Update: Starbucks confirms that it's getting rid of the rotating CD racks

The company is going to focus on four CDs it sells near cash registers -- the ones that are less likely to be stolen. "It's an opportunity to focus on a small number of titles and tell those stories well," says Starbucks spokesman Doug Cavarocchi. iTunes gift cards and promotional giveaways will continue to be available in Starbucks stores. (Read the Seattle Times story)

Comments

[Sad ASM]

That is incredibly sad news. Yet another part of our culture tossed away because the old dog thinks he still has it. Screw it, I really do think that I am going to go to another company.

[spork]

I got rid of ours myself about 2 weeks ago...
OH MY GOD.. it was so heavy... We had to load it into my car and drive to the dumpster...

[Joss]

I'm glad we're getting rid of all that unnecessary garbage that no one buys... it's like, can we just friquen sell coffee for crying out loud? Why be so greedy?

[GREAT]

SBUX foray into music is a joke..

[pablo]

thank god: that thing is always in the way.

not to mention the ridiculous amount of excess cds/dvds we have sitting in the back because we get shipped twice as much stuff than will fit on there and only sell a fraction of it.

[Kate]

It's actually pretty useful as a holder for one sleeve each of spare lids... we had an extra one sitting just inside the back room for a while.

[Rebecca]

Can partners buy any of the discontinued items for a reduced price?? Please?

[Herman M]

Rebecca: for a pleasant (really, really pleasant) surprise, check the portal and with your manager.

Sad: What? We are not getting rid of music, we are doing what we said we would several years ago and featuring no more than 5 titles at a time.It would seem likely that those would be our playlists as well, instead of interminable releases of stuff that can be had anywhere else at a better price. But if that's all it takes to make you say you are out, I think it's time to really take stock of what you want to do.

Joss: at the risk of bringing out the hater "you are going to be overrun" folks...stock holders. If selling CDs looked like a good idea, making them instead of buying them sounded even better. It is not. ;-)

[DirtyChai]

Now that the company is at an all-time low, they are finally starting to realize that all of the customers that would come into the stores would grab their four dollar lattes and also help themselves to a "free" CD. Since creating this third place environment also meant having no theft detection, and employees instructed not to chase after thieves. So since we sold very few CDs every time a new promotion rolled out, most of the ones that left our stores were due to the CD rack that was originally left in a dark, desolate, cobweb-ridden corner of the store. Upgraded to a lit portion of the store, and now, finally, since we rarely have time to constantly monitor the CDs, they always just get stolen by the customers. Excuse me, I mean theives.
DVDs? Same shit, different cup. Do we need to be selling, or even producing low-budget, underperforming films about young Akeelah, whose only dream in life is to be able to spell. And then she does. But no one wants to watch that.
In conclusion, Starbucks was never meant to go into the entertainment industry. At least until we can find another way for the customers to be easily caught if they steal our shit. Thieves.

[Michael Loyst]

Get rid of the CD rack? Music has been part of starbucks for such a long time. Great Coffee & Great music go together. I dont know about other partners at other stores but my store sells a crap load of CD's. I think it should stay, so i can sip on my delicious cup of coffee and browse through CD's and DVD's in the coffeehouse atmosphere

Posted by: spork | June 25, 2008 at 11:41 PM

I'm glad we're getting rid of all that unnecessary garbage that no one buys... it's like, can we just friquen sell coffee for crying out loud? Why be so greedy?