Say goodbye to gift cards because Starbucks is reinventing the wheel via Twitter.
Starbucks tweeted a video announcing it new services, called "Tweet a Coffee," which allows people to send a $5 gift card to other Twitter users.
To use the program users must sync their Starbucks account with their Twitter account and then tweet at the person they want to buy a cup of coffee. The user must tweet the following message: "@tweetacoffee to @(insert Twitter user here)."
Your friend can redeem it directly from his or her phone at participating Starbucks.
Once the recipient views the gift, Starbucks emails the gift-giver the following message: "Thanks for sending [recipient] a $5.00 USD Starbucks Card eGift through the tweet-a-coffee program. Your friend has viewed it and will soon be enjoying their favorite beverage (and thinking what a nice person you are)."
Starbucks also announced that until Nov. 6, the first 100,000 customers who tweet a coffee using a Visa card will also receive a $5 e-gift for themselves.
Now sharing the gift of @Starbucks is as easy as sending a Tweet. https://t.co/UNbkcjRX1s
— Tweetacoffee (@Tweetacoffee) October 28, 2013
According to the Huffington Post, the program is only usable in the United States. Mashable points out that Starbucks launched a similar program in 2011 with Facebook.
Starbucks is also following credit card brand American Express which partnered with Twitter in a collaboration that offers cardholders special offers and discounts with various merchants.
After syncing their card to their Twitter account, cardholders can take advantage of the offers by tweeting specific hashtags. The discount is applied directly to the card, allowing customers to redeem the offer at the point of purchase without having to print coupons or present proof.
Would you send one of your Twitter followers a Starbucks beverage?
