Starbucks Anticipates More than 1 in 6 Americans will Receive a Starbucks Card this Holiday Season
The company projects December 23 will be the busiest day for Starbucks Card purchases, and nearly $3 billion will be loaded on Starbucks Cards this season.
The company projects December 23 will be the busiest day for Starbucks Card purchases, and nearly $3 billion will be loaded on Starbucks Cards this season.
Starbucks anticipates that more than 1 in 6 Americans will receive a Starbucks Card this holiday season, following a record-breaking holiday season for Starbucks Card sales in 2021. Last year, Starbucks sold more than 55 million Starbucks Cards, including both physical and digital cards in the U.S. and Canada during the holiday season, and projects that number will increase this year to over 58 million cards sold. Nearly $3 billion dollars will be loaded on to Starbucks Cards from October to December, representing another robust holiday quarter of Starbucks Card sales as expected and included in the company’s financial outlook.
“Starbucks is one of the most gifted brands in the world, and we are honored that our customers continue to give Starbucks Cards as a meaningful gift during the holiday season,” said Brady Brewer, Starbucks chief marketing officer. “Starbucks – in so many ways – is a currency of kindness. By giving a Starbucks Card, you’re giving an experience and opportunity to connect over coffee.”
The National Retail Federation reports that gift cards will remain a favorite gift item in 2022, with total spend expected to reach $28.6 billion, and that holiday shoppers plan to purchase between three to four gift cards each. Starbucks anticipates that December 23rd will be the company’s busiest day for Starbucks Card sales, as gift cards continue to make a popular gift all season long.
Gift cards have been available at Starbucks since 1994 as an alternative to paper gift certificates, and Starbucks was among the first major retailers to offer a reloadable card, which debuted in 2001.That was the year Starbucks Cards became one of the most popular holiday gifts of the season, selling nearly 200,000 in the first week alone. For just a few dollars, customers could give a meaningful gift to loved ones, and the cards helped spread the word about Starbucks as its number of stores grew from more than 4,700 in 2001 to more than 35,000 stores today.
More than nearly 1,700 Starbucks Card designs have been released over the 20-plus years of the program. Today, Starbucks Cards are available in a variety of designs in both physical and digital formats and can be loaded with $5 to $100. Physical Starbucks Cards can be purchased at Starbucks stores in more than 42 countries around the world in a variety of formats and designs. They are also available at more than 100,000 locations including grocery stores and other retailers.
Starbucks eGift Cards can be purchased and gifted through the company’s website, the Starbucks app, Apple iMessage and Microsoft Teams, and can be sent with a personalized message for the recipient to include a special holiday greeting or wishes for a happy new year.
Starbucks Cards are the gift that keeps on giving. When customers register a Starbucks Card with the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program and make a qualifying purchase, they can start to earn Stars that can be redeemed for Starbucks beverages, food and more. Some restrictions apply. Details can be found at starbucks.com/rewards.
Visit starbucks.com/gift to view this year’s holiday designs and to learn more about all the ways to purchase a Starbucks Card.
Read more about Starbucks holiday news and highlights here.
