The Starbucks 12 Days of Gifting starts today! Starting now (December 1, 2012), for the next 12 days, Starbucks stores will feature promotions and discounts which are just for that one day only. Starbucks has done this for several years in a row, and it’s always a lot of fun. You might find some good deals on Christmas presents/ holiday presents, or a present for yourself!
Thank you to Amy in Boston, who brought it up (including a link) in the comments on the blog article about holiday food. So here is what to look for over the next 12 days! (This is compiled from some Google searches, and not official Starbucks information).
Starbucks 12 Days of Gifting:
December 1: Buy any reusable tumbler or mug and you’ll get a free Grande (16 fl oz) handcrafted beverage.
December 2: Buy one, get one free on 12-pack of Starbucks Via, or the tins of Tazo tea. (BOGO)
December 3: Buy the featured Starbucks tumbler and then fill it up with brewed coffee free during the month of January 2013! (Thank you Becca in the comments for the update: This offer is not available in Canada.)
December 4: Buy a stainless steel tumbler for $9.95, and/or get a one pound bag of Christmas Blend and a (Red) tumbler for only $19.95. (A pound of Christmas Blend is $14.95, and a stainless steel tumbler alone is about $19.95).
December 5: Get a red, blue, or gold acrylic tumbler for $5.95.
December 6: Buy a Merry Moments Cocoa Gift set for $12.95. This item is sold out at StarbucksStore.com but retails for $17.95. (I really want to try this!)
December 7: Buy a one pound bag of Starbucks Christmas Blend (or instead, a 12-pack of the KCup Christmas Blend) for only $9.95. (As mentioned above already, a pound of Christmas Blend is normally $14.95). You can also buy a 12-pack of Starbucks Christmas Blend Via Ready Brew for $7.95 (normally $11.95). Or, you can choose a 12-pack of Christmas Blend Verismo pods for $8.95. (Per StarbucksStore.com, the Christmas Blend Verismo pods are normally $12.95)
December 8: Buy a Grande size Starbucks holiday reusable cold cup filled with Caramel Chocolate Bites for only $10.95. (At StarbucksStore.com, this item is $14.95).
December 9: Buy a Starbucks Red Cup Collection coffee mug for $3.95. (At StarbucksStore.com, this item is $6.95).
December 10: Save 30% on gift packs.
December 11: Save 40% off on Cold Cups and Cold Cup Straws.
December 12: Save 40% on a Cranberry Bliss Bar tray.
Enjoy your 12 Days of Starbucks Gifting!
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In Canada we will not feature the free coffee in January tumbler…we have something different that day. I also know that some regions where it is hot or far away (Hawaii etc) they have different deals as well 🙂
Becca – I updated the article! Thank you!
Melody when I was at my local SB this morning although I was a bit rushed, I did not see any signs re the 12 days of gifting. Have you or anyone else seen any signage?
@Purple1 – I don’t expect there to be much of any in-store signage. I recall last year, I was nearly oblivious of it. It’s clear there’s plenty of online hubbub about the 12 Days of Gifting, and the http://rekindle.starbucks.com/ website makes it clear that it’s here.
I recall that last year, I dropped by the Edmonds Starbucks for a store review on 12-11-12 –
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2011/12/22/featured-clover-starbucks-220th-aurora-avenue-in-edmonds-washington/
^ I was paying attention to what was in the store, and I noticed that for the 12 days, there’s only one little sign over that specific featured item – I expect it to be the same this year. I expect the same this year Huge online viral spread about it via Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and such, and smaller in-store signage. They can cheaply get a lot of attention for it that way. Signage for 12,000 stores probably adds up.
Hi Melody,
Thanks for listing the entire 12 days…
Nice to look ahead for specials.Happy Holidays!
