Starbucks plan to leverage their free WiFi to enable a new offering, the Starbucks Digital Network. It will curate news and information – for free – over its in-store WiFi network.
Starbucks was one of the first chains to offer free Wi-Fi – first via an agreement with T-Mobile and then with AT&T. If you were a subscriber to the telco’s services, you could get two hours of free Wi-Fi. Now the network is free for everyone. The company has found that computer users spend about one hour per visit on Wi-Fi while mobile users stick around for 15 minutes per web session.
The Starbucks Digital Network (SDN) will be available to customers at company-operated stores beginning this fall. It provides free access to various paid sites and services, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, career tools and local community news. Starting this fall, customers can explore and access this content via six different online “channels”: News, Entertainment, Wellness, Business & Careers, My Neighborhood and Starbucks.
- The News Channel features free access to the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The New York Times.
- The Entertainment channel will feature personalized educational program for early learners and their parents as well as guides to movies and other entertainment. Starbucks will also offer free Apple iTunes downloads.
- The Wellness channel will feature magazines like Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Prevention, Organic Gardening and Eat This, Not That!. The Run, Ride and Walk Finder online application will provide access to geo-targeted maps of more than 300,000 routes that highlight Starbucks stores along the way
- The Business & Careers Channel will feature content from Yahoo, a network-wide partner, as well other to-be-announced partners for news and information targeting busy professionals.
- The Neighborhood channel will feature localized content to help people connect with their communities, including access to compete Zagat ratings for local eateries. As part of this channel, DonorsChoose.org, will help match customers with local K-12 public school classrooms in need of support.
- The Starbucks Channel will provide customers with a hub for Starbucks related news.
Mashable explains that content providers are giving away restricted access in the hopes of attracting new business, and Starbucks wins by having something completely unique and customers benefit from by getting something of value at no cost. There will be a revenue share between the coffee retailer and its content providers should customers go on to purchase while browsing, but access to the multi-channel network and its content will be free.
According to Mashable, more Apple goodies, exclusive e-book downloads, and the opportunity to digitally connect patrons to other patrons through games or other social activities is planned.
