- Starbucks’ ‘First Store’ NFT buyers will get their hands on their purchases today
- The lucky 5,000 paid $99 for their ‘Stamps’, which are themed around the chain’s first coffee shop in Seattle
- Starbucks’ first drop, The Siren Collection, was plagued with technical difficulties
Buyers of Starbucks’ ‘First Store’ NFT collection will today see their artwork for the first time, with the experience being fortunately smoother than the company’s first effort. The coffee chain’s first drop, The Siren Collection, was beset by technical difficulties, mainly due to its unexpected popularity, and the company dialed back the scale of First Store. This resulted in a better, although not perfect, experience, and buyers will get the first look at their purchases today.
Stamps Collection Expands
Starbucks began its Stamps NFT journey with The Siren Collection, a limited-edition NFT run which opened for business on March 9 to members of the invitation-only beta. Despite the limited number of members in the program, the drop of 2,000 Stamps, each priced at, $100 was so popular that it crashed parts of the Starbucks Odyssey website. Those trying to buy from Nifty Gateway also complained of error messages and other issues which prevented them from buying a Siren.
Starbucks learned from its mistakes and put more resources towards the First Store collection, which comprised 5,000 Stamps priced at $99 each. To ensure fairness, the program only allowed Odyssey members who had earned a minimum of two unique Journeys Stamps and held them in their wallets during the pre-sale to make the initial purchase. Additionally, the sale was limited to one stamp per customer, unlike the original sale where two stamps per customer were allowed.
Starbucks Honoring Its History
Although the token-gated pre-sale was a step towards mitigating the problems encountered during the Siren debacle, some members were still perplexed to discover that they were ineligible, while more technical difficulties were also reported, leading to an anxious wait.
Today marks the first time that ‘First Store’ Stamp buyers will have the opportunity to view the art they bought, with the series commemorating the historic landmark of 1912 Pike Place, home of the original Starbucks. The chain has indicated that the artwork will comprise a multimedia collage of photos, in-store textures, and prominent icons from their archives, all with a modern twist.
