Since the start of 2024, social media has lit up with videos showing chaos at Target and Starbucks as customers fight for limited-edition Stanley cups.
No, not the National Hockey League’s championship trophy. We’re talking about insulated tumblers.
For a limited time, both Target and Starbucks are selling the mugs for $45 a pop, with the promotion beginning December 31.
People have lined up outside Target stores before the doors open for the day. Once the store opens, there are mad scrambles toward the Stanley display, scenes reminiscent of pre-internet Black Fridays, as shown in the video below.
What’s the deal?
What’s behind the mania? Social media influencers have done their part to make the cups a “must-have” item, extolling their ability to keep hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold.
But in recent days the profit motive has also been a factor. The tumblers are part of a pre-Valentine Day promotion and will not be restocked once supplies run out.
Because of that, many people are paying $45 for the cups and then posting them for sale for $100 or more on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
Meanwhile, there is an unending supply of Stanley cups, in a variety of shapes and colors, from the manufacturer, which has been producing them since 1913.
The hype was also fueled by a TikTok video posted by a woman whose car caught on fire. She explained that after the flames were extinguished, her Stanley cup in the cupholder still had ice in it. In gratitude for the free publicity, Stanley bought the woman a new car.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-01-07 14:00:23
