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Clubhouse: Downloads are slowing again for the buzzy audio app

Clubhouse: Downloads are slowing again for the buzzy audio app

Earlier this year Clubhouse, which lets users join impromptu audio conversations, had a lot to celebrate. The app was about to hit the one-year anniversary of its launch, downloads were soaring and it was fending off investment interest from just about every venture fund in Silicon Valley, in the end raising an undisclosed amount at an eye-watering $4bn valuation.

Since then, things have cooled. Even after a much-hyped Android launch, downloads are now running at just over a million a month, way down on the ~9 million at the app's peak.

Growing pains

An interview with co-founder Paul Davison reveals how it felt to be in the midst of that crazy hype, as the user base just kept growing and growing through word-of-mouth. That sounds like a good problem to have for a start-up, but not if your platform isn't ready for that kind of volume, which is why the team tried to slow things down with an invite-only system.

Clubhouse copycats

Clubhouse's overnight success prompted a lot of big tech, and small tech, to explore the audio room feature. Twitter launched Twitter Spaces. Facebook launched audio rooms. So did LinkedIn. Slack made something called Huddles. Whether it was those copycats, the timeline of the pandemic, or just a natural occurrence, Clubhouse got what it wanted — things are slowing down a bit.

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Starbucks issues apology after viral “Bearista” cup meltdown

Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy. 

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

business

Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the 10-4 program internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmarts own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.

business

Monster surges on energy drink buzz, while Celsius sinks on distribution concerns

Shares of Monster Beverage climbed 5% after the bell on Thursday, and held most of those gains into early trading on Friday, following strong Q3 results.

The energy drink giant topped market expectations, with quarterly sales up 17% year over year to $2.2 billion and adjusted net profits growing 41% to $524.5 million — 11% ahead of Wall Street’s estimates. In the report, Monster highlighted its zero-sugar line and new product launches, with a stack of novel flavors already released this year, as bright spots.

During a call with analysts, Chief Executive Hilton Schlosberg said that the global energy drink category “remains healthy with robust growth,” The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that demand for more affordable caffeinated drinks is rising as coffee has become “really expensive.”

Meanwhile, rival beverage business Celsius saw shares fall as much as 23% on its Q3 results yesterday — despite beating expectations, with revenue jumping 173% — largely due to concerns about a change in the company’s distribution channel, as its newly acquired Alani Nu brand joins the PepsiCo distribution network.

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