BLACKPINK x Starbucks Craze: Malaysian Fans Swarm Starbucks Stores Nationwide for Collaboration Merchandise
Anything BLACKPINK does causes waves and needless to say, when ther insanely popular K-pop girl group held their Born Pink: World Tour Kuala Lumpur on 4 March, it quickly sold out despite the stadium having an 87,000 pax capacity. Starbucks recently dropped a highly anticipated collaboration with the group on 25 July, including a BLACKPINK-themed Frappucino.
But what most BLINKS (BLACKPINK fans) had their eye on from the “Turn Up Your Summer” collection was a lineup of 11 types of drinkware and 6 lifestyle accessories. BLACKPINK’s signature colour palette and funky graphic motifs which matches the group’s bold personalities arrived just in time for summer.
These were available at selected Starbucks stores across the country, these included reusable cups, mugs, tumblers, reusable tote bags, yoga mats, passport holders, and key chains. Some items were only available during a pre-sale and naturally, these were quickly sold out.
Starbucks Malaysia seemed to go all out for the launch, with the Starbucks Reserve Shoppes at Four Seasons Place fully decked out in the collaboration logos and a special event.
Prices didn’t go cheap, starting at RM108, but that didn’t stop BLINKS from sweeping up the merch. The most expensive item was the Rhinestones Stainless Steel Cold Cup, priced at a staggering RM478 with rhinestones encrusted by hand.
Facebook users posted images of the shelves holding the merch at Starbucks stores being wiped clean on the same day.
At the AEON Mall Shah Alam, BLINKS were seen entering the mall as soon as the security guard started to open the shutters, even before it was fully lifted. Fans ran to the outlet in droves and the store was entirely filled with those trying to get their hands on the merch.
@aeonmallshahalam ? BLACKPINK in your area! ? #TurnUpYourSummer with BLACKPINK + Starbucks. Get your hands on the BLACKPINK Strawberry Choco Cream Frappuccino and BLACKPINK + Starbucks collection starting today! Amazing crowd for today! #fyp #blackpink #blackpinkinyourarea #starbucks #starbucksblackpink #malaysiatiktok?? #tiktokmalaysia #fypdongggggggg #masukberanda #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #shahalam #masukberandafyp #fypdongggggggggシ? #fypシ゚viral ♬ Pink Venom x Blackpink x Showmusik Edit - Showmusik
Another TikTok user shared that they skipped out a whole day’s sleep to queue for a single tumbler from 12 midnight, and the store was also full of other people queuing.
@fikrybakri demi seketul tumbler starbuck??? , tak tido seharian esok kerja ni masing2? #blackpinkxstarbucks #malaysiastarbuck #fyp #tumblerblackpink ♬ Shut Down - BLACKPINK
At the Aman Central Mall in Kedah, the queue was more orderly but long lines were seen snaking through the mall’s ground floor of BLINKS waiting to make their purchases.
@amancentraltiktok @Starbucks Malaysia x Blackpink Aman Central’s store ! #blackpinkxstarbucks #fyp #amancentral ♬ 뚜두뚜두 DDU-DU DDU-DU - BLACKPINK
At the Starbucks outlet on the Petronas Federal Highway, dozens of people were seen waiting at the crack of dawn at 5am.
@dido_blink Yet I tot I was Early ? #blackpinkxstarbucks #blackpinkxstarbucksmalaysia #blinks #blackpinkmerchandise #longque #blackpink #blackpinkinyourarea ♬ orijinal ses - BLACKPINK
Resold For Double the Price
As expected, scalpers were among those who bought the items just to resell them at highly inflated prices, with the rhinestone cup even going for RM950 on Carousell.
@StarbucksMY Please restock for blinks I’m begging ? so many people bought it just to resell and markup 2x, 3x, 4x more than the original price ? why is there so little stock at every branch ?Starbucks X BLACKPINK seems more like a scalper event than for blinks ? pic.twitter.com/gQButBRW7R— ivesserapink~✨ (@sooyablinks) July 25, 2023
Another scalper sold the Black Cold Cup originally priced at RM148 at more than double the price at RM300.
Image credit: Hanami Chan, Firza Sahmat