满城尽是美人鱼——评星巴克品牌泛滥之危（The whole city is full of mermaids -- Comment on the danger of Starbucks brand flooding）.doc

满城尽是美人鱼——评星巴克品牌泛滥之危（The whole city is full of mermaids -- Comment on the danger of Starbucks brand flooding） (this article appeared in the 2008 11 issue of the retail world) Original: Starbucks wall case Over the past ten years, Starbucks has had to make a series of decisions in order to grow from less than 1000 stores to 13000 stores. Looking back now, these decisions have led to Starbuckss experience of water desalination and cheap brands. Howard Schulz was a little depressed. In July 3, 2008, when he returned for less than half a year, he had to make a decision to shut down 600 stores and lay off 12000 people worldwide. Just two years ago, Starbucks has set up a plan for aspiring themselves, in the next 3 to 5 years, the United States and overseas markets are open about 1.5 thousand stores, annual revenue increased by 20%, annual profit growth remained at 20% ~ 25%. Now that the plan looks so unrealistic, Starbucks seems to be suffering from its biggest trouble since its startup. At the same time, some fast-food chains, including McDonalds, have also launched their own coffee products, robbed Starbucks a lot of business. Wonderful feeling no longer Since opening its first store in 1986, Starbuckss mission is to do its best to make consumers feel that it is selling more than just coffee, but a lifestyle of leisure and detail. In order to create this kind of feeling, Starbucks partner (Starbucks employees on the call) for consumers to create Starbucks experience as his lifelong career, running between and consumers to establish an emotional relationship. After repeated training before the unremittingly, and please a customer as far as possible to seek partners happy and a series of initiatives, Starbucks does each store has more than 3500 customers per week, and even loyal regulars patronize 18 times a month. Howard Schulz was once considered by Wall Street as the worlds best founder, and Starbuckss rise has been echoed in the halls of MBA as a teaching case. Howev