Starbucks is offering a novel perk to get more people to sign up for its loyalty program in the U.S.: letting members earn points when they buy bags of its coffee at supermarkets.
The Seattle-based company said at its annual meeting Wednesday that the new perk will roll out in May. Adam Brotman, Starbucks’ chief digital officer, noted during a presentation that the loyalty program is important because it helps the company collect “good customer insight” that can be used to better tailor online ads.
Starbucks Corp. had announced the move to let customers earn points through branded retail products late last year but hadn’t said when it would be available. Customers would have to go online and enter a code on the Starbucks coffee bag to get their points.
The program will expand in the fall to other Starbucks products sold in supermarkets, but the company hasn’t specified which ones.
Starting next month, customers in the U.S. will also be able to earn points at the company’s recently acquired Teavana shops.
Brotman said the company is adding about 80,000 new loyalty members a week. By the end of this fiscal year, he said Starbucks plans to push membership to 9 million. Currently, he said there are about 6 million members.
The My Starbucks Rewards program was launched in 2009 and gives people free drinks and food based on the number of points earned. Customers earn one point for every purchase, regardless of how much they spend.
There is no fee to enrol. The company’s previous loyalty program cost $25 a year and gave members 10% off purchases.
