The nationwide VIA launch day is here. Are you selling any? Buying any?

Share your "VIA Day" stories here. Are customers buying? Or showing any interest in your stories about how it improves their lives (or whatever your selling points are)? || Read "Starbucks rolls out Via instant coffee nationwide" || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I heard that we are suppose to get it wet and in their mouth and in their hands. Starbucks VIA, are you ready to brew?

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Does anyone know if there were any modifications to ALS for this special event so we could have more people on the floor sampling Starbucks VIA Ready Brew to customers?

[Coffee Soldier]

The taste challenge over the weekend is supposed to be scheduled 4 hours of NC each day but the partner works on the floor in the orange apron handing out the samples....there was an action item stating stores were expected to be up to 3.5% over variance to ideal a few weeks ago this coming week....my DM quickly retracted that company statement.

Good luck to all we've sold 8 packs so far this a.m. at my store.

In other news....I wonder if these VIA people cutouts are another sexual harassment suit waiting to happen or the fact that upper management is saying what The Rebel said above. The get it wet and in their mouths is a quote from an RDO.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

From what I hear from Starbucks Rebel Alliance Intelligence Services, it was quite a comical moment when the RDO said that, to get it wet and in somebody's mouth.

Of course, I'm more than happy to get Starbucks VIA and or VIA whip cream in their mouth. Oh baby, baby!!!

[Herman M.]

That display makes me want to buy...

...an iPod. Can't figure out why. Hmm. Oh well.

[crema_the_crop]

Lots of SMs are nervous. Pre-launch sampling has garnered reactions of "I don't like it" and "It tastes like instant" and "I don't get it."

[nike]

Are there any promos today, or just launch? I know the taste test will probably yield a coupla cups of joe.

[Katie]

I've never been given the "hard sell" for anything in my Starbucks before and the baristas are shamelessly pushing it here in Dallas. To bad no one is buying, I keep hearing people comment on how expensive it is for instant.

[wow.]

It's more expensive because it's Starbucks and it's good. If you are shopping at Starbucks and anything is "too expensive" you are shopping in the wrong area.

Our DAILY goal for today was met 2.5 hours in. Hizzah!

[vialover]

Nescafe did a wonderful parody ad of the Via, and did it just like the instore via posters. Do a good image search for "nescafe, starbucks via" and it's the first picture. The ad says:

Dear Starbucks
Imitation is Flattery

Charging
400% More
Not so much

It's brilliant.

[Dumb]

The ad forgot "except nescafe is gross".

[Venti Americano]

"Buying any?"

Um, no, thank you.

[Melody]

I don't see anything special on launch day for Via here in downtown Seattle, but that makes sense since we've had it for a long time. But I stumbled upon this you tube video which is a hoot!!!

Far better than the Starbucks Via commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MZ_DU1lKEc

(Link is to you tube video in my name for this post only)

[customer]

wow. - theres a difference between "too expensive" and "a poor value". Via's a dollar a pack, and each pack makes 8 oz of coffee? So a tall is $1.50, grande $2.00, and venti $2.50? Seems like a lot when Starbucks itself sells brewed coffee for around the same price.

Very interested to see where this goes.

[K.Latte]

It's doing very well in our store today and people are tasting it, liking it, AND buying it.

[Wow]

Umm, via is 2.95 for 3. It's less expensive than a short. Two shorts are more than the 3 pack. It's NOT targetted at people who drink instant. It's targetted at people who want starbucks coffee real fast.

Mix it in chocolate milk. It's SO good. More caffine in one pack than a grande latte.

[Elsa]

I bought a pack today to help out my regular store's numbers. It's not bad - I mixed it with cold water and poured over ice for a really decent iced coffee. It's a bit expensive though, I'd be more inclined to purchase regularly if it was priced closer to 60 cents a pack.

[komodo dragon]

We got a lot of pre-orders, and I bought some myself. Did the set-up last night. Looking good so far!! And I'm drinking Italian VIA right now.

