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Starbucks UK - Anti Apple?

nomad01

nomad01

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 1, 2005
1,734
73
Birmingham, England
Okay, this is not a major issue but it is annoying.

Starbucks in the UK have just introduced the Starbucks Card over here. I picked one up but when I tried to register it, I got this message:

Browser error

We're sorry, your browser doesn't support the Starbucks Card registration pages of this website.

Please update your browser to Internet Explorer version 5.0 or above, or Netscape Navigator version 6.0 or above.

Thank you.

Okay so what they're saying in effect is "Buy a PC" or at least you need to be using Windows anyway!

This is a new scheme so I thought I'd email and see if they had any plans to support Apple machines and here's what they say:

I am sorry for any disappointment, though at present, we have no immediate plans to provide access for Mac users and those on less popular internet browsers.


How crap is that? Have they never looked how many Apple laptops are in use in Starbucks?

If anyone wants to email them and request they start supporting Apple, you can email direct at: UKInfo@starbucks.com

Like I said, it's not a major story but it bugs me that a company of this size can ignore Apple owners.

Steve
 
See, this is what really gets me angry. Build a non-standards compliant site and then tell people you can't use it. And it essentially happens because management teams are unaware of the importance of making sites compatible with all browsers and let the web-people essentially have their own way, avoiding testing on a number of platforms and browsers.

And of course, I lay the blame entirely on the 'embrace and extend' crowd.
 
did you try using firefox?

nomad01 said:
Okay, this is not a major issue but it is annoying.

Starbucks in the UK have just introduced the Starbucks Card over here. I picked one up but when I tried to register it, I got this message:

Browser error

We're sorry, your browser doesn't support the Starbucks Card registration pages of this website.

Please update your browser to Internet Explorer version 5.0 or above, or Netscape Navigator version 6.0 or above.

Thank you.

Okay so what they're saying in effect is "Buy a PC" or at least you need to be using Windows anyway!

This is a new scheme so I thought I'd email and see if they had any plans to support Apple machines and here's what they say:

I am sorry for any disappointment, though at present, we have no immediate plans to provide access for Mac users and those on less popular internet browsers.


How crap is that? Have they never looked how many Apple laptops are in use in Starbucks?

If anyone wants to email them and request they start supporting Apple, you can email direct at: UKInfo@starbucks.com

Like I said, it's not a major story but it bugs me that a company of this size can ignore Apple owners.

Steve
Click to expand...
 
incidentally, their actual website works with safari, and their registration pages work too.. altho post registration i'm not sure as I didn't create an account - is that where you got the error?
 
It seems as if the US Starbucks site allows access to Mac browsers. Just tried it on Camino. However, as I don't have a Starbucks card with me I can't go any further.

If that doesn't work, the simple solution is to bypass the UK operation and go straight to US Customer Relations and/or Marketing Dept. It may be an idea to point out that Starbucks in the UK is heavily concentrated around London, coincidentally exactly where most British Mac users live, so if they want to alienate a large proportion of their UK customer base, they're going the right way about it.

Keep it polite though. There was a similar campaign with the National Lottery website a couple of years back, and they recoded the site in the end.
 
Enable the debug menu in Safari.

Terminal command: % defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 1

Debug > User Agent > Windows MSIE 6.0
 
Funny thing is whenever I go into a starbucks (or any coffee shop) here in portland, it is mostly mac portables you see. I'd say maybe 8:1 macs overs pc's. Don't know if that's the case in other places. Maybe it's the liberal attitude here.

Language Warning
 
mcarnes said:
Funny thing is whenever I go into a starbucks (or any coffee shop) here in portland, it is mostly mac portables you see. I'd say maybe 8:1 macs overs pc's. Don't know if that's the case in other places. Maybe it's the liberal attitude here.
[/URL]
Click to expand...

I don't go to starbucks much, but when I do go by I usually see some mac notbooks, I haven't seen any mac portables though.;)
 
Hummer said:
Here in New York, mac and Starbucks go hand in hand.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tell me about it! I couldn't believe it when I walked into the Starbucks in Astor Place... more powerbooks than an Apple Store!

Starbucks over here DO seem to attract Macs too though. Certainly in Birmingham but when I'm in London there's usually one or two about.

I originally tried Firefox, Opera and Safari. None would work with the UK Starbucks Card registration. Safari seems to work after enabling the debug options... that's almost more frustrating though! It works but they're just not allowing you the chance to even try!

Max Payne said:
I prefer not going to starbux at all. Costa & Nero are much better..
Click to expand...

I use Starbucks because I have to walk right past it in a morning. I wouldn't use Costa if you paid me. Not had a decent coffee in there for far too long.

Cafe Nero and Coffee Republic use better beans but it's still hit and miss whether you get someone competent making the drink. My local Starbucks is usually reliable.
 
nomad01 said:
If anyone wants to email them and request they start supporting Apple, you can email direct at: UKInfo@starbucks.com

Like I said, it's not a major story but it bugs me that a company of this size can ignore Apple owners.

Steve
Click to expand...

OK I sent them an email that goes like this:

my email to Starbucks said:
Hello

I was trying to register for a starbucks card on your website at http://starbucks.co.uk/en-GB/_Card/whyregister.htm, on my iMac G5 with Firefox 1.5, and came up with an error stating that the site requires Internet Explorer 5 or higher, the site appeared to work when I got my browser to pretend to be Internet Explorer 6.0 (realistically 99% of computer users won't know how to do this), so it is probably a simple issue of allowing access to Firefox.

As you may not be aware Firefox is currently used by about 10% of the UK population so this means that they will be unable to access your site with their preferred internet browser, also neither Internet Explorer or Netscape are currently supported on Mac OS X, so you are completely preventing all UK Mac users, which account for around 3-4% of UK computer users, from being about to register for a Starbuck's card.

If you could fix this that would be brilliant

Many Thanks

Eraserhead
Click to expand...
 
nomad01 said:
Excellent.

I'm sure they'd reconsider if enough people complained.

Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...

Well here is the reply

reply from Starbucks said:
22 November 2006

Dear Eraserhead

Thank you for taking the time to contact Starbucks Coffee Company.

We appreciate our customers taking the time to share their experiences using their Starbucks card.

I am sorry for any disappointment, though at present, we have no immediate plans to provide access for Mac users and those on less popular internet browsers. We are reviewing this and will continue to review customer feedback about how we can improve access for customers. Your comments were passed on to our Starbucks Card team to make them aware of your concerns and to help underline customer sentiment on this issue.

To protect your balance, your Starbucks Card can be registered by calling the Starbucks Card customer care team on 0845 270 3310. The only functionality you will be unable to access when registering by this method are details of your spending history, though we will be happy to assist you with this by telephone. You can continue to receive emails about special offers and your balance is displayed on the receipt you will receive after each Starbucks Card transaction.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your comments on the new Starbucks Card and I hope you will enjoy using it.

Yours sincerely
Helen Carrington
Customer Care Specialist
Click to expand...
 
It's the 'less popular' thing that really sticks in my throat. How about universal access? There's an EU human rights case here for anyone who wants to pursue it. ;)
 
I went in a UK starbucks for the first time the other day and was pleased to see no less than 5 MBPs in operation. Not a single PC to be seen - probably too embarrassed to get them out with all the Macs about.
 
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