What's the posting policy for Starbucks community bulletin boards?

Debbie e-mails STARBUCKS GOSSIP: "What's the posting policy is for what goes on the Community Boards? I ask because I volunteer for non-profits that host fundraisers such as 10K walk/runs, a ballet show, etc. Some Starbucks stores say "yes, go ahead and post your flyer, brochure, etc." But, one Starbucks manager told me, "only non-profits advertising FREE events to the community", while her store's board had posts advertising fee-charged profit events. She wouldn't let me post my non-profit flier (to a children's Nutcracker ballet down the street), and when I pointed out the posters had fee-charged events, she said she hadn't gone through them to pull them down. Yet when I went back days later to buy coffee, and take a flyer to a business nearby that agreed to post the event, the same fee-charged events were STILL on the Starbucks community board. So, what is the deal?"

Can anyone spell out the policy -- if there is one -- for Debbie?

Comments

[Stacy]

I don't think I've ever come across a written policy on this but my store has always gone by a lost&found/non-profit only type of rule. If it's selling something or if it's promoting something (like a band or something religious[or non]), we take it down.

[Lindsey]

At our store, the only things that we post are for events that we are working with (if we're providing coffee for the event, or if we have a team participating in Relay for Life, etc.). If Starbucks is not involved with the event, we do not post it (regardless of if it is free/non-profit/etc.) Not even lost puppy messages.

[Me]

I haven't seen it in writing anywhere, but we go with the not for profit rule or it is a good cause or starbucks is involved. And of course sometimes there will end up flyers not meant to be there. We just really have more important things on our minds than reading through them every day and discarding them.
i personally think, as long as it promotes something local it should be okay. It's supposed to be a community board. So far we have not a lot of issues with that board. Please don't create one, they might just take it down otherwise.
What kind of bugs me are the real estate agents and investment planners keep on posting their business cards. I wouldn't mind if we had a local business card exchange board, but since it is supposed to be a community board business cards have nothing to do on it.

[Alex]

Annoyingly enough, lately at stores in my area I've seen people putting their business cards up there, as well as advertisements for things other than community stuff (Mona-vie, anyone?)

[waltie]

A little while ago, I actually attended a conference conducted by one of Starbucks's top lawyers. This question came up, and he said that, frankly, it's up to each manager's discretion. Starbucks's legal department doesn't care what goes on there, and he even suggested you allow everybody to put whatever they want in there, so long as it's not offensive.

So there you go.

[lattegal]

This is a general rule...You should be able to post any community event...free or not. But you can't post anything that would advertise "your business" or someone else's business. But remember the Store manager ultimately has the right to say yah or nay to any event.

[ShiftyinNV]

Hmm.....now that I think of it, I don't know that I have ever seen a policy written down.

At my store we will post anything related to a charity event (whether it's free or not), lost dogs, or missing persons.

We have a general policy of not allowing anything that is religious, political, or commercial. Of course, some people just tack their stuff up there anyway. I take it down if I see it but I may not always catch those things right away.

[mike]

Alex is correct. Regional Directors and above work to influence what should and should not be posted. However the essence of a community board is that community events can be posted as long as the postings are not offensive. The manager must exercise appropriate judgement.

[P.R.I.D.E.]

I find it more offensive when a community board is blank, than if a board had a few too many items on it that maybe were borderline. I say that unless it is truly offensive- leave it. It should serve a purpose, and I can't stand walking into a Sbux and seeing a blank board.

[P.R.I.D.E.]

And that goes for your "grounds for your garden" bucket- if you don't use it, please don't leave it out. I can't stand seeing empty buckets at every single starbucks that I go to! These things should be full! Do you part, partners!

P.R.I.D.E.-

Maybe someone came by and got it before you? We can't keep up with the people who want grounds!

[Brad]

I am not at a Starbucks now, nor do I work for one anymore, but if I remember correctly, the policy is right on the board, in the bottom left corner? Anyone can verify?

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

You can't put political or religious posters on the community board but you can put provactive ones on the Starbucks cups?

[georgiasm]

Brad- yes the policy is stated on the community board. It is for all community relevant information. No selling, no political and if it has to do with a church, it has to involve to community,ie, flea market or bazaar's for nonprofit orgs, etc.

So knowing the policy is on the board now- I know the manager has the final say- but how could a legitimate poster be denied, and how does this possibly set up Starbucks for possible trouble when allowing some ads that fit the policy and not others based on a managers decision? I think if a manager doesnt even know of this policy (when it is in plain lanaguage, right on the board) it really shows the lack of management skills. A manager should know their store, espicially what a customer sees when waiting for their drink. If they dont read this on the board, how do we know they read expiration dates on products? Kind of scary to think about.

i personally will only put things up for non profits that my store is directly involved in, or fundraisers for the community. that keeps it plain and simple and brings back to our local community. i would post a 10k for instance - but maybe not a ballet show if it was not a fundraiser - because then the board would just be full of advertisements and the boards are usually pretty small and crowded to begin with. again, it is up to the store to decide, though, however they do it.

[nycstoremanager]

There is a written policy and it's available on the portal...just search it...

I'm sitting in bed so I can't recite it verbatim but it goes something like: only events relevant to the community, nothing for sale, nothing religious or political in nature...

My last DM was obsessed with the community board and he actually reviewed the policy at a district meeting...it is all in writing and available for all but since it isn't very important to most @Sbux it seems that not even the legal team is aware of what the requirements are...

[extrafoamy]

@PRIDE, I totally agree it's a little disheartening to see an empty board..although I live in a boring ass town..not much going on "community wise" all the time.

About the grounds for gardens, we bag them every night/end of day..and they are usually gone by noon..we are "doing our part"..the demand is just higher than the supply most days..

[coffeeguy]

To the Debbie who emailed.... your fier may have not conveyed the message well. I wouldn't not post fliers for the nutcracker the Civic Light Opera puts on, but I would post a flyer a local high schools drama production as it benefits the school (and those poor drama kids get no public money, it all goes to football!) The other fliers you mentioend on the board that were "paid events" mght benefit something. We sponsor the wine opener every year...its paid... a minimum $100 per person, but that money goes to MS research. What did the ballet do for the children? And was that message clear?

[coffeeguy]

correcting my typo... I wouln't post fliers for a professional nutcracker, sorry!

[H.Peter]

Ehm, I tacked a business card on their board to plug a Gluten Free bakery....a NO NO in their books. But we got calls from some Celiacs asking us to aproach Starbucks with Victoria's baked goods....

[Debbie]

I'm Debbie. Thanks all for your posts. Now I know each manager has the discretion for their boards and what's preferred. Our Nutcracker event is now over. Sbux in the area WITH community boards are rare. I'm in the Studio City/NoHo/Burbank area of the Los Angeles area. Of the two, one posted it without any fuss; the other was the manager who said no. She did tell me why not. Even though the Nutcracker org is a 501c3, the flyer for the children's Nutcracker show (which benefitted children's community performing arts) had ticket prices on it. She said it had to be a free event to be allowed to post. The posts on her boards I saw were for a professional, well-known musical (not a fundraiser) and an artist advertising his services and fees to teach fine art drawing. They were there when I first approached, and still there several days later when I went back for a coffee. Personally, I like to know about local fundraisers (benefit yard sales, etc.), so I hope more places have boards and that they're not abused by commercial, for-profit businesses. Thanks, again, for everyone's feedback!

[Arin K]

Anyone know anywhere else that allow flyers to be put up like starbucks (in Southern California for example)? I think even with its Manager based discretion, it is nice that Starbucks has a community bulletin board.