Ch. 11 Developing and Managing Products

Something that Starbucks always seems to be doing is introducing new products into their existing product lines. Not always with customer knowledge. The products are normally seasonal which generates a certain buzz for the aware consumers.

Just today I was inside a neighborhood Starbucks and saw that they had a coffee bean blend called Thanksgiving roast. It was the first I had heard of it. I was only aware of the Christmas roast due to last weeks assignment to find out what our company was doing for the holidays.

The use of seasonal releases for new products is a kind of test market. They put the product out there and see how the customer reacts and then it goes away and they can decide how to better the product or leave it as it is for the following year.

These products rate of adoption fall under both "trialability" and compatibility. It is in the "trialability" category because it can be tried on a limited basis. Because these products are perishable the consumer does not have to make a long lasting, life changing decision. It is used on a trial basis only. The newer products being seasonal also helps this fact. They are also compatible because any product from Starbucks will have the logo attached to it. Any new product will be consistent with the pre-existing products to create continuity within the company and for the customer.