Paging Rustan's Coffee!!! Hello?!?!?!?

I wasn't sure if I should blog this since it has only been 4 days since the start of 2009 and this entry is a bit negative. But I just can't help myself expressing this.

I have been a Starbucks fan since they started years back. When they started their planner promo, I'd always try to break my record to collect several pieces, some of which I give out as Christmas gifts.

This year, the planner wasn't really as fancy looking from years past. But still I wanted to collect one of each color.

As I wasn't that keen in filling up the cards, I was taking my sweet time in collecting the stickers. After 2 long weeks, I got my first planner, the BLUE one. After less than 2 weeks, I completed the second card.

So I went to the branch across the office to redeem a Red time. Lo & behold!!! It's out of stock!!!

Ok, so I checked out other branches and they now have an advisory stuck on the sample planners at the top of the "cake refs" stating that they have ran out of stock. Only the blue planner is available. Not a week has passed and even the blue planner was out of stock.

All barristas from different branches were telling me that they should be getting replenishments by the 2nd week of January.

Sunday morning, as I was driving back to my place after the holidays, I thought of grabbing a cup to wake me up while on the road.

Then I asked the barrista when the planners can be redeemed. (As if I did not know the answer to this!) "Sir, by January 16 pa."

Suddenly, I felt dismayed and disgusted and told the barrista, " Starbucks should not run a promo for something like a planner that they can not supply at a time when the item should have been used at the start of the year and not at the middle of the month. What's the point of your consumers trying to fill up the cards with stickers as quickly as possible and they are unable to redeem when it's completed."

I waited for a reply but the barrista stared. Knowing that he can not come up with any answer, I left the cafe.

As I drove out of the parking lot, I thought what I complained about may be petty for some. But for me who patronize their coffee every single day with or without any promo, I felt shortchanged, treated unfairly and duped by this marketing scheme at happens year after year.