[macleod]

I got some in Seattle in March. Shared it with friends in Ohio. It's okay. It'll be great for the road, tho' still the pricey alternative...

[me myself and I]

Melody, they made us watch this during the VIA training!

[Mike]

We have been pushing it for a couple of days now. I have only had 1 person who said it was just "ok". Everyone else liked it much better than fresh Pike's.

[me myself and I]

All you "it's great on the road" people: Do you carry a water kettle with you on the road? I just don't get it. I'm still not convinced. But there are a lot of instant coffee people out there (I know, scary thought, eh?)

Anyway, apparently Starbucks is onto something really big. Otherwise Nestle wouldn't be spending that much effort into advertising against VIA. They must be scared. And this can only mean their product provides less value for the price (even though it is only priced at a quarter of the VIA).
It'll be interesting to see who is going to profit from whom in this race. Apparently Nestle raises the awareness of the VIA and saves Starbucks valuable Advertising Dollars. They should send them a free box of VIA as a thank you.
On the other hand, people get introduced to the instant coffee market through Starbucks. And once they are in it they will try other options, too. Just like Starbucks used to help independent coffee shops to get their business started by creating the demand for a good cup of coffee.
It'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

[via via]

... we are already 1/8 into our goal. We have sold 60 12 pks and around 170 3 packs... and our store has been open for a little over 8 hours now. We have never seen anything fly off our shelves like we saw today!

[Via rocks.]

Notice how the negative comments sound like they're written by Nescafe? Strange how that works!

[waltie]

"Lots of SMs are nervous. Pre-launch sampling has garnered reactions of "I don't like it" and "It tastes like instant" and "I don't get it.""

Not at my store. We got a lot of "this is great"s and even some "this is amazing"s. And none of us are nervous. Launch day was a lot of fun and we crushed our goal.

[DGant]

It's not going fantastic at my store, but we're a slow store (we've got a drive-through SBUX across the street from us, and we're a cafe). I worked the opening shift, sold six 3-packs. We'll probably make goal, I think, as long as the other baristas actually sell and sample the stuff. I wasn't going hard-sell (I'm simply not going there, ever), but I made sure to sample it to every single customer (which the other baristas weren't doing, which worries me).

Response from tasters has been 100% positive, but people weren't bowled over, either. I think it's decent, for instant. You can obviously tell the difference if you're paying attention, but it doesn't taste so malty as freeze- or spray-dried instant (although that flavor can be part of the charm, depending on how you're doing it).

I'm moving, and my coffee gear is packed up, so I marked out a 12-pack. It works. I like to put it in a four-ounce cup, makes something similar to a Moka Express.

[me]

I am not surprised that goals are being hit today. I wont be surprised if goals continue to be hit through christmas. But then it will fade. Because the novelty will go away. Its the same as with any new product. Its going to jump off the shelves, then once the novelty fades, people will realized that they are paying $10 for 12 8 oz cups instead of a full pound of coffee.

If the price goes down to $10 for 15-20 packs, I would expect it to do very well. I just think its a decent product in a price range that is wayyyyy above the quality.

[nike]

So, I tried this in some of the test markets, and I really enjoyed it. For the less than .75$ a serving (and I don't just put 8 oz in there, I put about 10-12 oz of hot water in there - it is GREAT. I think I'll use it when on the road, and also when camping and maybe at the office when I don't want to make a trip to the bux. Cheaper than a tall and about the same taste IMHO.

[StarbucksGirl]

Before I left my store today [a whopping 9-hour shift] we had already met 1/4 of our 7-week total sales goal!!! This stuff is AMAZING! Flying off the shelves. Customers are excited; partners are excited! I put a $20 bill on the back of the store wall for the partner who sells the most by close Saturday night. I hope to get my $20 back. It's as much of a competition for me as anyone else. One partner sold 25 12-packs this morning! I think SBUX underestimated this product. VIA ROCKS!

[Clean Simple]

I like it, and would buy it more often if it were a touch cheaper. As it is, I only use it for travel/boating/camping. Love the tiny package.

