Contrast Between Starbucks and Second Cup - Essay Example

Contrast between Starbucks and Second Cup The business world is premised on competition. On a regularly basis, every brand tries to make their product the best available. Yet, this high rate of competition often gives vent to the conception of new products. This happens as much as competitors also want to expand their market. This is exactly what is reflected by Starbucks and Second Cup. Competition is rife as both producers want to get or maintain a hold of the coffee market. Depending on whose side one belongs, one of them seems to be getting the chunk of positive attention from their customers.

One of the contrasts between the two products is that while Second Cup is Canadian, Starbuck is American. Also, Starbucks came with a quality that beat that which Second Cup had been offering. Finally, Starbucks is offered their top-class products at highly affordable prices. Second Cup is a Canadian product (Second Cup: Our Story www.secondcup.com), Starbucks is American. In many countries of the world, Canada, for example, Starbucks only came into existence after Second Cup. As it is in many other aspects of business life, the newcomer always tries to make way for themselves by outdoing the already existent name.

This is what Starbucks did. This is in spite of the difficult that their country of production worked against them initially. Another contrast between the two is that while Starbucks brought higher quality on board by increasing the functionality of the product, Second Cup didn’t. The effect of Starbucks’ products on the user lasts longer than that of Second Cup. In spite of the higher standards brought on board by Starbucks, they still did not get the deserved recognition because many customers did not find switching to a new product easily, particularly because they had gotten used to what they had before.

This is a reflection of how humans are normally reluctant to welcome change. At their entry into the coffee market, their product was top-notch and their price was favourable. Their effort was of course crowned with positive effects even though it was not immediate. This is another point where Second Cups differs from Starbucks. Starbucks recognised the fact that for them to totally gain entry into the market; they not only had to offer high quality, they also had to offer it at an affordable price.

Of all the possible contrasts, it seems that (maybe unlike Second Cup) Starbucks did a proper market research before they dabbled into the market. Starbucks was able to come out tops because they brought a higher quality at a good price as opposed to Second Cup. Work Cited Second Cup: Our Story. 13 Sept. 2007. Web April 11, 2011.