Comments on: How to lose to Starbucks http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/ A blog about marketing, online communities and other business musings. Come join the fun! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:14:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jhon F Harrison http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-795994 Jhon F Harrison Fri, 21 May 2010 04:10:43 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-795994 the trick to getting good coffee at home is a excellent coffee machine. i have a Saeco brand Espresso maker, and it makes very good tasting coffee. also grinding the beans yourself just before you make it enhances the taste as well :) the trick to getting good coffee at home is a excellent coffee machine. i have a Saeco brand Espresso maker, and it makes very good tasting coffee. also grinding the beans yourself just before you make it enhances the taste as well :)

]]> By: People Experience: Coffee done Right at Okdork.com http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5618 People Experience: Coffee done Right at Okdork.com Wed, 19 Jul 2006 15:52:03 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5618 [...] If you remember last week I ripped on a small coffee shop and suggested some things for them to improve. Well this morning, sitting in the Castro district of San Francisco I have found the location they should learn from. Philz Coffee, yea that’s right with a “Z.” [...] [...] If you remember last week I ripped on a small coffee shop and suggested some things for them to improve. Well this morning, sitting in the Castro district of San Francisco I have found the location they should learn from. Philz Coffee, yea that’s right with a “Z.” [...]

]]> By: Tim Grahl http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5530 Tim Grahl Thu, 13 Jul 2006 15:56:12 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5530 First off... independent coffee shops are a bitch to make a profit off of no matter what you do. But that's a different topic... I do agree that independent shops often make extremely dumb business decisions. Often people seem more interested in the idea of running their own business and like to ignore the nitty-gritty crappy parts of running your own business. Like being open on holidays and past 6pm. And this goes for a lot of shops outside of just coffee shops. People need to weigh all the consequences of running their own biz before they take out a loan and jump in. First off… independent coffee shops are a bitch to make a profit off of no matter what you do. But that’s a different topic…

I do agree that independent shops often make extremely dumb business decisions. Often people seem more interested in the idea of running their own business and like to ignore the nitty-gritty crappy parts of running your own business. Like being open on holidays and past 6pm.

And this goes for a lot of shops outside of just coffee shops. People need to weigh all the consequences of running their own biz before they take out a loan and jump in.

]]> By: Kira http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5529 Kira Thu, 13 Jul 2006 15:50:12 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5529 The little Turkish cafe around the corner from us definitely got a lot of business a few weeks ago when the garbage truck got caught on an overhead cable and everybody in our apartment complex was without internet for several days. They have wifi and outlets, and a nice outside porch. I think the problem for a lot of mom and pops is that they were built before laptops were common, and the store wasn't built with too many outlets in the common area that aren't already powering lamps or something. So it would probably cost a fortune to do that. Plus, you pay a flat monthly rate for wifi, but the more power people use, the more you pay. I think most people would be willing to pay $1 an hour for power or something though, that's all it would cost them. The little Turkish cafe around the corner from us definitely got a lot of business a few weeks ago when the garbage truck got caught on an overhead cable and everybody in our apartment complex was without internet for several days. They have wifi and outlets, and a nice outside porch. I think the problem for a lot of mom and pops is that they were built before laptops were common, and the store wasn’t built with too many outlets in the common area that aren’t already powering lamps or something. So it would probably cost a fortune to do that. Plus, you pay a flat monthly rate for wifi, but the more power people use, the more you pay.

I think most people would be willing to pay $1 an hour for power or something though, that’s all it would cost them.

]]> By: Gabe http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5524 Gabe Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:37:12 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5524 There is something of a backlash against wifi in coffee shops, and I can't exactly blame them. People spend $2 and stay 4 hours, occupying a table all by themselves. I agree though, if you're going to do wifi, do it right. For instance, don't set up a network that excludes Mac users, especially if you're in San Francisco. This means you, Teavana. I have to say, though, that Starbucks frequently has too few outlets, and impractically located ones at that. Plus, T-Mobile Hotspot is mega weak. Everyone I've known who traveled to Central or South America came back raving about the coffee. Apparently, the basic brew down there is amazing. I can't find anything but watery bilge in this city. All our coffee is foreign anyway, so why can't we get the good stuff here? Another note to independent coffee shops: the ubiquity of Starbucks' background music does not mean that your shop should sound like a hip-hop nightclub. This is not competing. It's hurting your customers' ears. There is something of a backlash against wifi in coffee shops, and I can’t exactly blame them. People spend $2 and stay 4 hours, occupying a table all by themselves. I agree though, if you’re going to do wifi, do it right. For instance, don’t set up a network that excludes Mac users, especially if you’re in San Francisco. This means you, Teavana.

I have to say, though, that Starbucks frequently has too few outlets, and impractically located ones at that. Plus, T-Mobile Hotspot is mega weak.

Everyone I’ve known who traveled to Central or South America came back raving about the coffee. Apparently, the basic brew down there is amazing. I can’t find anything but watery bilge in this city. All our coffee is foreign anyway, so why can’t we get the good stuff here?

Another note to independent coffee shops: the ubiquity of Starbucks’ background music does not mean that your shop should sound like a hip-hop nightclub. This is not competing. It’s hurting your customers’ ears.

]]> By: joe http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5520 joe Wed, 12 Jul 2006 23:50:05 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5520 shivani i think you nailed one of the key elements regarding big companies like starbucks and mcdonalds, etc. : consistency. people like knowing what to expect. otherwise i agree with devin; looks like you weren't the market. shivani i think you nailed one of the key elements regarding big companies like starbucks and mcdonalds, etc. : consistency. people like knowing what to expect. otherwise i agree with devin; looks like you weren’t the market.

]]> By: Devin http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5518 Devin Wed, 12 Jul 2006 22:26:37 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5518 Just to argue, from their perspective, you don't need power in order to "drink coffee, chat and spend more money." They only need it if over employed yopos want to plop down in the same place for many hours... looks like you weren't the market, buddy. :-( Just to argue, from their perspective, you don’t need power in order to “drink coffee, chat and spend more money.” They only need it if over employed yopos want to plop down in the same place for many hours… looks like you weren’t the market, buddy. :-(

]]> By: Noah Winecoff http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5515 Noah Winecoff Wed, 12 Jul 2006 21:23:55 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5515 You should have brought a 50 foot orange extension chord and ran it to a power outlet from another store...that would be funny...Oh me. You should have brought a 50 foot orange extension chord and ran it to a power outlet from another store…that would be funny…Oh me.

]]> By: Shivani http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/comment-page-1/#comment-5514 Shivani Wed, 12 Jul 2006 21:01:20 +0000 http://okdork.com/2006/07/12/how-to-lose-to-starbucks/#comment-5514 Going along with the idea of knowing what to expect at Starbucks, I think it's also important to note that the drinks are ALWAYS made the same at a Starbucks. I've found that it's very rare that a drink tastes different at a Starbucks regardless of the store's location or the person who makes it...but if you go to other coffee shops you always have to find that one person that makes the drink they way you want it. Going along with the idea of knowing what to expect at Starbucks, I think it’s also important to note that the drinks are ALWAYS made the same at a Starbucks. I’ve found that it’s very rare that a drink tastes different at a Starbucks regardless of the store’s location or the person who makes it…but if you go to other coffee shops you always have to find that one person that makes the drink they way you want it.

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