[sbuxemployee]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1279874269&play=1

Here's a video clip from today from CNBC. Show's Howard Schultz talking about VIA to Maria B.

[sbuxemployee]

The next link is Cramer (From CNBC Mad Money) doing a tasting test of Starbucks VIA vs. Sanka's instant coffee.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1279824045&play=1

[Ashley]

At the store I visited this morning, they were sampling it out and telling people all the different things they can do with it.

[javagirl666]

My store has done an incredible job with VIA today..well over 200% to goal. Had a few customers practically refuse samples yesterday..they tried them and were back today to purchase..its good stuff!

[CoffeeMaster33]

Drinking a pack of Italian Roast as I read this =]. I'm stoked on it and can't wait to use it in interesting ways. Add to a milkshake for a bit of a boost!

[Herman M.]

It was so sad being in stores listening to the partners chanting to themselves "I'm going to sell VIA to the next customer" over and over again. Was used to that when I was in furniture and car sales, but this is just sad that people need to feel that stress in their Starbucks job. It's just coffee. Don't try so hard and it might work out for you.

And not a one actually sold any that I saw.

[AZASM]

We hit 200% of our daily goal and it's only four o'clock! Go Via!

[Bdan]

Here's what I experienced today:
1. A sample of VIA that smelled and tasted like above average instant coffee but NOTHING like the bold cup of drip I also had.
2. A barista on the register going through the motions of asking every customer if they wanted to buy a 3 pack and donate it to a local shelter. Many customers were saying yes, which is nice. I bet there are a lot of things like this happening. It's great for people in shelters...and helps stores hit their numbers...and will give Howard some shiny sales numbers...

[crema_the_crop]

That's low. Worse than the "donate beans to the troops" scams going on during the whole bean incentive, or the "help us raise our customer voice!" posters.

[Emily]

So at 1 PM, when I left, we had only sold 1 3 pack. Manager got reamed out by our DM for not "trying hard enough". Truth is, we have a lot of "grab and go" customers before that hour. Most of our sales for beans come at night, not to mention we're not a retail store.

So I bought two 12 packs before I left, and my fiance went back at 6:30 when he was in the area after class and bought one more. I hope the customers who took samples start buying it soon, because I'm not spending 30 bucks a day on Via just to keep my job, which after insurance and taxes would cause me to work for free.

Personally, I think it's ridiculous to get yelled at at 1 PM on the day of the launch, as people are more apt to buy stuff AFTER they sample it and know about it, so that's why I bought some to avoid my store getting yelled at.

[oops]

We were close to our daily goal when I left at 6pm.....however we are expected to be at 200% of daily goals. Alot of customers tried it and took a dry sample with them so I count that a plus. We had a few who were very against Via due to reviews the read on this site and others posted by partners. One even chewed me out for trying to sample a product that not every partner is willing to back. UGGHhh. I love Via almost all our partners love it as well... but how do we get promote a product when other partners are willing to bash a key product before it hits the market.

[Just another Partner]

So at 1 PM, when I left, we had only sold 1 3 pack. Manager got reamed out by our DM for not "trying hard enough". Truth is, we have a lot of "grab and go" customers before that hour. Most of our sales for beans come at night, not to mention we're not a retail store.

OUCH SORRY........THIS IS SO WRONG.

[intlbarista]

"

The next link is Cramer (From CNBC Mad Money) doing a tasting test of Starbucks VIA vs. Sanka's instant coffee.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1279824045&play=1
"
Since when did Jim Cramer (who can't even predict the stock market), become a reputable coffee critic?...
I know we should promote it but please..maybe on Martha Stewart not CNBC?

[Anony-girl]

We are being THREATENED into selling VIA.....and it's scary. Because we didn't make goal today, our Regional and District Manager will be in our store in the morning to see what's wrong. We've pushed VIA to every customer we see, and we're not making goal. I'm so frustrated and nervous about this launch, and it's become a hostile work environment, and we're being told it's okay to guilt customers into buying it, whatever it takes to make goal.

