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Starbucks’ cute, Christmas-y marketing stunt designed to instill patrons with some holiday spirit was absurdly ruined by capitalism earlier this month. The company teased the release of a new $30 limited edition 20-ounce glass mug shaped like a teddy bear with a Starbucks-green beanie, the “Bearista Cold Cup,” for weeks ahead of its November 6 release date.  

What ensued was a stampede reminiscent of the 2008 Black Friday stampede, but thankfully less violent. The day the cup was launched, customers were camping out outside of Starbucks stores, expecting to get their hands on one. However, some locations only received one or two units and were sold out before the cafe even opened. Long lines formed outside stores, and fights broke out. 

“Not cool marketing, Starbucks to only have 1-2 at each store and allow your baristas to buy them before customers,” one customer took to Instagram to complain on the Starbucks’ official account. “You should have had additional stock for your baristas and at least 10-20 for each store,” they added. 

Customers alleged that they waited outside before the store opened, only to witness an employee taking two out of the two total cups they had off the shelf to purchase them, since employees got first dibs. 

By the following day, the resale market was overflowing with Bearista mugs. The $30 cups were being posted on eBay for anywhere from $150 to upwards of $1,000. 

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The frenzy was so chaotic that Starbucks was moved to apologize. “The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations, and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” they said in a statement. “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”

Though the company didn’t release any extra Bearista cups, it promises “more exciting merchandise coming this holiday season.”  

This isn’t the first time Starbucks has gotten into hot water for its limited edition cups. It all started in 2015 with the infamous “Red Cup.” The minimalist cup design was fully red and was adorned with nothing more than the Starbucks logo in an effort to be more inclusive. However, it sparked outrage among some critics who claimed the company was “waging a war on Christmas,” according to Donald Trump at one of his rallies. 

Another marketing stunt last year saw Starbucks partnering with Stanley, the trendy tumbler brand, to release a special, pink, branded cup. The collaboration caused massive lines, overcrowding, arguments, and sell-outs, with cups being resold online for astronomical prices. When will Starbucks learn?

This comes as the brand attempts to rebrand under its new CEO, Brian Niccol, following a tough few years rife with store closures and corporate layoffs. It recently launched its “Back to Starbucks” campaign, focused on returning to its roots as a community coffeehouse, a strategy that this obsession with branded merchandise is in complete opposition to.