@Evergreen – You’re welcome. 🙂
Thanks for the credit Mel-
I was curious because I thought last year, there was more marketing of it and an app was created for it. Although maybe with less publicity/marketing, it will be easier to get a cup on Monday for unlimited refills for January (crosses fingers)
I haven’t been in a Starbucks in almost a month so I’m not sure what’s going on this year, but I do remember last year some of the stores placed a display in the front of the store that rotated the 12 days of giving items on a daily basis depending on what the promoted item was for that day. So for example, today they would have the reusable tumblers on the table, tomorrow they’d place Tazo tea and Via packs, etc. I do remember there was a very small sign, but other than that no real signage. Certainly different from several years ago (probably recession time) when there was a promotional booklet announcing each day’s promotion.
As for apps, @Amy – I miss the Cup Magic app from last year – that was a fun item both in December and again around Valentines Day.
http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps/starbucks-cup-magic
My store (Canada) has signage– albeit subtle. Right by the mugs/tumblers, was a small red poster board staying today’s deal. But if you blink, you’d miss it 🙂
Still sad they aren’t doing B1G1 free bags of coffee this year. Bah humbug!
I’ll be taking advantage of the tumbler and month of free coffee!
In Canada, day 3 is buy any 1 lb bag of whole bean coffee, get a $5 Starbucks card. Also, the prices in Canada for the deals are slightly different (of course :)) And there is signage – it’s the same display as the Rodarte mugs – just we flipped it around and now it has the 12 Days merch on it. It is indeed like CD said – same sort of display as last year, with the changing sign and different merch on it every day! 🙂
re: signage, I noticed none in the Sbux I was in today. Dec 7th is the one that interests me.
I just saw tomorrow’s tumbler is priced at $30. I realize if you get a free coffee every day, you’re saving quite a bit, but $30 is a jump from last year’s price. Last year the tumbler was horrible quality (I stopped using it before the month was over and recycled it) and Italian roast was over-offered during the month of January (not much variety, etc.). Hopefully the tumbler is better quality and there is better variety of brewed coffee during January.
As for me, I’m with @denise – the 7th is the one that will get me into the store. If I leave the house today and it’s convenient, I may stop by for a bogo Tazo, but other than that, the $9.95/pound of coffee is the only one singing to me.
P.S. Yes @Sandra, I miss the bogo on coffee from a few years ago too. I really used that day to stock up – and the added perk of having a free drink with a whole bean purchase made it even better.
@CD – It is a price jump. And I’m also hearing that stores got more of them in than last year. Well, at least a few more. I think they’ll sell like hotcakes in downtown Seattle, because are noticeably a brewed coffee market. I’ll still have to get up early to get one. I’ve made this random comment often, but I notice that when I visit Starbucks stores that are not like bottom of office tower, center of downtown stores, they’re noisier than what I’m used to. The difference is the sound of the blenders always in use.
@Melody – I think the suburban locations probably do their drip business very early in the morning and from then on there is an increase in blender use, etc. I see the same downtown here, with drip selling all day. (May be a time thing too – not much time to wait around for a drink).
I bought the tumblers last year after Christmas (I stumbled upon a location where they didn’t sell at all so I bought a few for friends).
I’m sure they’re a bargain for many people, even at $30. I thought it was a free coffee per day but Jim at SG positioned it as “all-you-can-drink-for-free-in-January.” If you’re going to use the tumbler to get as much as you can, then $30 probably isn’t a bad price. But even then, a 50% price hike is a big jump.
@CD – That was always my understanding. I did often use it for coffee more than once a day – morning on my way into work, and at some point during an afternoon Starbucks run.
I just looked at Jim’s site. Oh. He has a talent for comments and content that make me groan. “Abused the shit out of …” Sorry, Starbucks creates a promo, and they sure as heck know what they’re doing. It’s not like Starbucks says, “Buy this tumbler, but please try not to really use it all that much.” It seems like there is always some small percentage of register baristas who believe that they create rules better than Starbucks hq and/or they’re the beverage-price-sheriffs.
/rant over
I’m still trying to get some clarification on what is happening in Hawaii tomorrow for the 12 Days of Gifting. Seems very odd that they’d have their own deal, but I don’t know.
