9 Psychological Tricks Used by Starbucks Coffee Shops

Today, millions of people around the world associate the word ‘coffee’ with the Starbucks brand. Some time ago it was just a coffee shop like any other, but, for some reason, it became a fever, it was present in several countries and greatly increased its sales. Despite widely varying opinions about the quality of its coffee, how does the chain manage to attract so many people? Do not think that there is some kind of magic in this situation, everything is a matter of knowing how to use a good marketing strategy.

O incredible.club analyzed this coffee giant and found some secrets that make people become die-hard fans. Check it out right now!

If you’ve ever been to a Starbucks coffee shop, you’ve probably noticed that sometimes Starbucks wants you to leave quickly. That’s why they have such cumbersome furniture. The secret is mainly in the location of the coffee shop. If you are in a busy place, with a large flow of people, then the chairs are uncomfortable, often without cushions and without backrests. Staying in such a place for a long time is very bad and makes the person drink the coffee and give the place to the next customer. The most beautiful and welcoming units are usually in places with little flow of people, so that customers stay seated longer, buying more than one coffee and other products.

Also, Starbucks doesn’t buy very tall machines, so as not to create a barrier between the customer and the person preparing the coffee. The consumer should always feel that he can keep in touch with the company’s employees.

In psychology, there is the term ‘FOMO’ (Fear Of Missing Out: feeling of missing something). This feeling appears when a buyer is afraid of missing out on a purchase at a good price or at a discount. Advertisements on television and social networks make this fear grow. “Everyone has tried the new limited edition frappuccino and I haven’t.” That’s what the average consumer thinks about when they see an offer.

Starbucks takes advantage of the weakness of normal people and constantly launches exclusive drinks, always with the detail that if you don’t try it now, after a week it will be too late.

Starbucks prices always end at 5 or 9. This is usually a way to hide the readjustments from your mind. According to statistics, customers do not notice a price increase when values ​​end in these two numbers. Our brain tends to automatically round numbers to correct any type of ‘irregularity’.

Starbucks uses lighting to get customers to open their wallet and spend more money. Upon entering a coffee shop, the consumer feels in the dark; however, at the checkout and on the shelves with the products, the lighting is much brighter. People unconsciously react to illuminated windows and end up making compulsive purchases.

In this way, the company kills two birds with one stone: it takes you to the necessary place and makes you look at the products it wants you to buy.

According to experts, Starbucks coffee roasting process is called ‘Italian’. That’s why its flavor is strong and also why many people prefer to order a frappuccino or one latte, to mask that strong taste. Of course this makes coffee much more expensive.

In addition, the dark roast makes the person not know what kind of coffee they are drinking; that is, it is a blind tasting. People cannot distinguish between the taste of Starbucks and competing brands.

Starbucks learned this trick from clothing stores. The cashier area is located in the middle or even at the end of the cafeteria, so that the consumer can always pass through the entire environment. Customers often want to stay longer and have a coffee, even if this was not their initial plan. And you’ll probably want to order another coffee, or even a pastry. Which means more money for the company.

People unconsciously believe that Starbucks is a superior coffee shop, for privileged people who can afford to pay more for theoretically simple products, such as coffee and cakes.

Within marketing theories there is the concept ‘Starbucks effect’: when a company starts to position itself as high quality, it starts to sell its products at a higher price and people don’t complain; on the contrary, they agree to spend more. This has nothing to do with the ambiance or the quality of the coffee. The effect makes people think they are buying an exclusive product.

A surprising fact: the most expensive coffee is sold at Starbucks in Russia. One latte in Russian cities it costs twice as much as in Poland, for example.

Starbucks spends a lot of money on advertising. Last year alone, the chain spent $260 million on advertising. Much of the money is spent on increasing customer loyalty. Today, Starbucks has turned into a synonym for the word ‘coffee’. Let’s take the example of game of Thrones🇧🇷

The fourth episode of the eighth season earned the coffee chain the equivalent of $2.3 billion in “free” advertising. This was due to a simple mistake: one of the cast members left a coffee cup on the scene and viewers thought it was Starbucks. In reality, the drink could have been from any other coffee shop, but viewers didn’t even think about that possibility. And the brand was publicized free of charge in articles about the “error” published in newspapers, TVs and social media.

Currently, the producers are apologizing for the error, but Starbucks is just taking advantage of the unexpectedly large amount of free publicity it received.

A user of the social network Reddit said that, in reality, all products on the network are semi-frozen. “It’s ridiculous that so few people realize this. It doesn’t mean they don’t taste good, it just means they aren’t fresh and they sell for an incredibly high price.”

If you want to save money or want to eat a freshly baked cake, Starbucks is not the best option.

Starbucks employees and brand lovers shared some tricks for people to save time and money. Keep this list at hand at all times.

If you go to Starbucks with your dog, he can also get a treat, even if it’s not on the menu. At the checkout you can order one pupuccino and your pet will receive a glass of whipped cream. You may ask your coffee at a ‘child temperature’; that way, the drink doesn’t come too hot and you don’t burn your tongue. The employee with the black apron is usually the one who has taken the most courses and knows how to prepare the best coffee. If you are served by him, enjoy. You can take your cup to Starbucks. At the end of the year, you will save a lot of money.

The medium and large cappuccinos contain the same amount of espresso. In order for the large one to have more volume, the workers add more syrup and milk. But make no mistake: the amount of caffeine is the same. If your goal is to be more awake, order the small and save a little.

It bears repeating that opinions on Starbucks coffee are very mixed. The good thing about the chain is the wide variety of cakes and products such as frappuccino, cappuccino, teas and other types of coffee. But the important thing is not to be fooled by marketing strategies.

Do you usually drink coffee at Starbucks? Does your city have a chain coffee shop? What is your opinion of the company and the quality of its products? Tell in the comments.