Starbucks Coffee's Official Douyin Promotion for 0.01 Yuan Coupons? Later Refused Redemption Claiming It Was a Test

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Starbucks Once Again Tops the Hot Search List!

This time, it's due to controversy surrounding their 0.01 yuan marketing campaign.

Yesterday, the topic #Starbucks exposed for not honoring 0.01 yuan coupons on Douyin# trended on Weibo, instantly igniting public outrage. Netizens expressed their frustration with comments like, "If you can't handle it, don't run promotions!"

The incident began when Starbucks launched a promotion on Douyin offering 0.01 yuan coupons for two cups of Flat White coffee. The campaign started on the morning of November 23rd, but by around 1 PM, netizens began reporting that they couldn't redeem their coupons. They subsequently received SMS notifications indicating coupon distribution failure, with system-initiated automatic refunds expected to be processed within 1-3 business days. According to media reports, approximately 900,000 orders were sold before the campaign link was taken down.

That evening, Starbucks China issued an emergency apology statement and pinned it to the top of their page. The statement explained that they had mistakenly activated an internal testing link that morning. They had since corrected the system settings, initiated automatic refunds, and notified consumers through SMS, extending their apologies.

Following Starbucks' response, netizens argued that this was an internal issue that shouldn't inconvenience consumers. Moreover, those who purchased earlier had already redeemed their coupons. Under the trending topic, netizens commented: "The point is that some people have already successfully redeemed their coupons," "Some people are already enjoying their drinks, and your host urged us to place orders quickly – doesn't this constitute illegal traffic diversion?" "Can't handle it, can't handle it, can't handle it," "Just withdraw now, so embarrassing – even Luckin Coffee is more generous," "Your mistake, you should bear the cost yourselves. Why are you giving me refunds? I'm going to file a complaint at 12315!"

Legal Perspective

On Weibo, Fan Chen, a lawyer from Beijing Jingshi Law Firm, stated that Starbucks' internal operational issues shouldn't affect their responsibility and obligations to consumers. After customers paid 0.01 yuan for coffee coupons, a corresponding contract was established between customers and Starbucks.

According to the provisions of the Civil Code and the Consumer Rights Protection Law, Starbucks should fulfill its obligations as agreed. Their unilateral contract cancellation through a statement clearly constitutes a breach of contract. Furthermore, in the long run, canceling promotions without honoring them may lead customers to perceive the business as lacking integrity. Starbucks should cherish its reputation and fulfill promotional commitments to maintain an image of trustworthiness among consumers.

Starbucks' Marketing Strategy Adjustment in China

Perhaps due to increasing competition in the coffee market, Starbucks seems to have begun adjusting its marketing strategy in China at some point. This year, Starbucks has been aggressively opening stores in China. As of the end of September, Starbucks operated 6,021 stores in China, a 12% increase compared to fiscal year 2021.

Additionally, Starbucks has started distributing various coffee coupons and frequently offering discount promotions. On their app and mini-programs, as well as on platforms like Meituan and Ele.me, Starbucks periodically issues spend-and-save coupons and "buy one get one free" vouchers. They even waive delivery fees, offer "6 yuan off on purchases over 50 yuan" gift coupons, Double 11 pre-sale "Starbucks Large Cup Hoarding Cards," and "Choose any 10 coffees for 240 yuan." Guides on how to "take advantage of Starbucks deals" have also been continuously circulating on social media platforms.

Product Innovation

Moreover, Starbucks has accelerated the pace of new product launches. In June this year, Starbucks China introduced a new iced coffee category – the "Shaken Espresso" series. In July, some Reserve stores launched the Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel-Aged Coffee series, introducing 11 new products at once. In October, they released an autumn series featuring Crème Brûl Macchiato as the main attraction.

Conclusion

It's not just Starbucks that is increasing its expansion efforts in the Chinese market; various brands are also accelerating their expansion in China. The coffee sector has become highly competitive. Starbucks' recent action has attracted considerable attention, raising questions about whether it will impact their revenue for the upcoming quarter.

Image source: Internet

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