Starbucks doles out ‘Stars’ miles

AIRLINES have long given out miles to customers for creditcard purchases made at other stores. Now Starbucks is trying a similar feat with its loyalty programme. The chain has forged deals with music service Spotify, the New York Times and ride-sharing company Lyft – all of which will let customers earn points toward free drinks and food at their local Starbucks. The programme doles out “Stars” when users make purchases, creating a form of currency that works with Starbucks’ mobile app or loyalty cards. The company credited the effort with helping drive a 4 percent gain in customer traffic last quarter. The challenge now is building out the Stars network beyond the first few partners. – Bloomberg