Starbucks Corp. (SBUX)

All Comments on SBUX

  • commenter
    User 245876
    Aug 19 11:05 PM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    Bravo !!! Finally someone says it, as a former Starbucks loyalist - I too have moved on in search of that perfect shot in the morning.

    In addition to these super automated machines, there is ZERO consistency both within and between the different stores, they have forgotten there is a difference between cappucinnos and latte's - one is just milk foam and one is milk + foam, they have started over roasting their beans and all in all the experience is like drinking diluted dishwater. And worst of all the bathrooms reek - cardinal rule for QSR, clean bathrooms.

    As a dissapointed shareholder - I hope Shultz wakes up and brings it back it the old days where it wasn't a commodity but the bright spot in my day     Reply
  • commenter
    nolatte4me
    Aug 19 09:20 PM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    I enjoy Starbucks, sometimes. I used to go to Dunkin Donuts almost ever morning as Starbucks was not as popular and not available on every corner as it now is. I found myself spending 40-60 dollars per month. Then, I started making coffee at home. Starbucks problem is not just what you ahveall mentioned but, greed. Their pricing was high and they were successful. Other companies want a piece of that success. More competition equals a smaller slice of the pie for Starbucks. And, a faltering economy tightens everyones belts. Think about how many people don't even go to work anymore so, no stopping at a Starbucks. Nope, what Starbucks needs to do is what Subway and Quiznos are doing, lower prices ,give quality and advertise those facts. People are quick to forget and forgive when they save a buck! Reply
  • commenter
    Former Sbux
    supporter
    Aug 18 11:55 PM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    In addition to selling a commodity, senior leadership started treating employees as a commodity to be used and discarded. Product and environment can be replicated leaving employees as the only point of differentiation. Sbux recent layoffs were not made with who takes care of the customer the best but who made the most money. Those that had the employees best interest at heart knowing that would lead to better service, were let go. How is that a way to run a business? Mark my words, the employee experience is going to continue to be marginalized over the coming months all in hopes of keeping the stock price from really tanking. It is a self-defeating strategy in the long run. Welcome to the world of fast food Mr. Schultz. Reply
  • commenter
    notsosmart
    Aug 18 03:06 PM
    My Website
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    there are actually areas of this world where people arising in the morning dont know where their next drink of water or morsel of food will be found.whats that got to do with anything? you ask. Reply
  • commenter
    swagv
    Aug 18 02:29 PM
    My Website
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    When Peet's Coffee & Tea, Starbucks' initial mentor, posted a 59% increase in Q2 profits three weeks ago, you knew that the Emperor was exposed for its nakedness.

    No: it's not high prices (Peet's charges about as much). It's not gas prices or food prices making people tighten their belts.

    Starbucks, it's YOU.     Reply
  • commenter
    Wompus9
    Aug 18 01:08 PM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    I've been a barista at Starbucks for over two years and have been there through the changes mentioned. The expediter thing really threw me when it first started. I actually didn't realize it was a company thing until reading this and just thought my supervisors didn't understand customers. I would see marked cups piling up for drinks to be made while a queue began to form at the pick-up. I told my manager that I thought people would be much happier to wait to place their order than wait for the drink they had already paid for and he agreed. The "expediting" continued, however.

    What I've seen from Starbucks leadership is a bunch of unfortunately typical business school nonsense applied to a business model despite the obvious detrimental effects. Starbucks is a ship without a captain and without a rudder; the company is reacting to its competitors and has totally lost its edge.

    There are still many people who come to my store out of habit but to a person they lament the loss of the experience it used to be. There may be no going back.     Reply
  • commenter
    User 244979
    Aug 18 11:29 AM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    I never had been a Starbucks regular, but bought the buzz about the wonderful coffee they sold. My first cup of regular, not a latte, etc., Starbucks coffee, was my last. It was very bitter and strong, couldn't add enough cream and sugar to taste good. I guess that is why they sell the specialty drinks, to cut the taste. Reply
  • commenter
    Jeff from PA
    Aug 18 10:14 AM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    One unfortunate thing was that as much as I hated the new automatic machine, it was a necessary evil. The motion of pulling the espresso shot was causing too many injuries, especially having to do it 6 times for one drink. In my store alone, out of 20 people, 6 at some point had wrist problems that they needed medical treatment for. We would make sure that no one spent more than an hour in a row pulling shots, but I know my wrists were still sore after a shift. So the new machines, although they do take some of the Romance out, were necessary.

    The biggest thing that I think took the romance out for me was the drive-thru. It took away Starbucks main commodity - the idea of it being a third place (home, work, Starbucks). When I first started, we were told that was more important than the coffee - how can you keep that atmosphere with a drive thru? Of course, the drive thru was too tempting on the business end - our weekly profits doubled! But, as I could no longer have a conversation with the customer up front because I was talking to someone coming up the drive, I knew that something had changed. In my mind - that was the main failure of Starbucks - it not being a third place anymore.

