Is the Starbucks app just as addicting as their coffee?

Starbucks coffee just opened it's largest location in Shanghai China last year adding to their already existing 28 thousand store locations worldwide. Contributing to this growth is the launch of their mobile application (app) in 2011 with an addition of mobile order and pay in 2014. In 2009 smartphone use became mainstream, and more Starbucks customers were regularly coming into locations with app enabling devices. This prompted the plan to develop an app that was an adaption of the Starbucks gold card that customers were already using for loyalty. Almost a decade later their investment paid off, roughly 21% of Starbucks' transactions are now made on their mobile app.  Before incentive applications were considered key components in building customer loyalty, Starbucks seized the opportunity to combine their customers active use of their devices and the human satisfaction of receiving a reward to drive sales. They use a simple algorithm of passing their customers through "hook cycles" to form and solidify habits. The goal is to form a concept that subconsciously inserts itself into a users daily routine creating return visits to store locations and continued use of the app without being prompted.

Starbucks took the time to observe the needs of the user and created an application that could be a step in any part of someones daily routine. Mobile application features include enabling the user to skip the line by placing mobile orders  and, using mobile pay making transactions quick and cashless. Adding to the addiction Starbucks created one of the first forms of incentive based applications. On the home page promoted products gets you closer to reaching your goal of getting a free cup of coffee. 

When I worked in retail I let a Chai Tea Latte work it's way into my daily routine. For 6 years it was my favorite because it tasted like Christmas. At least 2-3 times a week my coworkers and I would make it a routine to go to Starbucks before we opened the store. At 8am my coworkers and I would make our way to the Starbucks kiosk. Miriam regularly placed online orders of her favorite Caramel Macchiato so by the time we got there her drink was always waiting for her. Faith enjoyed playing Starbucks games and buying an unnecessary amount of sandwiches to receive double stars. Danielle would order a venti Caramel Frappuccino and always wondered why her waistline was growing. We were all under Starbucks' spell, a habit inducing, waistline growing whipped cream topped addictive spell.