• On BNET: 3 worst things about the iPhone 3G S
March 19, 2008 11:46 AM PDT

Starbucks caters to digital crowd with social-networking site

by Elinor Mills

You know social networking has jumped the shark when Starbucks gets into the act.

Starbucks has launched My Starbucks Idea, an electronic suggestion box where people can offer up their best ideas for making the already ubiquitous coffee retailer even more successful.

You could say the company is as aggressive with its Internet campaigns as it is with its prices. There is Wi-Fi in the stores, they let you log onto iTunes to see what song is playing in the store and download it, let you use text messaging to find the nearest store, and they gave away free digital songs for a month last year.

You can offer up ideas, vote on other peoples' ideas, and get feedback from Starbucks employees. The company says it will consider implementing the most popular ideas.

Suggestions range from offering weekly coffee specials and holding coffee classes to selling books and having "more coffee smells."

I've got one: charge less for soy milk!

At My Starbucks Idea site, you can make suggestions and vote on other people's ideas, which may or may not be used by the coffee retailer.

(Credit: Starbucks)
Originally posted at News Blog
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor.
Recent posts from Webware
Firefox 3.5 and the potential of Web typography
Sites that help you lodge complaints
Google App Engine misfires
Microsoft: Bing needs to improve when news breaks
Google finally sued by makers of Finally Fast
Google Toolbar for IE speaks your language
Bing brings out the tweets
Google Search optimized for a mess of phones
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (5 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
your wish....
by Jim with a Twist March 19, 2008 3:08 PM PDT
How about free soy milk? Have and use a Starbucks Card (starting in mid-April), and you can have your customized syrups and soy milk for free in most of the beverages: https://www.starbucks.com/card/default.asp
Reply to this comment
by BLuMaGiK August 22, 2008 2:43 PM PDT
I've been a big fan of the mocha & vanilla frappucc!no's for a while now ...Both are awsome drinks....What i would really like to see is a mocha-vanilla frap. mmmmm
Reply to this comment
by LuckyJoanna October 21, 2008 2:15 AM PDT
It's great to hear that "Starbucks has launched My Starbucks Idea". And I just thinking enjoy the service of Starbucks in my home and chat with my friends from all over the world! That's amazing! BTW, are you guys OK? My friends in livechat2go.com.
Reply to this comment
by LuckyJoanna October 21, 2008 2:18 AM PDT
Where are you, TomBruce? Where are you, Marysoso?
I wanna buy you a cup in Starbucks next time we meet in http://www.livechat2go.com/
by peakae1 February 24, 2009 12:01 PM PST
I live in the North Shore area of Chicago, Il. and was amased when I found out you discontinued carrying the flax bread twist. I was hoping to have you carry it in the west palm beach area also-guess that's out of the question now. Would you share the reason why you disconntinued it?

Thanks
Reply to this comment
(5 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement
Click Here

About Webware

Say No to boxed software! The future of applications is online delivery and access. Software is passé. Webware is the new way to get things done.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Webware topics

Making sense of Windows 7 upgrades

faq The basics and the fine print on Microsoft's options for those eyeing the next operating system from Redmond.
• Full Windows 7 coverage

Road Trip 2009: Big Sky Country

CNET News reporter Daniel Terdiman takes his car full of gadgets to the Rockies and the Great Plains in search of tech, science, nature, and more.
• America's Fortress: Cheyenne Mountain

advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right