I Bought the Viral Starbucks Bear Cup After Camping Outside the Store at 1 a.m. They Only Had 2 in Stock
Paden Ferguson and his partner managed to purchase the only two available Bearista cups at their local Starbucks. The limited stock upset many customers, as only a few bear cups were available.
Background on the Bear Cup Release
In October, Starbucks announced the launch of its new holiday drinks and desserts, including a special holiday bear cup adorned with a green beanie hat and straw. Paden Ferguson, CEO of Padiano's Kitchen, shared his experience in this as-told-to essay, edited for clarity and length.
Planning for the Release
For a month leading up to November 6th, Paden and his partner discussed how they would get the bear cup on release day. Initially, they expected it to be easy, assuming they could just visit the store around noon.
Rising Demand and Early Reconnaissance
They soon noticed that many others had the same plan as the bear cup started going viral on social media, creating significant hype. To prepare, they checked with local Starbucks stores to estimate availability and competition.
Local Store Inquiry
On the evening of November 5th, they visited their busiest nearby Starbucks among five local shops to ask about the stock. The barista informed them the store had only seven bear cups.
“Seven,” the barista said when asked about the number of cups in stock.
Summary
Despite the excitement, the limited availability made the viral Starbucks bear cup extremely difficult to obtain, leading Paden and his partner to camp outside the store overnight just to get one of the scarce items.
Author's summary: The sudden popularity of Starbucks' holiday bear cup caused overwhelming demand, but extremely limited stock created frustrated customers and led some to camp overnight for a chance to buy one.