    A second aspect of this was their attempt to charge for wireless service. Why pay for something that you can get at an independent store for free? And what would make a third place better, then it being a third place where you could hop on the internet? Next to the drive-thru, this was their second biggest mistake.

    Now, I have moved to a small town, found an amazing local coffee shop and even met my wife there. Now, people may say that the coffee is not as good, but I argue - when was the last time that you had a coffee from Starbucks where the bean had been roasted 24 hours ago? At Starbucks, it is often six months or more - now I have beans no more than 2 or 3 days after roasting, usually within 24 hours - and there is nothing like it.

    So, when Starbucks moved into town, i stuck with the local place - especially because they had a drive-thru! I will say, I do respect them as a company a lot - they treat their workers well, good benefits, and do a lot of charity work. But, when i worked for them, I never saw them as a company, now I definitely do... Which is where they went wrong.     Reply
  • commenter
    MichaelNW
    Aug 18 09:46 AM
    My Website
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    I too remember when the new espresso machine arrived. The barrista who took pride in his great shots rolled his eyes and asked what I would like in a soto-robo voice. He knew his skill was no longer relevant. He knew the coffee wasn't going to be as good. He did what he could. It just wasn't enough. Reply
  • commenter
    MrCoffee
    Aug 18 07:40 AM
    Where Starbucks Went Wrong [view article]
    Along with all that you stated I believe the "barista" became an employee with all of the expansion. There were so many new staff waiting for stores to open, and that created idle time; and gossip about both customers and other workers followed. There was no passion for the coffee or the customer.... the whole experience was lost. I first noticed this in September of 2006, and the stock began to tank soon after. Reply
  • commenter
    juan77
    Aug 17 05:50 PM
    Poll Shows 73% Americans Think Starbucks is Overpriced [view article]
    I am not a fan of Starbucks' coffee but it is unfair to blame them alone for high prices. Coffee at Peets, Tully's and even local espresso stands costs the same. Reply
  • commenter
    mrhockey123
    Aug 16 03:09 PM
    My Website
    Poll Shows 73% Americans Think Starbucks is Overpriced [view article]
    I have to come to the defense of SBUX here as well. The coffee has NEVER been cheap, but as people have already said, it's about value proposition which is more than 1 mocha = $5 (in Canada, anyway). It's the atmosphere, the brand, and the people that work in the stores.

    I have to liken SBUX's situation today to that of McD's a few years ago when "Supersize Me" came out. Everyone suddenly started to hate McD's, yet look at the massive turnaround since then.

    SBUX caters to the brand-conscious people who don't mind paying more for quality. Tim Hortons and McD's coffee just isn't as good, and I can't see anyone going to Micky D's for a business meeting.

    I am thinking of going long SBUX, but I want to see some support come into the stock before I jump in. Once all these store closures filter through the system, there will be much more efficiency. And if SBUX can't maintain a ridiculous growth rate, then WOW they might use money to buy back stock or pay a dividend - and what's so bad about that?     Reply
  • commenter
    shel1624
    Aug 14 06:48 PM
    Poll Shows 73% Americans Think Starbucks is Overpriced [view article]
    todd-the further along i read in your commentary, the more it seems you are an angry guy. i took the day off this past monday and around 11:30am stopped at one of 2 local sbux for a cuppa. now we know sbux is not what you would call a lunch place, but here is what i found. 5 of 7 outside tables were taken. inside, 2 tables had laptop users, and most of the remaining tables had customers in business attire or non-working people (like me). and there were about 4 or more in line behind me. quite frankly, i was very surprised how busy it was. can you explain it? the survey was probably paid for by mcd! Reply
  • commenter
    pearl2k
    Aug 13 08:51 PM
    Poll Shows 73% Americans Think Starbucks is Overpriced [view article]
    If you don't go for the frou-frou stuff, you aren't really their target. They're a cafe, they make espresso. Save yourself the $1.00 @ Booger King and make it at home. The whole DD, MCD, BK "alternative"... is a red herring. I'd pay a $1.50 for a consistent cup of SBUX coffee anyday before I shelled out $1.00 for coffee roulette @ a fast food joint. They were a slave to growth, plain and simple. Reply
  • commenter
    billddrummer
    Aug 13 01:15 PM
    Poll Shows 73% Americans Think Starbucks is Overpriced [view article]
    I used to go to SBUX to get a 'short coffee' for $1.50. (I don't go in for the frou-frou stuff.) But on a hunch, I tried the Burger-King Turbo Joe and it was better! And only $1.

    Looks like they've lost another $1.50 customer to a competitor.

    By the way, with more SBUX stores having drive ups than before, the only 'experience' you get is idling in line--which wastes precious fuel.

    A SBUX as a place to hang out? Not in this town (Reno).     Reply

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