Aarrggghhhh – trying to add money to Starbucks account is an exercise in frustration!
Who else has trouble trying to add money to a Starbucks account?
I have the Starbucks app on my iPhone and I also have an account with Starbucks. Over the years I’ve received the occasional Starbucks gift cards. Sometimes an actual card, other times an eGift card.
Trying to get that amount from the gift card onto my Starbucks account so I can use the app to make a purchase in the store has been an exercise in frustration!
Take my money!
Transferring the balance from a Starbucks gift card to my Starbucks account – sometimes it works OK. Mostly it does not work.
Sometimes I have to phone the Starbucks help line to get the balance added to my account.
I HATE fighting with Starbucks to get money added to me account.
HATE IT!
Most recent frustration
I’ve found in the past that it’s easier to add Starbucks gift cards on my computer instead of my iPhone’s app.
I set out to do that with the most recent $10 eGift card. I get online and pull up the Starbucks website. My log in information is auto-saved, so I head over to add money to my account.
I’m already logged in while I’m navigating around the Starbucks account. I click on the link to add money.
I run into trouble.
Starbucks asks me to re-enter my password.
I do.
But Starbucks is having none of it!
Wrong password!
It’s like me and Starbucks are cursing each other out!
I keep ALL my passwords written down. I’m organized like that. I check my records. I’ve got it. I know exactly what my password is.
Starbucks curses me out again! Wrong!
Damn it!
This is SO frustrating. I finally give in and hit the “forgot my password” button and Starbucks emails me a link to reset my button.
Here’s what happened when I clicked the link in the email.
What do you mean, Starbucks? How come you can’t find the page? You were the ones who sent me the link to reset my password!
Starbucks app
I decide to try the Starbucks app on my iPhone to see if it’ll go better.
It doesn’t.
The first thing I do is try to scan the bar code that came attached to the eGift card. The Starbucks app is most unhappy with that and basically tells me HELL NO!
I try the option to manually enter the eGift card details.
It does NOT go well. I can enter the card number. The problem is the security code. I have two choices.
One is a PIN that has seven numbers. I enter it. No dice.
The second option is a “Secret Code” that has six digits (numbers and letters).
In other words, neither option is called a “security code”.
And the number keyboard on the app, there is no way to get letters to work. I tried for awhile, holding the numbers down, tapping them several times, but nothing would change the keyboard to alpha.
Off to Starbucks
About five hours later, I stop by Starbucks to get some holiday treats. It’s pouring rain. Very heavy downpour most of the day. I decide this will be a good time to go to Starbucks to get my peppermint mocha and a cranberry bliss bar that I indulge in this time of the year.
I order, put my phone to the scanner to pay, it beeps. Thinking all is good, I put my phone in my pocket.
“Oh, it didn’t work,” says the barista operating the cash register.
I panic, thinking about all the “password” issues Starbucks has put me through that still aren’t resolved. This means I have no way of getting the money out of my app if I have to sign in.
“Little bugger!” I say and try the app again.
“I like that. Little bugger,” says the barista.
Whew! Fortunately the app worked that time.
Back to the computer
I’m really determined to get this $10 loaded onto my Starbucks account.
I try again to get Starbucks to reset my password.
I try a few combinations, including cursing out Starbucks in the password. All of which Starbucks gives me error messages and tells me I’ve already used that password before.
I’m pretty sure I’ve never used a password that included the words “Fuck Starbucks” anywhere in there! Ha ha!
That’s how frustrated I’m getting with the multiple password attempts with Starbucks.
It’s also been on and off 11 hours that I’ve been screwing around with my Starbucks account. I FINALLY get Starbucks happy with a password.
I grab my binder where I keep my passwords organized and quickly write it down. Not that it’ll help the next time I go through this I’m sure!
Why is this so hard?
It’s been 11 hours and Starbucks is finally happy with my new password and will let me get into the place where I can input the eGift card.
I quickly run into another problem. Although Starbucks let me enter the gift card number, it also wanted a security code. And it specifically wanted a security code with 8 digits.
If you remember from above, I had two choices that came with the Starbucks eGift card: a PIN with seven numbers or a “Secret Code” with six digits (combo numbers and letters).
Starbucks refuses to proceed with transferring the money from my eGift card to my Starbucks account.
My “chat” with Silvia at Starbucks
I need help!
On the Starbucks website, I press the contact information and go with the “chat”.
Silvia pops up on the chat and asks what she can help me with. It turns out Silvia is not as helpful as she could have been when I spelled out my issue that I needed a security code with 8 digits and told her about the Pin and Secret Code that came in below that.
Here’s the advice I get from “helpful” Silvia:
Silvia S.: I’m very sorry to hear that you are having issues with your eGift card.
Silvia S.: I’ll be happy to guide you in the right direction so we can help you with this matter.
Silvia S.: In this case, I recommend you to please contact the eGift support team through email at StarbucksCardeGiftSupport@CashStar.com, or by phone at 877 – 496 – 3731, Monday-Sunday, 5 a.m-8 p.m. Pacific, and they will be more than happy to help.
Why is this issue even too hard for a Starbucks employee to tackle?
Stick to it!
I finally decide to try adding a 0 in front of the seven digit PIN.
Yay! Success!
After 11 hours I have finally got my Starbucks eGift card added to my account!
Was all the time I spent worth it for the $10?
Hell NO!
Trying to add money to a Starbucks account is an exercise in frustration!
Done
I’m done with it. I’m not even a coffee drinker. I like some of the specialty drinks that Starbucks sells and I like the pumpkin scones. And I must eat a cranberry bliss bar at least once during the Christmas holiday season.
I like the convenience of using the Starbucks app on my iPhone to pay for my purchases.
But I’m done with gift cards and loading money onto my Starbucks account and app. It shouldn’t be an all day event.
Save me from Starbucks! Trying to add money to Starbucks account is an exercise in frustration!
Why can’t Dutch Bros be in British Columbia?
Watch me in action
Here’s my YouTube video where I vent about Starbucks. My dog, Shadow, even makes a surprise appearance.
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on December 14, 2019.