There is a God or <insert deity)

[Apollo]

Sooo, there is a God because 12,000 people will now not be able to pay their bills?

Let me guess, because you think Starbucks is this [big whiny voice] big corporation that hurts people and sells inferior products [/big whiny voice] which isn't true. Their coffee is very good, and because of demand, they are bringing back the burnt coffee as a option, although it isn't being called that.

Anyway, nice to know God is ruining more peoples lives for your enjoyment.

Oh, and while they are closing stores in America, they are opening stores at lightening speed in other countries.

 

[Apollo]

They are only closing the Starbucks that you can see from another Starbucks.

New Starbucks Opens In Rest Room Of Existing Starbucks

lol, i pray you know the Onion is a satirical site?

 

[Aaron]

For those who want the link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080701/bs_nm/starbucks_dc;_ylt=At17VU8p61PGMWo9ry2lH9as0NUE

I am so glad I left that company. This won't be the last announcement from them of this kind.

 

[Pushover]

hehehe

They're only closing 600 locations? What about the other 999,999,400?

 

[Soilwork]

Actually, for anyone who actually knows what coffee is supposed to taste like, Starbucks is one of the very few places that gets it right.

Alas, people are so lame that they think that coffee is supposed to taste like hot chocolate so they load it up with sugar and cream and try to ignore the coffee flavour.

I love Starbucks coffee and laugh openly at the people who buy Maxwell House and whine about how there's a coffee place out there that serves coffee that they don't like.

I hate Dunkin Donuts coffee so I don't go there.

Unfortunately there are people out there who are incapable of not going to a place they don't like, I guess? Or they want the entire world to cater to their likes and dislikes.

Much like your average Kindergarten.

 

[Apollo]

I'm sorry but I just never saw that as a good idea. Unless the economy remained stable or continued to grow, what was the motivation behind selling cups of coffee for a laughable price? There was one across the parking lot from my old job and I used to sit there thinkin, all those cups of coffee you drinkin' you coulda paid a light bill with that money. "Hey, look at me, I'm drinking a five dollar cup of coffee." Why do you want people to see you drinking name-brand coffee cuz NO ONE drank that ish for the taste. The way their coffee was priced, it seemed they were convinced that the economy would be stable for the rest of eternity unless their goal was to hurry up and cash in on people's desire to say That ish was not that good.

Well you see marley, there was this thing called the "the time before the recession" where the dollar wasnt weak, and people could easily afford Starbucks.

Starbucks has something called branding and a good product. Not only does it taste good (well the coffee maybe not) but the brand was so easily recognized that people would pay for it.

This is why people buy a Abercrombie polo over the exact same polo for sooo much cheaper. Well that, and the Abercrombie polo is better quality.

There is also the high level of availability. Who the fuck wants to go to some obscure place with gas prices the way they are to get some expensive coffee? Starbucks was everywhere, and the stuff was good, so you go to Starbucks.

Not to mention, the mom and pop shops charged the same prices without the garauntee that it will taste good.

 

[Apollo]

Actually, for anyone who actually knows what coffee is supposed to taste like, Starbucks is one of the very few places that gets it right.

Alas, people are so lame that they think that coffee is supposed to taste like hot chocolate so they load it up with sugar and cream and try to ignore the coffee flavour.

I love Starbucks coffee and laugh openly at the people who buy Maxwell House and whine about how there's a coffee place out there that serves coffee that they don't like.

I hate Dunkin Donuts coffee so I don't go there.

Unfortunately there are people out there who are incapable of not going to a place they don't like, I guess? Or they want the entire world to cater to their likes and dislikes.

Much like your average Kindergarten.

It's less that they don't like the coffee, than the fact it is a big company. The minute they find a reason (one person saying Dunken Donuts taste better) to find a reason to never set foot in a Starbucks.

 

[Soilwork]

mind you.. I don't drink the swill water that Americans call "Coffee."

I drink real coffee which Americans call "Espresso."

I think it's really funny that in Europe they've had to invent something called "Cafe Americano*" which is just watered down coffee. You can even buy it here.. they just make a double "espresso" and add water.

heehee.






