stars free drink coupons and I have also received the birthday drink coupons. Hmmm, curious.
I think everyone is trying too hard here! Trying to reverse engineer a marketing plan will just make your head explode! Sending out seemingly random freebies may be based on your previous spending patterns, regional differences, and other factors we’ll never know.
@CD that’s b/c a peppermint hot chocolate is not a kids drink, they charged you for a short. The only drinks that fit the criteria for a kids drink are hot chocolate , milk and apple juice. It’s a barista’s job to upsell in their defense. We all have to do it.
Tom I suppose you are correct on some level that continuing to analyze the Gold program won’t produce any changes, however, I have to say that when they developed the program from the start there were flaws and they should have been smart enough to work it out. I still believe that if they don’t rework the rewards program, they might lose customers.