Starbucks’ Monopoly — Best UX Ever
Who is the leader in the coffee industry?
With 29.1 billion in annual sales and 34,000 stores, Starbucks is already in the top spot of the coffee industry. Success does not always depend on luck, more on hard work. Tremendous efforts had been invested into the journey of Starbucks over decades, it is interesting for us who aspire to success to dig into that journey.
Consumers are the most essential parts of the coffee industry, increasing consumers’ desire and pleasing consumers are the best way to improve sales and expand the company size. In the digital world, Starbucks identified the smartphone and internet revolution years before most other competitors. Consequently, users’ experiences on both desktop and mobile devices are the main topic in this article.
“Easy to use”
The design for desktop and mobile are both easy to find what we want, with a clear category and button. It would not waste any time for busy people to grab a drink at Starbucks. “Saving time” is the key reason for people who just want coffee to refresh their brains to choose to use Starbucks to order online.
Starbucks’ mobile app uses machine learning to provide customers with personalized recommendations for additional products they may want to purchase based on their purchase history. According to Starbucks’ Chief Technology Officer, it uses “a data-driven AI algorithm based on your preferences, your behavior as well as behaviors that Starbucks is trying to drive”.
With AI, consumers’ experiences would be improved a lot, a prediction is convenient for Choister to make an easy decision. With the accuracy of AI, the prediction may become the favorite drink, which would also increase the sales of online orders.
“Consistency”
Both desktops and mobile are keeping the same element, such as the dark green color, the same font, consistent function, identical pictures for products, and so on. This consistency is good for the transition from mobile app to desktop. When you have no access to your phone in a meeting, you can only order drinks or access other products through a desktop which has the familiar elements of mobile.
Special messages delivered through desktop and mobile are not only the same but also fit into the seasonal products and seasonal campaigns. It is easy engage users to be actively engaged in these messages with attractive taglines and pictures. Consistency is essential, qualitative content is also a necessity.
“Loyalty Program”
Acquiring and retaining users is the purpose of both desktop and mobile apps. Starbucks’ loyalty program is quite successful with 28.7 million active rewards members, up 16% year over year.
Starbucks Rewards members will need to earn 100 stars before they can redeem their points for a free hot or iced coffee or tea, a baked good, a packaged snack, or a to-go cup, up from 50 stars. Free lattes, Frappuccino, or a hot breakfast item will require 200 stars (instead of 150), and members will need to earn 300 points to earn a free salad, lunch sandwich, protein box, or packaged coffee, up from 200.
This rewards program is mostly used by mobile phones and desktops, which generates significant revenue for Starbucks. UX is excellent here for all other brands to take a reference.
Starbucks is good at creating a UX-friendly environment for both desktop and mobile apps. In digital time, UX should be more considered carefully, considerate things you do, and more achievements you gain.