*this translates as "American Coffee."

 

[gerrit]

I don't want to burst y'all's bubbles here but most or should I say the more popular American coffee brands (Maxwell, Folgers etc) really suck big time. Well if you compare it to Dutch coffee that is.

Earlier this year I had my first Starbucks coffee ever and thought it was a total waste of good money. It is not my kind of coffee.

Give me the good old Dutch drip coffee, Italian or French espresso and I'm good to go....

Then again it is all a matter of taste.

 

[gdude30]

Come on get up, down with the starbucks.

Down with the starbucks.

 

[gdude30]

I can get away with it

 

[RationalLunacy]

I don't want to burst y'all's bubbles here but most or should I say the more popular American coffee brands (Maxwell, Folgers etc) really suck big time. Well if you compare it to Dutch coffee that is.

Earlier this year I had my first Starbucks coffee ever and thought it was a total waste of good money. It is not my kind of coffee.

Give me the good old Dutch drip coffee, Italian or French espresso and I'm good to go....

Then again it is all a matter of taste.

Best cup of coffee I ever had was in Marigot.

 

[Apollo]

PLEASE don't take this as condescencion but did you learn anything from this at all? Because the economy is good it's okay to spend money on coffee (that doesn't even taste good) because of the brand? If you live by a starbucks, you probably live by a grocery store where you can get CHEAPER coffee that tastes good? Unless you don't like coffee and just wanna be seen carrying something that says "I spent good money on this."

Justifying something that ended up bitin' you in the arse is backtracking. I know you're smarter than that so let's both work on not being argumentative. I know I am, but in this case you've gotta know better than to justify the kind of superficial, irrational spending that's lent a hand in tearing this country's economy apart.

Yes, people are going to pay a lot of money to buy good coffee.

Tell me, if you have the option of going to buy a quick drink from Starbucks, as opposed to waking up earlier than necessary to brew your own coffee. Which would you pick?

Not to mention, Starbucks has a lot more than just coffee. They White Chocolate Mocha Frappucino is to die for.

My economics teacher taught us about inelastic demand. I am sure you can figure it out from the name. But one of her inelastic demands was a Carmel Macchiato prepared a certain way.

Not to mention, Starbucks has the atmosphere you go on dates in, or get college studying done, or just sit around with friends.

 

[Apollo]

No...I had no idea.

I'm crushed. At least I still have hardcore, real news sources like Daily Show.

lol, Well it is good you know now. Saved you some unneeded embarassement.

I clicked the link.

 

[Apollo]

They have been, and the consequences haven't been pretty.

Starbucks is expanding outside the US. They have so saturated the market in the US, that there is no need for the amount of stores they have.

Someone told me the busiest Starbucks in the world is in Houston. I am thinking it is probably more like Japan.

I'd get a clearance coffee-maker from Wal-mart and wake up 5 minutes earlier. After going out of your way to get in and wait in the proverbial line, you've probably spent atleast 2 minutes assuming the line is slow, they serve you quickly, and traffic is minimal.

People are not gonna give up 5 minuted of precious sleep to brew some coffee, with the chance it will burn and fail.

All they have to do is wake up, shower, shit, dress, walk into Starbucks and buy their favorite drink and not have to deal with it.

You also forget, Starbuck sells more than coffee, and really I doubt they sell that much coffee compared to their other drinks.

Sounds REALLY good. I'll treat myself to one when I have the extra cash. Just one. I will NOT become a Starschmuck

It is very easy to become a Starbucks addict when you have money, and you like their drinks. Thats why they are so successful.

Do you know the amount of books that have been made of Starbucks success and how to be "just like them!"? It is a lot. And the story is quite nice too.

I don't have to figure it out because that's the single phrase from my Econ. class that's saved me from disparity. I made a mental note to never get caught up in something I don't need for the sake of impressing someone for the .2 seconds they're looking at the brand on my shirt or cup. Superciality costs. That's the lesson of group inelastic spending. Your stubborness to defend something that doesn't represent a need but a want is the basis of America's desperation. We insist on buying whimsical things. Inelastic behavior isn't a disorder, it's a choice and therefore inexcusable.

