"At first, the Bearista debut on November 6 seemed like a black eye. The 20-ounce glass tumbler, shaped like a cute bear sporting a Starbucks beanie, sparked immediate viral demand, with customers at some locations lining up at 3 a.m. to score one. This apparently caught the company off guard, and supplies of the $30 object ran out almost instantly."
"Frustrated customers slammed the brand online (some claiming stores were woefully understocked), and in a few cases physically battled each other for what was available. " 'Bearista' cups brew up brawls at Starbucks," Fox News reported. With fistfight accounts and clips circulating online, the fiasco took on a Waffle House vibe-not exactly the community-centric third place experience the coffee giant tries to cultivate. Starbucks apologized "for the disappointment.""
"Of course the bear tumblers materialized on eBay, on sale for hundreds of dollars. But less predictably, a new round of social media videos-and mainstream press coverage of them-explained how to DIY your own bear-shaped drinking vessel dupe by draining honey packaging and perhaps drawing on the Starbucks logo for fun. Aldi began winkingly promoting a $5 gingerbread-figure cup for those who "missed out on that $30 bear"; Walmart chimed in with its own version, a bear-shaped bottle of its Great Value brand honey."
The Bearista debut on November 6 triggered immediate viral demand and long lines, with customers arriving as early as 3 a.m. The 20-ounce glass tumbler, shaped like a bear wearing a Starbucks beanie, sold for $30 and quickly sold out. Stock shortages led to online criticism and a few physical altercations between customers; the incident generated headlines about brawls. Resale listings appeared on eBay for hundreds of dollars. Social media users and press shared DIY methods to create dupe cups from honey packaging. Aldi and Walmart promoted low-cost bear-themed alternatives, turning the episode into a lighthearted retail moment.
Read at Fast Company
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