[Shadow Barista]

All,
I am personally jazzed about VIA launch. I think it will provide our customers a good cup of coffee when they are no store available. Imagine cabbies or ER doctors drinking Starbucks at 3am! I look forward to see the results of this launch.

I am also excited that I could exercise 25% of my Bean Stock Grant ($8.64) on November 17. With the today's prices, I am tempted to exercise.

SB

[white_knight]

i love VIA, its an awesome product. but what i don't love is what tomorrow may bring..i don't look forward to working with my SM in the a.m, she can be a lil rude and pushy when it comes to "suggestive" selling.

ugh.

[Shelly]

(I posted this elsewhere, meant to post it here)

I just don't see how this logically can work out in Starbucks' favour.

- Those who buy instant, it can be reasonably assumed, do it because it's cheaper.
--> Starbucks Via is almost the same price as regular coffee! Schultz claims that he's trying to tap into the billion dollar instant coffee industry but he's not going to do that by charging $1 per cup of instant!

- Those who go into Starbucks do it because they like the quality, and are willing to pay the price.
--> Why would they want to settle for less? And these true coffee drinkers would probably find some way to get brewed coffee, rather than settle for instant coffee.

I just don't see this working out for Starbucks.

- A current partner (barista)

[crema_the_crop]

Either this will all work out in the end, after a slow start, or the company will for once have to look back on something and say "we were wrong." I mean yes, it's happened before, to a certain extent (Mazagran, Cafe Starbucks, HEARmusic Cafes) but nothing to the extent that a complete failure of VIA to take hold at the rate they are expecting would be.

What's the most difficult for me to take is the complete two-sided energy surrounding this all. The "drive" and "push" and "excitement" is grown out of sheer terror and fear of what will happen if goals aren't met.

And what will happen? VIA will sit on shelves. I can't even begin to fathom the quantity of this stuff that must be in existence right now. The conspiracy theorist in me turns my head back to think about Pike Place...what were they really planning on...if this stuff really is real roasted brewed coffee, think of how long it would have taken them to roast brew and package the millions of cups worth of coffee in all this VIA...eliminating core coffees, a set COW schedule for roasting plants to follow...all this preparation going on in the meantime. We hook people on Pike Place, get them used to a flavor profile and taste we all initially (and still) reject and sub-par. And now, we proclaim "this stuff is as good or better."

"I heard my momma cry
I heard her pray the day The Siren died...."

[CamSpi]

I'm genuinely excited about the product the more I think about it. We're marketing Via for people who are on the go or in circumstances in which Starbucks isn't available. It's a good coffee. (Its not a french press of Clover experience by any means). Every person who sampled it has said it's very comparable to our regular brewed coffee.

I don't think we should be selling it to REPLACE whole bean sales, but realize there is a demographic out there that will love this Via stuff. We shouldn't feel pressured into selling outrageous amounts of this stuff, but if we're not educating customers about this new product, we're not doing our job. letting everybody know about the product is easy, a fun way to connect with them, and will bring shares up because we're getting our feet wet by splashing into a new industry.

Don't over think it. Just give peeps a chance to try it, tell them we've been developing it for 20 years to find a way in which we can use our real, awesome coffee beans (NO CHEMICALS!), and that its perfect if you're stuck in the office or out of town at a hotel or the plane ride. The minute you over think it, it sounds desperate.

[Bonnie Barista]

WHERE do these people work that claim that VIA was jumping off the shelves? We sold 15 3-packs and 2 12-packs today. All of those were purchased by regulars who clearly pitied us and the amount of shameless plugging we had to do.

Our AM staff is not the best but our store's main rush is from noon to two and I know that everyone there at that time heavily endorsed/suggestive sold this swill. I arrived at two and could barely cajole more than a handful of customers into tasting it or even taking a free sample.

During our VIA meeting every single one of us picked the VIA over the fresh brew. People come to Starbucks to spend a little extra money on an extravagant coffee, or they're hopeless addicts, which is why variety is so important and why Pike has been such a miserable failure in my neck of the woods. So yeah...this b*tch is going down like the Hindenburg.