The tumbler engraving service at Starbucks Korea's (CEO Son Jeong-hyeon) first store, Ewha branch, has gone viral among both domestic customers and international visitors, with daily average users more than doubling compared to last year. In January this year, 1 in 4 customers visiting the Ewha branch came specifically to purchase engraved tumblers, and 90% of tumbler buyers utilize the engraving service.
Starbucks renewed the 25-year-old first store as a special location in September last year, introducing tumbler engraving service — the first at any domestic Starbucks location — to deliver differentiated experiences emphasizing its unique status as Korea's first Starbucks. The service reflects the "topping economy" trend of adding personalization to products. Available for 20+ tumbler types at the Ewha branch, customers can engrave personal phrases or nicknames in up to 10 characters with choice of font and image. Available with purchases of 45,000 won or more including the tumbler.
Ewha Branch Manager Kim Seung-hyeon: "Customer satisfaction is very high as customers can watch the engraving process up close and film videos — it feels like we're engraving their time and memories together. Over half of engraving service users are foreign tourists, making the Ewha branch a highly recommended destination in Korea through social media." The branch also offers exclusive first-store-design merchandise and three exclusive beverages using "Byeoldabang Blend," a coffee bean developed in Korea.
