Starbucks Apps Flow into App Store

geekmommy4 · Sep 23, 2009

The Wall Street Journal reported on two new Starbucks apps. The first one is called myStarbucks that helps you find stores and provides menu information and lets you "design" a drink. They are testing another one in the Seattle area that lets you use your iPhone as your Starbucks card. It's called Starbucks Card Mobile. No ordering functionality mentioned.

Edit: I just tried this out and it's actually kind of fun to browse their coffees and drink options. I always feel so rushed when I'm in their store.

Here's the link to the article.

From the MyStarbucks iTunes description:

Finally, the official iPhone application from Starbucks! Want to find a store that’s open, with a drive through? Now you can do that and more with myStarbucks. Explore our whole bean coffees, find nutrition information, and build your own perfect drinks. Want to share? You can send your drink to friends by email, SMS, or directly to their iPhone or iPod® touch.

FEATURES
• Store Locator: Display the closest stores, directions, store hours and amenities—find stores with a drive through, oven warmed food, and more!
• Drink Builder: Create and share your perfect Starbucks® beverages
• Food Menu: Browse the menu and see detailed nutritional info and ingredients
• Coffee Menu: Explore every Starbucks® whole bean coffee
• myStarbucks: Save all of your favorites for quick recall and sharing

And this is just version 1.0 – we will be adding new and exciting features in future releases. Want to join the conversation? Go to http://www.mystarbucksidea.com to contribute your opinion on what Starbucks should do next.

Would you like to keep track of your Starbucks Card balance on the go? Download the Starbucks Card Mobile app on the App Store. Just use the “Other Apps” link below.

CSHawkeye81 · Sep 23, 2009

I was just talking about this the other day with a friend on why Starbucks didnt have an app.

MacRumors · Sep 23, 2009

Starbucks Apps Flow into App Store

Two Starbucks apps made an entrance into the App Store early this morning, one - myStarbucks - offering store location capabilities and menu browsing while the other, the Starbucks Mobile Card app, provides a variety of features to manage and reload Starbucks cards as well as a unique payment system that's being piloted in a handful of stores. The myStarbucks app takes advantage of the peer-to-peer connectivity over Bluetooth that debuted with the iPhone 3.0 firmware.

The myStarbucks app can use the iPhone's location to find the nearest Starbucks stores. The Starbucks food menu, along with nutritional information, can also be viewed. Favorite drinks can be customized, saved for future reference, and shared via email or directly with another iPhone or iPod touch user who has the myStarbucks app open and Bluetooth turned on.

The Starbucks Card Mobile app allows holders of Starbucks Cards to view card balance, reload a card, view transaction history information, and more. It also features a new payment system that's being piloted in 16 stores in the San Francisco Bay and Seattle areas that will allow users to make payments directly through an iPhone. To head off inevitable questions about the expansion of this program, a button labeled "When is it coming to my Starbucks?" reveals the following answer:

We are testing mobile payment in select stores in Seattle and Silicon Valley. In the coming months we will be evaluating additional locations and would love your input. To follow our process and share ideas on Starbucks Card Mobile, visit http://www.mystarbucks.com. Thanks for your interest in Starbucks Card Mobile.

Starbucks is currently offering a $5 bonus on Starbucks Cards Mobile accounts the first time a card is reloaded with a Visa card through the Starbucks Card Mobile app.

Starbucks has partnered with Apple in other areas, including offering a music partnership that offers customers the ability to purchase currently playing songs in Starbucks locations directly on an iPhone, iPod touch, or computer with iTunes. iPhone and iPod touch users can also benefit from free Wi-Fi connectivity at Starbucks locations with AT&T hotspots.

The myStarbucks [App Store] and Starbucks Card Mobile app [App Store] are both free and available now.

Article Link: Starbucks Apps Flow into App Store

avigalante · Sep 23, 2009

Ah, yes, iPhones/iPods making the world evermore anti-social.

UngratefulNinja · Sep 23, 2009

Grrr if you hav e a duetto card it won't bring it into the app yet for some reason.

NightStorm · Sep 23, 2009

I'm curious as to why they didn't just release one app with the combined functionality of both?

alent1234 · Sep 23, 2009

i've used two of the unofficial apps, but now i'm using the Where app. It's nice that it supports a lot more features than just Starbucks and helps with app clutter. i've seen a few other apps that now combine what used to be multiple simple apps into one app

iPhone 62S · Sep 23, 2009

Neither of these are in the UK store

alent1234 · Sep 23, 2009

what is the point of ordering functionality? most of the NYC stores are like assembly lines and very fast

Ericatomars · Sep 23, 2009

I think this is one of those things that sounds like a cool idea, but its just fueling the starbuck junkies, as well as making people anti social... Lets see how popular this app is?

Scooterman1 · Sep 23, 2009

I've had, and used, Starbucks in the past. They almost NEVER give out ANY added benefit for using the card.

So, WHY do you need to use a card. It's just for paying for you coffee. And you have the added trouble of reloading the card quite frequently since the price of the coffee will deplete your card very rapidly.

So, isn't it a lot easier to use your Debit card? DUH, Starbucks...

spillproof · Sep 23, 2009

Why 2 apps? They both seem like a good idea. I'll have to try them out but I doubt the new pay feature will work at my campus.

stagi · Sep 23, 2009

the link for the store locator isn't working for me (to see what bay area stores you can use your phone to pay) anyone else see a list of stores? Might have to try this out today.

stagi · Sep 23, 2009

Scooterman1 said:
I've had, and used, Starbucks in the past. They almost NEVER give out ANY added benefit for using the card.

