Starbucks, the coffee shop chain has a Facebook site.
http://en-gb.facebook.com/Starbucks
Starbucks is promoting a 'community volunteering' campaign and has raised money for a 'World Aids Day'. The Starbucks Facebook page has over a million 'fans'
Q1. What benefits does Starbucks seek from being on a social networking site?
Q2. What does Starbucks use to engage 'fans'
Q3. What is the image that Starbucks is promoting?
Q4. What are the risks?
3 comments:
One huge benefit is increased brand awareness / recognition through the many repeated and interconnected links within the Facebook community. The Facebook interface itself is used to engage fans, allowing them to interact - clicking for more information etc. The Starbucks physical stores is a venue for social interaction, catching up with friends etc. Facebook is another opportunity to pursue this social image within another dimension. Risks.... hmmm not sure.
Excellent point linking Starbucks physical social interaction with on-line social networking. So it is not about the coffee, but about social interaction at Starbucks? This is a good example of consumer behaviour that highlights the 'benefits' sought (social interaction rather than just coffee).
Starbucks both here and in the US is closing stores and laying off staff. I feel that by being involved in a Facebook community it can maintain and build its brand and profitabilty in a very cost effective manner. It will give loyal customers a sense of belonging, a sense of family, and make Starbucks an intergal part of their lives. I'm sure Starbucks doesn't want to sell just one cup of coffee to a customer today, they want to sell that customer 1000s of cups over their lifetime. A risk cold be that a single Facebook based problem, eg complaints about coffee quality or service, could become a major problem when other Facebook users relate similiar problems. Like a virus these isolated problems could become to many people the reality of the Starbucks experience.
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