CANADA: Starbucks launches in-store debit card in time for Christmas

Seattle-based coffee shop giant Starbucks Coffee Co. is set to launch a new gift idea in time for the holiday season; in-store debit cards. The cards, which work like gift vouchers, are being touted as ideal gifts for caffeine addicts this Christmas. They can be used as an alternative to cash to pay for Starbucks’ specialty coffee products, and come in amounts between C$5 and C$500, which can be topped up at any Starbucks’ outlet. A magnetic strip keeps track of the declining balance.

December 4, 2001

Seattle-based coffee shop giant Starbucks Coffee Co. is set to launch a new gift idea in time for the holiday season; in-store debit cards.

The cards, which work like gift vouchers, are being touted as ideal gifts for caffeine addicts this Christmas. They can be used as an alternative to cash to pay for Starbucks’ specialty coffee products, and come in amounts between C$5 and C$500, which can be topped up at any Starbucks’ outlet. A magnetic strip keeps track of the declining balance.

Karin Koonings, marketing manager for Starbucks in eastern Canada told the National Post: “The real reasoning behind this is convenience. Our customers have been asking for something like this for a long time. It helps them speed through the whole transaction and it’s faster than using a credit card or debit card.”