Starbucks Sales Soar

[Frodo]

http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20031125-001154-1617

Starbucks Corp.'s (SBUX) same-store sales rose 11% in the four weeks ended Nov. 23, the coffee shop chain's largest monthly gain in three years.


OK. I think this is bigger economic news than the GDP figures or "consumer confidence" or unemployment.


Maybe I don't "get it" since I don't drink much coffee, but to me this is a signal of a strong economy.

I figure if you can afford to drive somewhere and spend three bucks for what you can make for three cents? You must have plenty of "disposable income".



Or maybe they just need to wake up from a long economic nightmare? Maybe I'm reading it wrong? :eyes:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. must be all the Dean meetups

:)

[Frodo]

2. Good point!

eom.

[Mentalist]

3. I have never understood

why people will pay such exorbitant prices for a cup of coffe. I could make a million dollars a year and I still wouldn't pay those prices for coffee.

[bif]

4. I love coffee and good coffee is worth it.

Not that Starbucks is the best coffee in the world. Give me Peet's anyday.

[hlthe2b]

13. I love good coffee too... and a Peet's just opened nearby

but, like the Dietrich's, Peabodies, and other "good coffee shops" in the Denver area, I find their expresso to be bitter and barely drinkable. Say what you will for Starbucks, but their expresso is consistent and for me, consistently good.

[DUreader]

7. Do you understand that coffee is an addictive drug?

That should explain it if you have a basic knowledge of addiction.

Specifically , 'set and setting', the environment play a large part

in any drug experience, it is not just about the ingestion.

Hope that helps

[Mentalist]

8. I love coffee

and drink large quantites of if every day. But $3 to $5 a cup is crazy. I have better and more important things to do with my money. I will stick with my coffee, cappucino, and espresso makers at home.

[DUreader]

11. I do also, at home, but that is where I started, my comfort zone.

However, after working as a coffe jerk, and drinking free espresso

in a cafe, enjoying the whole community atmosphere and enthusiastic

conversation and late night, jammin' accoustic music etc. I can

definitely see spending some extra dosh if I could afford it.

Maybe in the future.

[salmonhorse]

5. "same-store sales rose 11% in the four weeks ended Nov. 23"...

Is not hard to reckon when they seem to open a new store every 15 freaking min somewhere ~

In know of 6 Starbucks here in Sac within a 1/2 radius and two of them are 6 months new; one brand new. Market saturation. But they are losing their quality from one store to the next. In some cases, they may as well have a different name on the shingle outside.

[HFishbine]

6. That's why they measure

"same-store sales." That measures the difference in sales in the SAME store this year versus last year. That keeps the data from being skewed by sales from new stores.

[salmonhorse]

14. The effect of a person who has never been into a Starbucks...

...having seen a new Starbucks built near to their locale cannot be under played. A notion of acceptance; albeit a form of Borg, "Resistance is futile..." acceptance but there it is ~

There is also the, 'Ho, Ho, Ho' template at play. Double Gingerbread Latte' and such. Tis the season...

[Mentalist]

9. The Simpsons

ever see the Simpsons episode where every store in the mall was a Starbucks?

[salmonhorse]

15. You bet'cha...

A passing comment on corporate excess to be sure.

:hi:

[hlthe2b]

10. Well, perhaps that $3 latte daily

is the ONLY extravagance some are now allowing themselves... That does put it in another perspective.. $90 some dollars/month as opposed to several hundred in the past?

(no splurging on going out to eat, the latest fads in clothing, shoes, vacations, alcohol, etc......?)

[meti57b]

12. Starbucks coffee is bitter. Great though, with plenty of milk in it. (jmo)

[Skittles]

16. checked the deficit lately, Frodo?

?????

[Skittles]

17. I love coffee

but starbucks f***ing SUCKS right up there with Krispy Kreme.

[creativelcro]

18. it could also mean that people don't get enough

sleep. I agree though, one must have extra money to buy Starbucks coffee. In addition, these days about 40% of the SB places make crappy coffee, not sure why... In Cambridge, 2 places out of 5 make coffee that is burnt... Yet, people still spend 3 bucks for a burnt cappuccino...