Starbucks In-Store Web Channel Connects With Coffee Drinkers
When so many of your customers log onto the Web in-store, there’s a lot of logic in owning the connection. In a move expected when it lifted all fees from its in-store Wi-Fi last June, Starbucks announced it will launch the Starbucks Digital Network later this fall, offering the kind of content its regulars consume but with a slant localized to the brand and the store location. Users who log in at their local Starbucks will encounter a splash page of channels developed in partnership with Yahoo.
Content in these channels will be customized to the brand and the community. For example, wellness publisher Rodale will offer 30,000 targeted running, walking and biking maps that include Starbucks locations. In the My Neighborhood channel, DonorsChoose.org will offer information about local K-12 public schools that need charitable support and let users donate a dollar from their laptops. Review site Zagat will suggest nearby dining choices, and community information site Patch will provide information about events in the surrounding community.
Apart from its branding and in-store community building, the Starbucks Network may also open a revenue stream via a share in payments when users buy downloads or subscribe to services from content partners.