Ummm, I think it is more that she really liked the drink, and wanted it. Not because she wanted to be seen with a Starbucks cup. Starbucks is so widespread that being seen with a Starbucks cup doesn't give you any cred.

In fact, if you want to be "cool" it is better to go to someone off brand coffee shop and sport their mug.

The law of inelastic demand deals more with the needs and wants to survive. You know, gas, food, water, cigarettes if your addicted. Has nothing to do with Americans love of spending. If something gets to high, the average person wont buy it. Unless it is certain things.

Inelastic demand isnt a disorder, its a necessity. Her need for that Starbucks drink isn't a necessity. Thats why she doesn't buy it anymore because she is trying to loose weight.

Still insist on inelasticity, eh? Parks are a great atmosphere for dates. Plenty of places to sit and fresh air. There aren't any namebrand parks but I'm sure you can still appreciate them. Picnics are great fun. Use the food in your fridge, find a great spot, the mood is set.

Hmmm, riiiiight. So instead of impressing your date, or taking him somewhere where he doesnt have to worry about getting messy in a park. Or getting rained on?!?!

Dude, I've been unemployed before and got by for months before finding another job because I took 2 dollars here and 50 here and saved it instead of trying to impress people who are probably douches anyway. I'm the king of budgeting you'd have to put a gun to my head to sell me a $5 coffee.

Hun, we aren't talking about unemployed people here. We are talking about people with the money to go to Starbucks and get a drink because it doesn't break the budget. No one is saying YOU have to go to Starbucks, they don't care if you go. They care if paying customers are going, and they market to them. Not the unemployed lot.

 

[Soilwork]

I'm confused.

Starbucks isn't even that expensive.

 

[Elwood]

Starbucks sucks I never liked it. Montreal has had cafes long before Starbucks was ever thought of. I live in Little Italy and I just came from Cafe Italia where I had a real cappuccino. There is no such thing as a small medium or large cappacinno . There is one size cappacinno and it cost me $2.50 thats the real stuff. For my morning brewed coffee at home I go to a store that roast their own coffee beans they have a selection from all over the world. I am currently drinking Kenya AA. I am not a huge coffee drinker but I like good coffee, you will never see Nescafe or Maxwellhouse in this house.

There are a few Starbucks in Montreal I never go though.

 

[Apollo]

Burn coffee? How do you burn coffee? Oh, yeah, that's right. Not pay attention. I forgot, the crowd we're discussing is too jazzed up to sit down for 5 minutes and make sure something doesn't burn so they can save money, but that's irrelevant cuz saving money doesn't matter to them.

Nope, they are too tired, and wondering why they are awake 5 minutes before they need to be. And yes, money doesn't matter so much considering you don't have to make it yourself.

From the buyer's perspective, aren't there more practical uses for the money? Or did you guys skip that chapter?

Who says they aren't being practical? because they are buying a Starbucks coffee? Just because you find it doesn't fit in with your lifestyle, doesnt mean others should follow suit.

I'll spare myself the 200 pages. Find a product people use frequently, helps if it has caffeine in it cuz it's addictive. Give it fancy names the ignorant customers can't pronounce because ethnic-named flavors are more exciting cuz the names are ethnic. I know, it's redundant. Create a chain. Infiltrate society til people would rather be late to work than not get their machiato. This isn't anything we haven't seen before, they just excelled at it. They didn't reinvent the wheel. They sell people a product they use everyday. Try selling vaccuums. That's a challenge.
Selling coffee? You don't sell coffee, it sells itself. Product self-promotion.

Hmmm, no. You got it all wrong. Business doesn't work that way.

Did you know fulltime employees are Starbucks get stock options?

Oh, and those ethnic blends of coffee are from those country's.

Starbucks doesn't have dozens of books written about them because they did it just like everyone else. They have those books because they did something new to become the success they are. Especially considering they used to be a small one coffee shop in Seattle that hipsters went to.

Some of us don't need to be cool. Feeling cool internally dispels the obsession with feeling cool externally.

If you don't want to be cool, then go to Starbucks. haha

I see the problem. She taught you about inflexible spending but glazed over the chapter on budgeting and long-term financial stability.

