• Did card activity, which is linked to charitable donations, permit Starbucks to give back to the communities in which it operates in a signifi cant way? BusinessWeek recognized the Starbucks Card Duetto™ Visa as one of the important new products of 2003. In fact, it was the only fi nancial product on the list. Starbucks Card Duetto™ Visa is a multifunction card that combines the features of a prepaid stored-value card, known as the Starbucks Card, with a regular credit card. Starbucks, in conjunction with Visa and Bank One (now Chase), did extensive research to determine if the proposed new payment option had appeal. Focus groups were used to determine the level of potential consumer confusion with the multifunction card, determine card attractiveness, and refi ne messaging. A series of online surveys were conducted both before and after the launch of the product to determine market receptivity. A press release about the partnership about eight months before launch generated news coverage resulting in traffi c to Starbucks’ website. Early purchase intent was determined by those Starbucks customers who took initiative and signed up via the website to be prenotifi ed by e-mail when the card became available.