So, WHY do you need to use a card. It's just for paying for you coffee. And you have the added trouble of reloading the card quite frequently since the price of the coffee will deplete your card very rapidly.

So, isn't it a lot easier to use your Debit card? DUH, Starbucks...

I would rather use one transaction on my ATM card every month to put money on my starbucks card and then use that daily. Much better when I have to reconcile my checkbook and there are 30 transactions for $3.00 (in my mind, easier to do) I try and rarely use my ATM card now for little stuff just pull cash for the week and use that for lunch and other small items.

creon · Sep 23, 2009

alent1234 said:
i've used two of the unofficial apps, but now i'm using the Where app. It's nice that it supports a lot more features than just Starbucks and helps with app clutter. i've seen a few other apps that now combine what used to be multiple simple apps into one app

Check out Yelp.

I found Where to be less than helpful compared to Yelp.

Rojo · Sep 23, 2009

Scooterman1 said:
I've had, and used, Starbucks in the past. They almost NEVER give out ANY added benefit for using the card.

So, WHY do you need to use a card. It's just for paying for you coffee. And you have the added trouble of reloading the card quite frequently since the price of the coffee will deplete your card very rapidly.

So, isn't it a lot easier to use your Debit card? DUH, Starbucks...

Actually, there ARE some benefits (if you register your card, that is):

Free syrup and milk options for your beverage.
Free brewed coffee refills (hot or iced).
Free Tall (12 fl oz) beverage with your 1 lb whole bean purchase.
Up to two hours free AT&T Wi-Fi per day.
Free drink on your birthday

Plus, it's useful for someone like me, who is trying to "budget" my Starbucks drinking. If I just used my debit card, my Starbucks binges would be out of control.

spillproof said:
Why 2 apps? They both seem like a good idea.

Yeah... two apps is simply ridiculous! They should be combined into one app. I really don't like the idea of wasting space with two apps. If there ends up being ways to use the Starbucks card one at any NYC 'Bucks, than I'll get that one. The other one is useless to me, as there is literally a Starbucks everywhere you turn here...

axiom49 · Sep 23, 2009

in the UK if you use the Starbucks card to pay, you get extra's on your drinks free.

MalibuMatt98 · Sep 23, 2009

Wow, now there is an app for that too. Now only if they could implement a system where you can send your order ahead, pay for it with you Starbucks card, so all you have to do is pick up the drink when you arrive. That would be extremely useful.

macduke · Sep 23, 2009

Rojo said:
Yeah... two apps is simply ridiculous! They should be combined into one app. I really don't like the idea of wasting space with two apps. If there ends up being ways to use the Starbucks card one at any NYC 'Bucks, than I'll get that one. The other one is useless to me, as there is literally a Starbucks everywhere you turn here...

The reason is simple: this new functionality is a trial. They don't want people getting upset and leaving bad reviews for the main app because it doesn't work at their location. They will most likely roll this payment feature into the main location finding app in a future update. That is, if the trial proves sucessful and they have implemented it at the majority of their locations.

geekmommy4 · Sep 23, 2009

alent1234 said:
what is the point of ordering functionality? most of the NYC stores are like assembly lines and very fast

I wish ours were! I never stop unless I have time to kill. I don't see how ordering functionality would work very well, though. It'd be hard to time it right and get your coffee hot. Lots of people have asked for that since the first prototypes came out, though.

Compile 'em all · Sep 23, 2009

Drink proper coffee. /partypooper

libertyforall · Sep 23, 2009

Well isn't that dumb, two apps for one purpose -- just make ONE app please!!! I mean I don't need more icons littering my Springboard just to add a feature, build it into one app. Sheesh.

Veinticinco · Sep 23, 2009

iPhone 62S said:
Neither of these are in the UK store

And you're sad, why exactly?

An app that shows you where your nearest Starbucks is?

On the contrary, I'd happily pay for an app that instead showed you those increasingly rare blackspots that have eluded/defied that evil corporation of brown sludge merchants.

Veinticinco · Sep 23, 2009

Compile 'em all said:
Drink proper coffee. /partypooper

Hear hear, we want a Lavazza or Illy app

(Please god don't let anyone suggest a Nespresso app

)

Scooterman1 · Sep 23, 2009

Rojo said:
Actually, there ARE some benefits (if you register your card, that is):

Free syrup and milk options for your beverage.

Free brewed coffee refills (hot or iced).

Free Tall (12 fl oz) beverage with your 1 lb whole bean purchase.

Up to two hours free AT&T Wi-Fi per day.

Free drink on your birthday

The Free syrup is nice to know because I would have to argue with them over that one. They most always charged me extra.

They may have been because of their training to charge as much as they can.
I had to always argue about the difference in pricing on the way I ordered, and the way they were trained to ring it up.
Example: I would order a Venti Coffee Latte, add Dolce Cinnamon, add Hazelnut. I would pause between each item in that description.
They would ring it up as a Dolce Cinnamon Latte, add Hazelnut. This way, you were charged $.55 more than if they charged for a Latte, and .30 each for adding Cinnamon and Hazelnut. They don't tell you about how they automatically charged .55 more ringing it their way. You have to really watch their pricing.

Anyway, thanks for the info on the Items you listed.

Starbucks Apps Flow into App Store

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