According to the Siren’s Eye, Hawaii will be doing something different on Day 8, and Canada will do something different on Day 3 and Day 11. So, our Hawaiian friends should be able to be up to their ears in free brewed coffee in January too 🙂
Well at least $30 will kill most of the resale market. With shipping that kills the deal.
The tumbler is on the web site now. Free shipping if you buy $75 or more.
http://www.starbucksstore.com/starbucks-free-brewed-tumbler-16-fl-oz/011020364,default,pd.html?showall=true&start=0&cgid=drinkware&sz=16&srule=Best%20Matches
^ CalWatch, there it is. I’m just heading out the door, hoping to get one here in Seattle. This year’s design looks much prettier than the last time Starbucks offered this tumbler. Did you get one? Did anyone reading this get one?
Ok I am enjoying those peppermint graham crackers so I went back to the SB store where I got them to get some more and I also told the partners at my local store I would bring them one to sample. I saw today’s tumbler in full display near the cash register. Many of them sitting there. Only there a short time but did not see anyone buying one. It is so interesting to see the difference in customer dynamics from one store to another when my local SB is only about 3-4 miles away.
@purple1: glad you finally got your grahams! I was at a different store today (not my regular Sbux) but when I get back to my store I’ll find out why (if he knows) they went thru as a ‘reward’ twice and now don’t! weird.
I’ll be buying a pckg of them tomorrow when I’m on my way to an appnt. They are really good. (and I do wish they still had the REALLY GREAT peppermint brownies) It almost seems as tho as soon as Sbux puts out a good thing, they end it.
I told my co-workers about today’s tumbler offer and they were interested up to the point of the price. $30 is a lot to spend up front. Like others have said, hopefully this year’s tumbler is better quality than last year. I took a pass this year mainly because of the price. I got one last year pretty late in the day when I stopped by a Safeway supermarket with a SB inside and they still had three left. I used that tumbler almost daily and it lasted about seven months before water started getting inside behind the paper. I think I got another six weeks out of it before I tossed it. Last month I scored the smoke-grey Anniversary tumbler on clearance for $6.99. I had been eyeing this one a week earlier at full price so I was very happy to have found it.
@Steve – I bought the $30 tumbler too, but really only for the free coffee. It won’t get used beyond that point – I am much more of a fan of the tall size than grande. I have to wonder about its value. For the daily customer (who is a brewed coffee drinker) seems like it could be valuable, but a huge chunk of the Starbucks business simply doesn’t go to Starbucks that often. And if baristas really enforce the ‘once per day’ thing on it, then it’s not >that< great. If you miss a few days in the month, it won't pay for itself. It's like buying a bus pass. Only pays off if you're really riding the bus a lot!
I bought three online this morning. From last year it is impossible to enforce the daily cup limit. The 31 cups on last year’s paper insert was for show. Now, to take full advantage of the deal, I do admit making the staff sometimes do a pour over of decaf at lunch or after work just to get my cup of the day, though. Also not sure this works at the licensed stores – I stop by casinos and a college occasionally so would be nice to know.
Denise last night I went to my regular local SB that does not carry the graham crackers and saw the DM and we have chatted many times and asked him why they do not carry them (even had one with me). Sort of a strange response if you ask me- Well, there is not enough space basically is what he said to carry them and worth the volume. Huh? Certainly, the store is not a big one but these treats are not space hugging type treats and when I said I think they certainly would sell here he agreed but said it did not have anything to do with that. Sometimes, I wonder the thought process at corporate SB.
@Purple1 – I think that DM was trying to say that your neighborhood store is too much of a low volume store to carry that item. Basically, if Starbucks thinks something won’t sell because the store is so low volume, they won’t get it. It seems a little odd to me that the chocolate grahams would be singled out, and I’d start looking at what else is missing, if I were in your shoes. I would have guessed that the more likely explanation is that they got in only one or two boxes – sold out – and because they’re a low volume store – no replacement shipments are coming. All of this is a weak reply on my part, but it’s my best guesswork.
