Marriott and Starbucks have introduced a new points-earning partnership. Link accounts to earn:
- Double Starbucks Stars when buying from Starbucks while staying at a Marriott property
- During designated weeks, earn 100 bonus Marriott points for making 3 qualifying transactions at Starbucks. The first eligible week will be July 8-14. I’m told that “[d]uring Marriott Bonvoy Weeks, members with linked accounts can earn 100 points once after making three purchases at participating Starbucks stores. ” So it’s not 100 points per 3 transactions, but 100 points total.
A Starbucks Star is worth 2-4 cents. 100 Marriott points is worth about 60 cents but you aren’t going to earn Marriott points on all of your transactions. This limitation suggests to me that the Delta partnership is actually more lucrative, hoping as they do to drive Marriott customers to Starbucks without actually paying out Marriott points?
- Are they figuring that very few will keep track of whether it’s a designated week to earn points? That’s certainly an interesting experiment in marketing – to see whether the announced partnership and linking gets most of the juice, or whether there’s significant uplift in spend during weeks members can earn 100 points.
- Is linking your account in order to earn Marriott points and then not earning Marriott points because you bought coffee the wrong week what it means to be Bonvoyed?
You can participate in all Starbucks partnerships at the same time. A spokesperson for Starbucks confirms to me,
Starbucks Rewards members can link their account with each of our loyalty partners, including our newest partner Marriott Bonvoy, to unlock more value and earn benefits simultaneously. So, members can link their Starbucks Rewards account to their Marriott Bonvoy, Delta and Bank of America loyalty accounts. There is no need to select one vs. another.
On top of points-earning with Starbucks and Marriott it appears there will also be “coffee- and travel-themed experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments” coming as well.
Members linked by July 17 will also be entered into a sweepstakes that includes a trip to visit each of the Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in Tokyo, Milan and Seattle, including airfare and hotel and the chance to win Starbucks Stars.
After missing earnings in the first quarter, Starbucks could use some new or re-engaged customers. And people who spend for the median Marriott brand can also buy a cup of Sixbucks. Meanwhile, Marriott would love to be the preferred hotel option for Starbucks customers – and fill the top of their funnel, ultimately converting more Starbucks customers into Marriott credit card holders as well.
so, are you recommending signing up?
It seems too complicated for me to earn some cups of coffee. If Starbucks management is reading this: keep it simple. I don’t want to ever have to think about dates to order coffee.
@Thomas K – More points is better than less points. There seems to be no downside for signing up since you’ll continue to earn with their other partners.
A no-brainer for people who are essentially daily Starbucks customers…why wouldn’t they? For others it’ll depend on how dedicated they are.
3 purchases in a week and you get 100 points
Thoughts.
1) Marriott technology is really bad. Do you really think the plumbing between Starbucks and Marriott will work seamlessly? I seriously doubt it. I also guarantee NOBODY on Marriott customer service desk will know anything about this promotion
2) I’m sure Marriott has the usual wait 8-12 weeks to see points post. Am I supposed to keep receipts and if points don’t post whose fault is it Marriott or Starbucks?
The juice just isn’t worth the squeeze here. Not enough points to motivate me. Too random of a promotional timeframe to keep track of
Not sure why people are complaining. Sure it isn’t worth much (neither is the SBUX/DL promotion) but it is easy to link accounts, doesn’t cost anything and if you get points fine. Personally I won’t keep up with them or try to “maximize” them during the specific weeks but will be appreciative of any points that show up – more than I’m getting now. BTW, I like Starbucks and get a Venti dark roast about 3 times a week (use my coffee or expresso maker the other days) so not changing my purchase behavior and I’m a member of DL and Marriott so why not link them.
Some people would whine about anything! Sad.
The Starbucks rewards program is almost good. The problem is they’re too focused on making it rewarding for Starbucks and it seems like the customer is an afterthought. All of their promotions require so many hoops to jump through or are so heavily hedged that you can feel the rewards program manager presiding over every promotional planning meeting in terror that some customers might actually get some benefit that lands in their favor.
The cross-promotion thing is nice, but Starbucks as a rewards program projects a self-serving image, at least to me, that is a big turn-off and actually has the opposite effect. Makes me dislike the company and reinforces my decision not to drop in when I’m out and about and on the fence about whether I can justify dropping $5 – $7 for a coffee.
@Jeff – a regular Venti cup of coffee is around $3.50 at Starbucks, not $5-$7. BTW it is hard to find a cup under $2.50 (even at fast food restaurants now). I’m heading to Las Vegas Saturday and a cup of regular coffee (12-16 ounces) is $6-$7 now. I recently stayed at the Waldorf Beverly Hills and, as I recall, coffee in their restaurant was $9. Frankly, I like strong, bitter coffee and Starbucks is great for that. I make my own if I want an expresso (got a machine last year for that) or grind my beans and make a pot if I want multiple cups. However, if I only want one cup I go to the Starbucks 1/2 mile away, order on the app and pick it up when I arrive.
I signed up, just like i signed up for the Delta one…but I expect to gain nothing out of any of these promotions.