Shanghai Blue Bottle Coffee's Purchase Limits and Price Gouging... Why Are So Many People Flocking to Coffee Shops?

Since being hailed as the "Apple of the coffee world," Blue Bottle Coffee's opening has led many netizens to exclaim: What makes this cup of coffee so special that it would create such a phenomenon.

Going hungry while waiting in long queues, limited purchases driving up prices, and disregarding the power of viruses—what makes young people who can barely open their eyes for work on normal days brave the cold wind to squeeze into the opening day queue to check in? Perhaps it's the hope of tasting a long-awaited cup of coffee before the staff becomes tired; perhaps it's the herd effect—everyone says it's good, so going must be right; or perhaps it's about "labeling," hoping to gain others' attention.

For many people in mainland China, Blue Bottle Coffee has always been a "legendary" existence, mainly because the mainland's coffee market is developing rapidly, yet the brand迟迟 didn't arrive. Coupled with others having tried products from stores in other regions and praising them effusively, the brand's image was greatly beautified in many people's minds. Additionally, the brand's logo and store design perfectly align with young people's current pursuit of minimalist aesthetics. Even if the logo is just a line, with the enhancement of filters and angles, even ordinary coffee can possess a sense of sophistication.

The Psychology Behind the Phenomenon

This is exactly how the herd effect works—when information about something is uncertain, people tend to align with the majority. As long as one person says it's good, a group will say it's good. When many people say it's good, others feel a pressure to conform, not daring to make a choice that "deviates from the norm." Thus, they follow the crowd to do the same thing, so as not to appear out of place.

The "labeling" effect refers to when someone is labeled with a certain term, they automatically trigger self-impression management to ensure their behavior aligns with the labeled content. Choosing to check in at places that match young people's aesthetic preferences and being able to visit on the very first day not only demonstrates one's precise grasp of trends but also clearly highlights one's labels and uniqueness, helping others remember you.

The Hidden Costs

However, when people do these things, they never consider the costs of time, energy, and money. To drink this long-awaited cup of coffee, spending more than 4 hours, even 7 hours waiting in line—when body and mind are exhausted, how much energy is left to truly savor this coffee? When business is booming and staff are tired, there will inevitably be some variation in the quality of coffee produced. The coffee you drink may not necessarily be as perfect as expected.

Of course, many people think about giving up midway, but then they think, "Since I'm already here, I'll just wait, it's not much more time." But what about time and energy? The criterion for whether to continue an action should be the maximum value one might spend to achieve the expected result. Simply put, can the results you get after spending time and energy waiting in line bring you good returns? Just for a little attention, wasting your time—is it really worth it? Many people who waited in line also shared their feelings online afterward: I think I must be crazy.

The Market Response

With this mentality, high-priced proxy purchases have emerged. Because there will always be people who don't want to pay such costs but still hope to gain others' attention. Even though a latte from Blue Bottle Coffee is priced at over 40 yuan, some are still willing to pay over 120 yuan to buy a cup of coffee that has lost its quality due to sitting too long, just to take a photo. To reduce the phenomenon of price gouging, Blue Bottle Coffee implemented a "purchase limit" of only 5 cups per order on the second day, but this decision didn't seem to diminish people's craziness—proxy purchase prices reached over 150 yuan...

Final Thoughts

Of course, whether to waste time waiting in line is entirely the voluntary choice of those queuing. There's a Cantonese saying that goes, "If you eat salted fish, you must endure thirst"—as long as they feel okay in the moment, even if they might regret it later. But I still hope that even if people don't consider costs, they will at least consider their health... Viruses are ruthless, and when problems arise, it's not just one person's problem.

It is reported that the brand will continue to expand its stores. If the quality is truly stable, it won't be stable only at this store and only for these few days. I hope everyone can visit stores rationally and consume rationally.

Image source: Internet, Social media platforms

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