Starbucks kicks into action its in-store music discovery venture with Spotify
Global coffee company Starbucks has unveiled the fruits of its music streaming partnership with Spotify as it looks to digital solutions to revamp its in-store experience.
Using the Starbucks mobile app, customers can discover the curated songs that are playing in-store. From there, they can be saved to a playlist to catch up with later.
Across the chain’s 7,500 US stores, the feature will be active, symbiotically looking to rope customers into Starbuck’s loyalty scheme, while also joining Spotify, and finally making a trip to the coffee shop an all-the-more social and interactive experience.
Howard Schultz, chairman and chief executive of Starbucks, said: “Music has played a pivotal role in our stores for over 40 years and we have been at the forefront of how to integrate it into a retail environment.
“We are merging the physical and digital, providing new access points for Spotify as they continue to grow globally, placing more control into our customers’ hands and giving artists the world’s largest stage for them to share their talent.”
Daniel Ek, chief executive of Spotify, added: “Starbucks shares our passion for music and desire to create the best, personalised experience for users and customers.
He concluded that the companies are “creating a unique new digital music experience”.
The feature is available to both Android and iPhone users through the dedicated Starbucks app.
The deal was first announced in March 2015 and saw Starbuck's 150,000 US employees gain a Spotify Premium subscription.