The Stanley cup phenomenon keeps on going as shoppers waited for hours at Target for the latest special edition of the viral tumbler.
The latest Stanley and Starbucks collaboration hit the shelves Wednesday to a deluge of people looking to get their hands on the limited edition pink shimmery 40-ounce quencher. And many of those have already appeared on places like eBay, a third-party e-commerce site, and Etsy for more than triple the retail price.
The craze for the two companies' latest collaboration was well documented on social media, especially TikTok. Posters garnered millions of views of people rushing to grab the drinking tumbler (or multiple) before others and others waiting in front of Targets — the only place the tumbler is available — across the country for ours in hopes of snagging one.
So what's up with the craze behind this century-old company?
Is Stanley a new company?
Stanley isn't a new company at all. For more than 100 years the company has been helping people keep cold beverages cold and warm beverages warm.
Inventor William Stanley Jr. founded the company in 1913 after he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle. You may have seen the older versions stowed away in a family member's garage or on a thrift store shelf.
The product got a revival thanks to TikTok. The company's $40 Stanley Quencher gained popularity over the last few years to the point of having limited edition versions of it that fly off the shelves.
From camping and blue collar workers to TikTok viral craze
The original Stanley thermos wasn't as colorful or used as an accessory like the modern-day Quencher line is.
Once a humble green thermos, Stanley products now come in a vast array of shapes, sizes and colors that have been made famous in TikTok videos of people unboxing new colors, people personalizing the tumblers and using them as accessories.
There is even a video of a woman whose Stanley cup was the only thing that survived a car fire in November 2023. The viral video received tens of millions of views. The video shows the charred remains of her car, which is clearly destroyed. But sitting in the cup holder is her Stanley.
The TikTok craze led to an uptick in revenue for the company as well.
Stanley’s revenue jumped from $74 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023, CNBCreported, largely thanks to the social media success of the Quencher line.
Where can I buy the hot pink Starbucks x Stanley cup?
You can only find the collab at Target and many locations have already sold out, but you might be able to still snag one. Because once they are gone, they're gone.
How much does the winter pink Starbucks x Stanley cup cost?
The cup, sold exclusively at Target, retails for $49.95.But if you can't find it at your local Target, it will probably cost a bit more.
The stainless steel tumbler is going for more than$200on places like eBay, Etsy and Mecari.
What other companies, people has Stanley collaborated with?
Besides the three collaborations with Starbucks, Stanley has also teamed up with the likes of Pendelton and even Tennessee's own Lainey Wilson.
The collab with Wilson was much like the latest, sold out shortly and is still going for $100 or more from third-party sellers.
Can't find the Stanley Quencher? Hydro Flask and Simple Modern have duplicates
The Stanley Quencher has the hype, but there are plenty of dupes out there lining the shelves of stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall's and even Walmart.
USA Today has come up with a list of dupes that are worth the hype. Here's a couple:
- Ozark Trail 40 oz Tumbler
- Owala 40 oz Tumbler
Looking for something else? Check out some favorite water bottle picks from our newsrooms.
