Starbucks opened the first ‘Starbucks Now’ store — a retail experience that “integrates Starbucks physical and digital customer touchpoints.”
Combining the Starbucks cafe environment with the company’s ‘Mobile Order & Pay’ and ‘Starbucks Delivers’ customer experiences, customers and delivery riders can conveniently get their favorite beverages and food at Starbucks.
Located in Beijing, the store is the company’s first express retail format location offering new levels of convenience and speed to meet the needs of today’s modern urban lifestyle.
“The Starbucks Now store is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering innovative customer experiences through new retail formats,” said Leo Tsoi, chief operating officer and president, Starbucks China Retail. “This new retail format and design approach provides us with a platform to offer customers a fast and convenient retail experience to suit their on-the-go lifestyle.”
Customers entering the store are greeted by a Starbucks barista at the elevated concierge counter to assist with ordering or order pickup.
They can choose from beverage options for the on-the-go customer, along with an assortment of food items. Limited seating is available.
For delivery riders, a dedicated area for Starbucks Delivers orders enables quick and easy pickup. Fulfilled Starbucks Now and Starbucks Delivers online orders will be placed in an in-wall system with a designated pickup portal associated with each order.
The store will also have the ability to serve as a centralized dispatch center for delivery orders within a certain radius so Starbucks baristas at neighboring cafes can focus on delivering exceptional service to in-store customers at those locations.
In May, Starbucks China introduced the company’s mobile order and pay experience, ‘Starbucks Now,’ across 300 retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. Since its introduction the program has expanded to Hangzhou and Nanjing and is now offered in over 1,300 stores across four cities.
The launch of the first Starbucks Now store marks the latest milestone in the company’s continued efforts to bring its digital experiences for customers through unique and convenient store formats.
The company plans to open additional Starbucks Now stores across high-traffic areas.