The Wi-Fi freebie will be available starting Tuesday to customers who purchase a minimum $5 reloadable Starbucks Card, register online for the Starbucks Rewards Card program, and use the card at least once a month. The two hours must be consecutive. New members also receive a voucher for a free drink.
Starbucks’ 7-year-old relationship with T-Mobile for Wi-Fi service is being phased out in 2008.
For the coffee chain, the move is an attempt to entice its shrinking customer base — cutting back on pricey treats during the economic downturn — to return. Traffic and sales have been shrinking for months as founder Howard Schultz searches for a way to revive the brand. He’s hoping the Wi-Fi freebie will attract more traffic to its 7,000 company-owned U.S. stores.
“Customers have let us know they want to be recognized for choosing Starbucks,” says Brad Stevens, vice president of customer relationships. Particularly, he says, at a time when “budgets are tight.”
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