Guys — some serious ish went down at several Starbucks China locations the other day. Customers came to blows over a limited-edition “cat paw cup” Starbucks China released on Tuesday, February 26th. Luckily, no one was hurt, but all parties involved were pissed that their rivals wouldn’t get their paws off the Starbucks cat paw cup.
The mug at the center of the ordeal is a double-walled plastic cup. The inner wall is in the shape of a cat paw.
When filled with opaque liquid, the paw can clearly be seen.
Each cup was reportedly being sold for 199 yuan ($30).
A select number of cat paw cups went on sale in Starbucks China stores on Tuesday, and sold out almost immediately. According to China’s CGTN news outlet, customers lined up the night before the cup’s release to ensure they got one the next morning.
“It was unclear what sent some Chinese customers over the edge about the cat cups, beyond the fact that they were cute and in short supply,” CNN reported on March 1st.
Listen, cuteness can send even the most sane people overboard in a flash.
Don’t underestimate the power of a limited-edition cute object (looking at you, Hatchimals).
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSJw7ild5oQ"]Like… multiple fights occurred in multiple stores. It was a catastrophe (lol).
A #Starbucks cup caused a war? Chinese customers fight to scramble the Starbucks' cat claw cups which were just on sale on Tuesday morning. @Starbucks @starbuckshelp @Starbucksnews https://t.co/7jTTOIOS3r pic.twitter.com/AbdfWv3sd9
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 27, 2019
Some Chinese customers even accused Starbucks China of trying to artificially drive up demand to increase its stock price, as CNN reported. However, the company denied this accusation.
Starbucks customers are fighting over limited edition 'cat paw cups' in China https://t.co/YKSCFNto0s pic.twitter.com/7qmDCYuqbE
— CNN (@CNN) March 1, 2019
“This is a great example of the dark side of viral marketing,” Benjamin Cavender, an analyst at China Market Research Group based in Shanghai, told CNN.
And Starbucks isn’t the only company to use viral marketing and limited stock to sell product.
Beauty and fashion industry professionals use this tactic all the time.
That’s true, and it happens almost every time when a limited goods is published like Air Jordan
— 亞細亞的孤兒 (@shutuppigs) March 1, 2019
Because customers were getting physical over the short supply of cups, Starbucks announced on Wednesday, February 27th, that they would sell a batch of 1,000 cat paw cups online every afternoon from Thursday through Sunday.
Thursday’s batch reportedly sold out within 10 seconds of dropping.
Starbucks decided to sell the remaining 3,000 cat paw cups on Friday afternoon to avoid further accusations of “hunger marketing,” a Chinese term that refers to the act of limiting product to drive up demand.
When the final drop happened on Friday, all 3,000 cat paw cups sold out in under a second.
Wow, China. We see you.
~ we love a good frenzy.
— quirk ~ e 💚💙 (@GoRejoicing) March 1, 2019
Those who played their cards right are now reselling the cups to the rest of the world via eBay.
Most are selling for between $30 and $40. However, one hot seller is letting their paw cups go for a cool $69.99.
And some reports claim that the cups are reselling in China for well over $100.
That’s just cold, man.
#Starbucks cat paw cup is now up to 999 RMB(about $150) in China, thanks to the hype. pic.twitter.com/p4FLf6PY8p
— InChina (@east_today) February 28, 2019
Plus, multiple copy molds are already being mass produced.
Before we know it, we’ll all be drinking out of cat paw cups whether we want to or not.
Sure, we’d all like to believe that we wouldn’t attack our fellow man for a plastic Starbucks cup. But let’s be honest with ourselves — some of us definitely would.
Damn it @Starbucks ! Why don't you make these things for everyone so we can ALL fight over them?!?! pic.twitter.com/yUsxiJJoHN
— Sarah Crowley 🌸💖💐 (@SarahCrowley) March 1, 2019
What can we say? It’s cute AF.
#starbucks #popular #cup #cat
— Simba (@Simba32253418) February 27, 2019
(｡ì _ í｡)
Starbucks Cat's Claw Cup, which is popular in China today pic.twitter.com/9jRTBNG8gC
“So lovely,” yet it brings out the worst in all of us. Oh well.
#Starbucks cat's paw cup # So cute!! So lovely!! pic.twitter.com/fwqOCOOKFw
— Cathy Miller (@CathyMi69362005) March 1, 2019
Hah. We see what you did there.
We suppose the only way to find out if us Americans will wreak havoc on our local Starbucks restaurants is if the chain releases the Starbucks cat paw cup here. We’re tired of the standard red cup! Give us what we want!
#Starbucks cat's paw cup # So cute!! So lovely!! pic.twitter.com/fwqOCOOKFw
— Cathy Miller (@CathyMi69362005) March 1, 2019
Wait — this corgi gets a cat paw cup and we don’t? America, explain!
#starbucks #hongkongdisneyland #starbuckscup #catsofinstagram #cats #cat #kittens #kitty #pets #petsematary #petsofinstagram #cup #inspirationalquotes #inspiration pic.twitter.com/mDQidXjnJV
— Kapoklog Logistics co, Ltd. (@Kapoklog_Logist) March 1, 2019
Let’s make a pact now, people.
If the cat paw cup ever comes stateside, let’s do our best to play nice. Ahem — as nice as possible, anyway.
