Starbucks' $450 Metal Gift Cards Expected to Sell Out in Minutes If you want to drop hundreds on an artisan Starbucks card, you need to hurry-- all 1,000 are expected to sell out shortly after they go on sale today.
By Kate Taylor
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Starbucks has a Christmas present for the coffee lover who has everything: a $450 metal gift card.
But you need to be quick if you want to share the gift of Starbucks: the coffee chain is only selling 1,000 of the uber-expensive stocking stuffers.
This is the second year that Starbucks is offering the limited edition card, which comes preloaded with $400. (Yes, you're spending an extra $50 for the card itself.) The card goes on sale on Gilt.com today at noon EST.
The ultimate present for the Starbucks junkie will only be on the market for a few minutes. Last year, the card sold out in about six minutes. This year, it will be even faster: In 2012, Starbucks offered five times as many cards, 5,000 to this year's 1,000.
Related: 5 Stores That Have Already Started the Holiday Season
Why can't people wait to get their hands on the pricey gift card? Starbucks realizes that their gift cards of all values are holiday favorites. Last December, 1 in 10 adults received a Starbucks gift card of some sort. This year, Starbucks is the No. 3 most-desired gift card, according to a survey by GiftCardRescue. Plus, the artisan metal card comes with automatic Gold-level status, meaning the owner can claim a free birthday treat, refills on coffee and tea and special deals.
Ultimately, however, the biggest perk of the premium gift card is in its exclusivity. Anyone can spend $450 at Starbucks, but only 1,000 will be able to do so on a classy metal card this December.
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