A week after Starbucks released its limited-edition Glass Bearista Cold Cup in North America, the resale market still surged. Online listings ranged from about US$109 to more than US$1,400, with one seller testing a US$50,000 asking price. These figures towered over the American shelf price of US$29.95 and the roughly 24-franc tag in Switzerland, a gap that underscored the power—and risk—of scarcity marketing.
CBS News reported that demand exploded almost immediately; within 24 hours, cups already appeared on resale platforms for up to US$500. Many stores sold out in minutes as customers lined up before dawn and crowded entrances when doors opened.
The 20-ounce glass vessel was shaped like a three-dimensional teddy bear, topped by a dark-green lid that resembled a shiny hat and a matching silicone beanie pierced by a green-and-white straw. Starbucks promoted the piece online with messages such as “Your drinks have never looked cuter” and an Instagram teaser that asked, “Who’s getting a bearista cup on 11/6 lmk.” Social-media feeds soon filled with reactions like “NEEEEEDDDDD” and “Stop, this is so cute,” while some users joked—or threatened—to “fight” for one.
Several customers took the idea seriously. Clips on X and TikTok showed shouting matches, snatched merchandise, and a thrown cup. “Deputies are on scene, restoring peace before anyone spilled their latte or lost their teddy bear,” said Harris County Constable Alan Rosen after officers responded to an early-morning dispute at a Houston-area store, according to CBC News.
Supply proved thin. Baristas posting on Reddit said their stores received only one or two units. “People literally wrapped in blankets, camped out in front of the store,” said Minnesota barista Shannon Delgado, who arrived at 3:50 a.m. and found customers trying to push in alongside staff, Business Insider reported. Another employee wrote that the phone “wouldn’t stop ringing” as callers begged for information.
Starbucks asserted that it shipped “more Bearista cups to stores than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season.” “We understand that many customers were looking forward to the Bearista cup, and we apologize for the disappointment caused,” the company said in a statement, adding that the enthusiasm “exceeded even our biggest expectations.”
Online frustration matched the enthusiasm. One Reddit user posted, “Shame on you, Starbucks, shame on you,” after rising before dawn and leaving empty-handed. Another wrote, “Please don’t market something so heavily if people don’t even have the option to actually purchase it.” USA Today highlighted complaints from owners who shattered their fragile cups hours after buying them.
On Japan’s Mercari marketplace, prices hovered around US$140, while bids on eBay passed US$285 plus shipping. Collectors compared the frenzy with earlier Starbucks phenomena such as the 2017 Unicorn Frappuccino and the Stanley cup partnership that overwhelmed Target earlier in 2023. Marketing scholar Farnoush Reshadi told Retail TouchPoints that limited editions let brands “capitalize on their understanding of human psychology.”
Starbucks has not promised a restock, saying only that “more exciting merchandise” would arrive for the holidays, including a Hello Kitty collaboration. Meanwhile, baristas predicted ongoing turbulence. “These bear cups are going to disappoint more customers than delighting them,” one wrote on Reddit. Another quipped that securing one might be harder than landing seats for a Beyoncé tour.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.