I bought the viral Starbucks Bearista cup after camping outside at 1 a.m.; only 2 were in stock
Paden Ferguson and his partner secured the only two viral Bearista cups at their local Starbucks. Customers expressed disappointment over the limited number of bear cups stocked.
Anticipation and planning for the Bearista cup launch
In October, Paden noticed online that Starbucks would introduce holiday drinks and desserts along with a festive bear cup featuring a green beanie hat and straw. Over the next month, he and his partner planned to get the bear cup on its release day, November 6th. Initially, they expected it to be easy to buy the cup by just walking into the store at noon.
However, it soon became clear that many others had the same plan. The cups were going viral on social media, sparking widespread excitement.
Researching local availability
As release day approached, they decided to check how many bear cups the local Starbucks stores would carry to gauge competition. On the evening of November 5th, they visited five local Starbucks, starting with the busiest, to estimate stock levels.
The barista at the busiest store said they had seven cups in stock.
Launching the bear cup on November 6th
Despite their early scouting, the store where Paden and his partner finally bought the cups had only two available. They managed to purchase both before they sold out.
Additional context
This story is based on a conversation with Paden Ferguson, CEO of Padiano's Kitchen. It has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Lauren Crosby Medlicott writes stories that readers can subscribe to receive via email from Business Insider.
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Author's summary: The limited stock of Starbucks' viral Bearista cups led to early morning camping and disappointment, despite careful preparation and local store research.