Melody they did not sell out of the graham crackers I wish that was the case but they never tried to sell them or got any orders of it.
@purple1: that is weird…I haven’t been in any store yet, large or small, really busy or not-as-busy, that hasn’t had the graham crackers. I don’t understand their thinking all the time either. (ie: the non-re-model of my regular place…..they should’ve just saved their money, the little they spent on it) I’m assuming there’s VIA of all kinds all over your store? that seems to be the case everywhere. Too bad they didn’t put them in your store. I can’t imagine them not selling, everywhere/anywhere.
The other thing that I’ve come to LOVE is the snowman cookie…it isn’t getting enough play! I think most customers are assuming the frosting is the same as all those other (not so good, imo) frosted cookies and it’s not. The whole thing is just soft and really good.
Well, at least you found the graham crackers and can get them!
We *do* have different store categories – named after cup sizes, haha, and it is loosely based on a store’s sales volume and store footprint. And the merchandise is shipped accordingly. Sometimes it’s not about whether a store could sell some of the merch, but if there’s a limited amount of merchandise, limiting the stores who sell it so that they can be comfortably stocked, and not out the minute customers catch on and come to expect it to be there. Similar to how they limit the Reserve/Clover stores. I would think that because the Peppermint Grahams are something that would have an expiry date, and therefore not something you’d want to risk over-producing, they are one of those items. There’s also the possibility that the partners don’t know what they’re looking for – mine were surprised to find them in a box (unlike the other chocolate grahams we sell) on the gifting display, even though we talked about them at our holiday meeting.
My DM is always very quick to point customers/have us point customers to the larger category store in our district (most districts have at least one ‘Grande’ store which carries all the merch) – hopefully yours did the same?
And @denise r, I loooove the snowman cookie. I was super hesitant because I hated the polar bear cookies from years past, but wow – they got this one right. And they are getting a TON of play at my store – I can easily sell through a box of 24 in a day – as long as my partners keep putting them out 🙂
@Rebecca: yes, as I said I think it’s really a good one and even tho some stores now have them out displayed nr the POS, I think they need to be pointed out as: not the same as the previous “frosted” Sbux cookies…even just a small sign…I think lots of people who would like them are not trying them thinking they are those other cookies, with hardened frosting etc.
I urge every cookie lover to try one!
I’m not sure that a sign about it not being the same as the previous cookies will seal the deal (I feel like it’s somewhat insulting the previous ones, haha), but I do think a little sign with a description of the chocolate on top, and the buttery delicious cookie underneath would help it sell more. Honestly though, we’ve got none of that here – all it’s taken is partners loving it and promoting and sampling it (though I admit to feeling slightly sadistic each time I cut up a snowman :()
@Rebecca – The Snowman cookie seems under-appreciated here too – And I wouldn’t want to slice him up either! 😉
// This comment is to anyone: I was having twitter conversation with a UK partner – They too have the 12 days of gifting. A better deal in the UK today – Theirs is 50% off of whole bean today! https://twitter.com/StarbucksUKCA/status/277075002778591234 – That is awesome!
Just wanted to share an observation and see if anyone else has noticed: in the stores I’ve stopped in recently including Targets, most have had several of the tumbler with free refills in January in stock. It was not part of the 30% sale like some of the other holiday merch but I wonder if it will get marked down on the 26th. I guess the higher price really kept people from buying in this year.
@Steve – I have to admit, I kind of wondered the same thing. Even here in downtown Seattle, I see some of those tumblers around – and this is a market with a lot of customers who like brewed coffee. I kind of wondered too at what point will they get marked down?
Here it is 1-11-13 and the shop inside an Albertson’s Grocery store in Tempe, AZ still had five tumblers for sale !!!
@Mark – Still a few left here and there in downtown Seattle. I guess $30 was too steep of a price. Maybe $25 would’ve been about right?