Customer anticipation for the holiday-themed beverages at Starbucks came second this year to a new merchandise item: the “Bearista” cup. Many customers were disappointed on Nov. 6 when the cup quickly sold out on its release day, the same day as the holiday menu launch.
The 20-ounce bear-shaped glass, priced at $29.95 in the U.S., has a green lid that resembles a beanie and a green and white striped straw. While the coffee chain has sold animal-inspired merchandise in the past, the three-dimensional bear shape made this glass unique, leading to higher demand.
Starbucks enthusiasts initially expressed excitement for this release, but their enthusiasm turned negative when customers realized the difficulty in obtaining little Ms. Bearista. Customers lined up hours before Starbucks locations opened to purchase it, and some behaved aggressively in stores while trying to get their hands on the cups.
On Starbucks’ Instagram account, posts marketing the Bearista are flooded with complaints and criticisms of the release. Frustrations with the merchandise came from a combination of supply and demand limitations, as well as the extreme resale market that formed after the product sold out. Some eBay listings for the bear glass have been inflated to cost hundreds of dollars, with prices reaching as high as $600.
In lieu of the chaos, some took inspiration from the Bearista glass and created their own versions of the cup to enjoy their beverages from. TikTok and Instagram users have shared tutorials on converting bear-shaped animal cracker jars, honey containers, or other bear cups found in stores into DIY glasses.
Followers of the Bearista glass marketing agree that Starbucks fueled this resale market through the social media hype placed on the item. This contributed to a chaotic FOMO demand from customers that Starbucks could not accommodate.
While many Starbucks customers said their local stores only had a few bear glasses on the shelves, Starbucks leaders said they expected the item’s popularity and made their best efforts to prepare.
A Starbucks spokesperson told FOX Business, “The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations and, despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”
This situation poses a bigger concern for consumerism, especially during the holidays. The Bearista is not the first item to spark a consumer frenzy. Items such as Tickle Me Elmo, the PlayStation 5, and even iPhones have previously held chokeholds on consumers.
Social media trends are likely amplifying these material obsessions, generating a cycle of overconsumption. “Consumerism has trained us to confuse buying with belonging,” said anti-consumerism influencer Shelby Orme in a YouTube video regarding the Bearista cup. “If everyone’s got it, we feel left out until we do. But that feeling doesn’t last because trends keep moving and keep us spending. The brand makes millions, and we’re left holding the bag. Or bear. And corporations don’t even have to try to keep us consuming if our algorithms are doing it for them.”
The Bearista situation won’t be the latest example of overconsumption for long. Between the ever-growing influence of social media and the holiday season continuing to gain momentum, time will tell which product consumers obsess over next.