Starbucks' Year-End 'Goods War' Heats Up: "Red Items Selling for 2,000 Won"

Year-End Frequency Event Giving Goods on a First-Come, First-Served Basis
Hundreds of Sales Posts Uploaded Daily on Junggonara
Successful Hunger Marketing...Criticism for Encouraging Overconsumption

"White is sold for 1,000 won, red is sold for 2,000 won."

At the end of the year, posts like this inevitably appear on Korea's largest secondhand trading platforms, 'Junggonara' and 'Danggeun Market.' On Junggonara alone, over 100 posts are uploaded daily. What exactly are White and Red? They are Starbucks winter e-frequency stamps, a kind of cyber stamp, where collecting all 17 allows you to exchange them for a diary or other products.

Starbucks gives e-frequency stamps to customers based on the number of drinks ordered, and as more consumers covet Starbucks goods, secondhand trading has flourished every year. One consumer said, "When I see posts about Starbucks e-frequency secondhand trading, I think 'the year-end has come,' as the goods war has become an annual event."

This year, Starbucks has also started the '2024 Winter e-Frequency' event. From November 1 to December 31, if you purchase a total of 17 drinks including three mission drinks such as Strawberry Latte and Toffee Nut Latte, and collect all the e-frequency stamps, you can receive one of the three Moleskine Starbucks planners, one of the four Bonakia Starbucks portable lamps, or one calendar on a first-come, first-served basis.

First launched as a promotional event in 2003, this event was previously operated by stamping or giving stickers. Because of this, it was difficult to have the frequency stamps unless you personally purchased the drinks or were a close acquaintance of the consumer. However, since 2013, the frequency accumulation method changed to barcodes, making gift transfers possible. As a result, those who want Starbucks year-end goods have engaged in various types of transactions.

The most common type of transaction these days is buying and selling e-frequency stamps one or two at a time. Currently, the White stamps, which are given when you drink a basic beverage, are traded at around 1,000 to 1,500 won, and the Red stamps, which require drinking mission beverages, are traded at 1,700 to 2,500 won. This method is mainly chosen by Starbucks customers who almost complete the 17 e-frequency stamps but fall short and want to get the goods. Sometimes, two White stamps are exchanged for one Red stamp.

There is also a type of transaction where the complete set of 17 e-frequency stamps is bought and sold. If you have the complete set, you can reserve and receive goods through the Starbucks app yourself. Prices vary between 20,000 and 30,000 won depending on the platform. This is used by consumers who do not use Starbucks at all but want the goods.

The third type is buying and selling goods that have already been received. The steady seller, the Starbucks diary, is currently traded at 25,000 to 35,000 won depending on the color. This year, the portable lamp, included in the lineup for the first time, is the most popular. It attracted attention from the start of the event due to collaboration with the famous lighting brand Bonakia. Although different from the main product, Bonakia's lamps sold separately are priced in the 200,000 won range, so many people try to get this event product cost-effectively. Currently, prices range from 35,000 to 50,000 won depending on the color. Since the goods are produced in limited quantities and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, some models risk selling out. Therefore, those who want to safely receive the product usually buy the items directly.

Starbucks 2024 Winter e-Frequency Event Goods: Portable Lamp, Diary, and Calendar. Provided by Starbucks

In this way, Starbucks' e-frequency event has established itself as a successful 'hunger marketing,' stimulating consumers' purchasing desires every year-end and playing a significant role in boosting sales. Now in its 22nd year, this event is poised to be a key contributor to Starbucks entering the 3 trillion won sales era. Starbucks recorded sales of 2.9295 trillion won last year and is expected to enter the 3 trillion won range this year.

A Starbucks Korea representative said, "The winter frequency event is a gratitude event for customers who love Starbucks," adding, "The focus is on benefits rather than increasing sales."

However, criticisms that it encourages overspending to obtain goods follow as a shadow behind Starbucks' marketing success. Four years ago, in 2020, one consumer ordered a total of 300 drinks to get the 'Summer Ready Bag,' a summer e-frequency event good. This consumer spent 1.3 million won, took home 17 promotional items, but the drinks were discarded, causing a major controversy.