Asking for a Free "Coffee Exchange" at a Coffee Shop?! Oh Dear...

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Recently, some coffee shop owners have shared their frustrations about an increasing number of people approaching coffee shops with exchange offers... They offer to publish promotional posts about their visits using their accounts in exchange for a cup of coffee... If refused, they might threaten to leave negative reviews...

The Rise of "Coffee Exchange" Trend

It's unclear when exactly it started, but many coffee shops on various social media platforms have launched "coffee exchange" activities. They recruit social media users who love coffee, have a considerable following, or are "store visiting bloggers," "food bloggers," and other influential users to visit their shops. These visitors don't need to spend money; they simply take photos and share them on their accounts to receive designated products from the shop for free.

Concerns About This Trend

However, this seemingly mutually beneficial arrangement is making many people feel that getting something for nothing is becoming "legitimized..."

Originally, businesses would pay influential users for store visits. Now, we're seeing an increasing number of cases where people actively demand payment from shops for promotion, threatening to leave negative reviews if refused. If this practice of neither party spending money continues to develop, it will inevitably increase potential risks across industries.

Today, because more and more consumers like to use posts from store visits on social platforms to either promote ("plant seeds") or warn against ("avoid lightning") businesses, many people have started joining the profession of store visiting bloggers. Many of these bloggers leverage their influence, directly requesting merchants to waive their bills or pay referral fees after their experience, otherwise threatening to publish negative reviews. There are also many users without significant influence who see this approach "works" and begin adopting the same tactics to demand things from other businesses.

Future Concerns

When businesses need to pay for promotion, various problems already occur frequently. So if this phenomenon of free exchanges becomes more widespread, how will it develop in the future?

Perhaps because there's no effective contract protection, both parties face greater potential risks. When one party needs to take responsibility, it might be difficult to provide effective proof.

Perhaps more users who cannot distinguish right from wrong will think this approach is accepted by every shop, thus starting to make bold attempts. This is like something that is clearly unreasonable becoming justified because of "exchange."

The True Value of Business

Although "coffee exchange" is just a decision by individual shops, and these shop owners simply hope to get promotion through multiple influential users without spending much money, they are actually "tolerating" and "compromising" with unreasonable behavior. Those businesses that didn't originally plan this but agree to such demands are inadvertently emboldening this group of people to exaggerate their actions.

Whatever business you're in, you need your own efforts to achieve success. Don't think that spending a small amount of money can bring you real traffic - that's just an illusion. Real traffic needs to be built through reputation and quality.

Recommendations from ten strangers are not as valuable as one from a friend. Making a good impression on every customer who comes to spend money creates promotional power far greater than posts on social media platforms.

Each coffee customer has different needs. Some just want a cost-effective drink, some enjoy watching the barista make coffee, and some pursue specific coffee flavors. If you can satisfy the different needs of all customers, your coffee shop business will likely thrive, because this is earned through your sincerity and reputation.

Image source: Internet

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