Starbucks expands reach of Mobile Order & Pay in Canada

It’ll now be easier for Starbucks customers in Toronto and Vancouver to get their favorite beverages with the expansion of its Mobile Order & Pay service. Starting January 12 in Toronto and January 19 in Vancouver, customers can use either their Android or iOS devices to get their drink of choice faster and easier. Starbucks initially launched feature for iOS in Toronto back in October 2015. Mobile Order & Pay lets you skip the lines at your favorite Starbucks by placing your order and paying within. It will even show you estimated pick up times. It comes seamlessly integrated into Starbucks’s mobile app and is tied in with the My Starbucks Rewards loyalty program.

Starbucks boasts they are the first national retailer to offer mobile payment technology that combined with a loyalty program. According to the company, the mobile payment service already represents 18 percent of all in store transactions in Canadian Starbucks stores.

Download: Apple App Store (Free) + Google Play Store (Free)

Starbucks teams up with The New York Times to give loyalty members free daily content

A good cup of coffee or tea and a the morning paper have always been a winning combination, even in the digital age. Starbucks Coffee announced an elevated digital news experience for the Starbucks mobile app, the result of an expanded relationship with The New York Times.

As part of the agreement, The New York Times top news of the day as well as a selection of other articles addressing key social, political and economic issues will be available for free via the Starbucks mobile app for the 10 million My Starbucks Rewards loyalty members. These customers will also have the opportunity to earn “Stars” through paid digital and print subscriptions to The New York Times.

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Starbucks and Spotify tie up for a massive multi-year collaboration

Spotify is set to invade Starbucks cafes in big way. The two big companies have inked a multi-year deal. Spotify and its premium service will be playing a key role in the in-store music experience at Starbucks and help customers earn free drinks. The 7,000 Starbucks locations in the United States will be link to Spotify’s 60 million users to develop a “first-of-its-kind music ecosystem.” Starbucks employees a.k.a. partners will gain complimentary access to Spotify Premium and will be able to influence the in-store playlists. And customers will be able to access these playlists through a dedicated Starbucks section in the app.

This partnership is also the first time Starbucks is opening its loyalty program to a third-party company. According to the announcement, Spotify Premium subscribers will earn “Stars as Currency” but there aren’t any specifics how they’ll be able to earn those and how long they have to be subscribers to get Starbucks freebies. The partnership will be rolled out in phases starting this fall in the US and it’ll be expanding to Canada and the United Kingdom.

Source: The Verge

Virgin Mobile offers Starbucks promo to members

Virgin Mobile is introducing two new promotions for its Member Benefits program with its new partner Starbucks. For a limited time, members who purchase a $10 Starbucks Gift Card online over here will get topped up to $15 via an exclusive promo code. Members will also be able to win Starbucks Cards. Until February 10, you can enter online each day to win one of the Starbucks Cards valued at $15 each.