This isnt about spending, it is about demand. We learned economics, not how to finance our lives.

She taught us that there are certain things that are inelastic. Such as gas water and food. If we were to have a oil shock, it could collapse our entire economy.

Inelastic spending isn't a disorder?? Slap your Econ teacher for misrepresenting the concept.

Inelastic DEMAND honey. Not spending.

Perfect inelasticity happens when external factors or pricing does not affect the demand for a product.

For instance, if a gram of drugs cost USD 100, today, and the demand for it is 30,000 ppl, assuming the price of drug is pushed to USD 500 tommorow, still 30,000 ppl would have to buy that drug regardless of the price, especially if the drug is for diabetic patients which is essential to survive.

Check the weather. Use a bench. The purpose of inelastic-spending therapy is to pull away from the drug, not find excuses to go near it.

Sorry, if I have to money, I am taking my date to a movie and then Starbucks or to a nice restaurant. I'm not spending time in a park when I don't need to save money.

Unemployed people who save and have money spend just the same so wouldn't Starbucks only benefit welcoming everybody instead of employing the attitude you're shoving in their mouth?

If your unemployed and spending money on Starbucks, your a dumbass.

Starbucks is about making a profit. They do that by having a strong brand and a good product. This is called business. If you want to survive, you market to people who will pay.

 

[Apollo]

When it's crap it's expensive.

Ummmm, no. But if you say so. We all know the infinite wisdom of a hipster. Although hipsters are cool.

 

[Apollo]

Since you're not understanding who I'm addressing (specifically people who spend money on expensive coffee when they should be saving) and you haven't really supported your inelastic spending defense or Starbucks as a corporation with anything more than basic dribble, how bout Marley end this argument in one sweep, is that cool?

I never said Starbucks was a inelastic demand. I said my teacher had a inelastic DEMAND for buying her upside down carmel macchiato. Seeing how she doesnt have a problem with money, it didnt effect her.

Starbucks is far from inelastic. And I am not even defending Starbucks. I am explaining why people will just go to Starbucks instead of making their own. It is easier, and more convienient.

People who spend their money on trivial things and don't have financial stability like a savings account are hurting themselves because when the economy goes down as it ALWAYS will they have nothing to fall on except a trash can full of name-brand cups. The rich (who aren't Starbucks' only market) are okay because they already have a foundation.

A savings account wont save you from a recession. Plus, when the economy tanks, people adjust. When the economy recovers, people do what they want and spend how they want.

How do you think an economy works anyway. The reason why America has the biggest economy in the world by several trillion dollars is because we like to buy buy buy.

It's another reason why we are or used to be so powerful in the world.

Inelastic spending is beneficial because by continually supporting the same businesses you help a company grow that will inevitably end up giving some of their wealth (SOME of their wealth) back to the community with scholarships and grants and other supportive endeavors.

Hun, inelastic spending and demand are two different things. I am talking about demand, you are talking about spending.

This isn't about inelastic spending at all. No one has a true inelastic DEMAND to Starbucks. But the quality of service and drink draws them back in. If a person finds something better, they will go there.

I was truly seeking discussion but this back-and-forth has been circular, not linear. Poor people need savings. Rich people already have them. Inelastic spending is not the devil. Arguments need supportive information to move forward, repetitive themes are pointless. Addressing different demographics is detrimental to discussions about the economy and marketing.

This is partially due to my brain not at full strength, but WHAT!?!?!

This isn't about inelastic spending. It isn't even about inelastic demand. Didn't I already explain this part to you awhile ago? Or in the same post you quoted from?

Where did you get that inelastic demand is the devil? It is just apart of the way life is. Even without an economy, inelastic demand is still in the wild.

Sorry, how is this debate about anything inelastic?

Demographics matter in marketing to people. You don't market Starbucks coffee to poor people because they will bring down the experience you expect to recieve in a Starbucks. Plus, there is no garuantee they will come back after that one cup they buy.

Starbucks never said their stuff was cheap, so don't expect it to be when you walk into one. Seriously now, complaining about Starbucks being too expensive is useless. Of course they are expensive.