Introduction:On November 6th, the North American Starbucks holiday collection saw a major new release, with a glass teddy bear cold brew cup that had previously debuted in South Korea sparking a frenzy of purchases. Originally priced at under $30, the cup has been listed on the secondary market for over $1,500 — a markup of more than tenfold. This article delves into the buying craze surrounding this limited-edition merchandise, explores the brand’s supply strategy and market response, and offers practical collecting advice.
At North American Starbucks locations, a rare scene of frenzied shopping unfolded once again. On the release date of the November 6th holiday collection, a glass teddy bear cold brew cup that had been sold in the South Korean market became the center of attention. Even in the early hours of the morning, customers braved the cold to line up outside stores, yet some locations only had one or two units in stock, leading to customer dissatisfaction and even conflicts. Even more surprising, this cup, originally priced under $30, has seen its price soar over $1,500 on second-hand trading platforms — a premium of more than ten times.
In the early hours of that day, while most people were still asleep, Starbucks fans across North America had already lined up voluntarily outside coffee shops in the biting cold, waiting for the doors to open. This unusual rush was triggered by a new glass teddy bear cup launched by the brand that day. November 6th was not only the full launch date of Starbucks’ holiday collection, but North American stores also brought back this glass teddy bear cup that had previously been available at South Korean Starbucks locations, alongside the highly anticipated Hello Kitty collaboration merchandise.
According to official information, this glass cold brew cup featuring a teddy bear wearing a knitted hat is available in limited quantities at select North American stores, priced at $29.95 (approximately 213 RMB). In terms of design, customers can pour their drinks directly into the glass cup and take it away, making it both practical and collectible. Its cute design, suitability for photo sharing, and buzzwords like “limited edition” and “exclusive” had already drawn significant attention from fans even before its official release.
Many customers planned their schedules in advance so they could be among the first to arrive at nearby Starbucks stores in the early hours of November 6th, hoping to be among the lucky few to snag this limited-edition item. However, the purchasing process took several unexpected turns. Social media users reported seeing store employees removing teddy bear cups from shelves and purchasing them for themselves through the store’s glass windows before opening. Some customers also claimed that when they asked in-store, staff told them the teddy bear cups on the shelves were “not for sale.”
Additionally, many customers pointed out that although the teddy bear cup had garnered widespread attention and numerous online comments expressing interest beneath the official Starbucks accounts, when they arrived at the stores, they found that only one or two cups were available to cope with the shopping rush. This directly led to physical altercations among customers competing for the limited cups, prompting online criticism of the brand for what many described as a hunger marketing strategy that disregarded customer experience.
With demand far exceeding supply, the price of this teddy bear cup on the secondary market has continued to climb, now surpassing a tenfold increase. Screenshots shared by users show that some were even willing to bid $1,500 (approximately 10,681 RMB) in an attempt to secure this unique Starbucks teddy bear cup through auction.
Faced with the public’s strong enthusiasm for this limited teddy bear cup, a Starbucks spokesperson stated in an emailed response to the media: “The excitement our customers have shown for our products has even exceeded our highest expectations. Although more teddy bear cups were sent to cafés ahead of the holiday season than for any other product, they sold out very quickly.” Regarding the various complaints voiced online, the spokesperson responded: “We understand the excitement many customers have for the teddy bear cup and apologize for any disappointment caused.” However, the statement did not disclose how many cups were initially produced, nor did it mention whether additional stock would be made available. It only noted, “There will be more exciting products to come this holiday season.”
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
