During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed people going crazy in stores for such basic care items like toilet paper. And no wonder why -- they were scared and felt like stocking up.
But sometimes, people go crazy for certain items at the store for less obvious reasons. The best example would be the current craziness of people for limited edition Stanley cups released by Starbucks and Target. The situation became so uncontrollable that certain shops had to come up with new rules for customers to buy the cup.
More info: TikTok
Starbucks and Target released a limited-edition Stanley cup for their "Galentine's Collection"
Image credits: victoria_robino_26
It’s no secret on the internet that people, especially in the US, really love Stanley cups. These cups belong to a company that’s over 110 years old. For years, this company sold various thermoses, which you can still buy on their site.
Then they came up with “the Stanley Quencher,” which has been available to buy since the mid-2010s. Funnily, the sales of the cup weren’t successful to the point that it stopped stocking it online.
This cup was no different than the typical “Stanley Quencher,” except it came in pink and red colors and a card for gifting
Image credits: TR (not the actual photo)
It is said that an e-commerce blog and Instagram account run by Ashlee LeSueur, Taylor Cannon, and Linley Hutchinson called “The Buy Guide” helped bring popularity to “The Quencher” in 2020. They did that by buying 5K cups from the company and selling them.
From this point on, many more people started promoting and buying “the Stanley Quenchers.” The phenomenon of “if everyone has it, I need it too” started. Eventually, the cups became the most popular product of the company. What a ride, right? From the highly unpopular product to the most popular one.
And people in the US went crazy for the cup, flooding local Targets
Image credits: socalexclusives
The popularity of the cup rose even higher after a video went viral of “the Stanley Quencher” being practically the only thing to survive a car fire. After this video, people started praising the cups for being so durable, which helped the brand’s image.
So, when the product is so popular, it’s no wonder that various companies want some of that profit. For this year’s Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day (a celebration focused on celebrating female friendships instead of romance), Starbucks and Target Released Limited Edition Stanley cups for the so-called “Galentine’s collection.” The cup comes in red and pink colors, along with a card label with a tiny heart that adorns the Stanley logo since the cup is made for gifting.
People waited to buy a cup in the extensively long lines, and some even started waiting from 3 A.M.
Image credits: vincentmarcus
And people went bonkers for this cup. Various videos, mostly on TikTok, were spread showing to what extent people were willing to go for these pink/red cups. For instance, in one of the videos, which ended up being the most viral on this topic, people were seen trampling each other to get to the cups. Literally, people were pushing each other, coming to the stand with kids in their hands, just to get these limited-edition Stanley cups. At the end of the video, it was written that nearly everything was sold out in 4 minutes!
Other videos showed people climbing over counters to get to the cups and steal them while others were standing in a very long line. Or people get into Target very early, for example, at 7.30 A.M. or even 3 A.M., to wait in line for this cup. Yes, people were getting to the store in the middle of the night so they could buy the bright pink/cherry red cup whenever the store opened. Sounds dystopian, right?
And if they were lucky to get to the cup stand, they risked being trampled by other customers
Image credits: meaganfetchhappen
To control the situation, some Targets came up with a new rule, stating that only one cup goes per household. Not per person, per household. Some other Targets gave out tickets to customers, which meant that if you got the ticket, you got the cup. And if you weren't lucky enough to get the ticket, well, there's no cup for you this time. These rules only confirm how crazy the whole situation is. It’s just a cup! Well, it seems that for these Stanley fans, it’s way more than just a cup.
To control the craziness of the situation, some Targets came up with rules on how many cups are allowed per household or gave out tickets, which allowed people to purchase the cups
Image credits: yuli.anax
Watch the most viral video here
When these videos started flowing around online, many netizens were left wondering what was so special about these cups. Many stated that they see how pretty the cups are, but they can’t wrap their heads around paying so much for them or even going to the extent, for example, of getting to Target in the middle of the night. Some even shared that they have their own Stanley cup and barely even use it or have the dupes that work just as well. And, well, some commenters who understood the hype behind these limited edition cups said that they just order them online instead of going to physical stores, as shopping there seems like a nightmare.
"What's with Americans and Stanley cups?": People online seemed to not understand the frenzy for the cups
Image credits: Shabaz Usmani (not the actual photo)
