Sunday, March 2, 2008

Starbucks Cell Phone Strap



I LOVE starbucks. When I first came to Japan there weren't any in Fukuoka and I really don't like Japanese coffee places because first, I hate Japanese coffee and second, I always feel like I should drink and go. So I was thrilled when starbucks opened years ago.
Anyway, recently my assistant showed me her cool "keitai" strap (cell phone strap) and she said she would look for one for me later that day when she went into town. Well, they were sold out...in fact all of the starbucks in the area were sold out. So, I phoned my friend in Tokyo and asked her to pick me up one and she had to go to 5 starbucks before she could find one! I tell ya, Japanese love their cell phone straps!!!
So, I have a question for all of you since I get this question all the time....do Americans (Canadians, Europeans....all non-Japanese people) love cell phone straps like Japanese do? I don't know the answer since I have lived here for so long but I tell you sometime you can't see the phone for all the straps hanging off it!! Would love some answers....thanks!

24 comments:

rohanknitter said...

I see them sometimes here, not like you describe though. I'd say most people do not have them. I've never seen a starbucks phone charm, I would buy that in a second.

maoiliosa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
maoiliosa said...

i have 16 cell phone charms for sale in my shop (they look just like my pendants, made of wood and washi paper) and haven't sold even 1 yet. i see people with cell phone charms on their phones all the time, so i thought mine would be a hit, but so far, nope!

however, people here really do love starbucks, and they love personalizing every single thing they own (ipod, phone, car, etc.), and your shop is, of course, a LOT more more exposed (and experienced) than mine, so i say give it a shot! :) i know i would buy a starbucks phone charm!

* that last comment, that was deleted, was mine. i spelled something wrong and had to fix it :)

Anonymous said...

I almost never se anyone with a cell phone strap here in Sweden.. I like the idea myself but feel like it would be in the way so much! Since I haven't bought one I don't know though... :)

FromJapanWithLove said...

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your comments!

Malin...to be honest, the strap doesn't get in the way....well...I only have 1 so it doesn't get in the way. I guess if you a million straps they probably do get in the way. ^__^

I'm thinking of selling straps on my website once it is up and running since I can't sell them on etsy (not handmade).

Anyway, thanks for the comments!

Unknown said...

Most of my friends use phone straps. And I used to put tons on my phone. Except that I think that phones for use in Japan have a different design that allows you to hang tons of straps. After a few weeks, mine came off...

coffeegirl said...

I live in Washington state - birthplace of Starbucks, and sadly, do not see people use cell phone charms.
In our state we've enacted laws this past year making it illegal to drive while talking on a cell phone - so most folks are opting to go "hands free" with those little phones that hang on your ear.
Or, they're into texting and I wonder if the charms get in the way...

Sherbet Head said...

I really like this, Kawaii!
I blogged you today! It's only a baby-blog as I haven't had the chance to update as often as I'd like, but I'm working on it =)

http://sherbetheadcreations.blogspot.com/

Loraine

FromJapanWithLove said...

Hi shoe addict!

I'm not sure about the difference in design but the space for straps isn't big...they hang straps off of other straps sometimes. I should take a pic of mine and put it up here though I have a new phone and the strap position is in a new place because mine is almost more camera than phone!

Hi coffeegirl! Hmmm....people do drive and talk on the phone...makes me crazy! Then again they drive with kids walking around in the car too....so car safety is behind here! Not sure about the strap charms getting in the way...

Hi sherbet head!
Thanks for the kind words! And thanks for blogging about me-it was really sweet!! Good luck with it!

Suzanne said...

I'm in Canada and I've seen a few people with them - mostly teenagers. Although I have to admit... I'm 31 and I have 2 on my phone - one is a Hello Kitty talking on the phone and one is a little Buddha - and I got them both from a Japanese e-bay store :D I actually find them quite handy because when I'm digging around in my purse to find my phone I can "grab it by the charms" (teehee) and yank it out. I also tend to loop them around my pinky finger when I'm talking on the phone and a couple times I've accidentally dropped the phone but it didn't fall to the ground since the charm straps were attached to my finger :)

freshie (and zero) said...

I don't really understand them - I don't really like the idea of something hanging off of my phone dangling on my neck while I'm on my phone. I don't even think I've ever seen one in use, but we're not too quick on the update here in Nashville, TN. However I LOVE Starbucks and that Starbucks strap is WAY cute! I would buy it just because I love Starbucks. Maybe I could find a way to hang it from my coffee cup! :)

witchstone said...

Although I love just a single dangly cellphone charm, I haven't yet seen anyone with similar cellphone straps in the US. At least, not on phones that belong to non-Asians anyway..

Kari said...

Sometimes I use one, but only one. More than one just gets in the way for me!

FromJapanWithLove said...

Hi Suzanne-I totally agree about them being handy...I find my phone the same way!! They certainly do come in handy!

Hi Freshie and zero-you are funny....I`ve been to TN a lot but many years ago. I agree that the strap is cute and I do understand people talking about how they think it gets in the way...but they really don`t...well at least 1 doesn`t!

Hi witchstone-you say you love them...do you use one? My sister lives in Vancouver and she asked me to send her some cute ones and she has people ask about them -so people must like the idea of them.

Hey Kari-yeah I hear ya....only 1 for me otherwise it is just too cluttered!

witchstone said...

Yup! I have one that I got in Japan.=) My Nintendo DS has one too. But I rarely see people with cellphone straps and they always look at mine when they hear it ring [it's a bell].

Anonymous said...

South-East Asians love huge chunks of cell phone charms too, male or female. My brother has Initial-D-themed ones. I am too embarassed with my ancient cell phone model so I don't have any.

FromJapanWithLove said...

Witchstone- I have to admit I hate the little bell ones. I either don't buy it or remove the bell. When my sister asked for some straps she asked for ones without the bells!


Tracy-interesting...sounds like Japan...I don't know how some people can find their phone under all the straps!

witchstone said...

I used to hate the bell too and never expected myself to get one but I really like the sound of Japanese bells, because they aren't as irritating as most others.^_^

Sil Frebrian said...

personally, I never used one in my life. I saw sometime at asian market, they're cute...but I don't have any reason why I should use them. I use a long string as a necklace instead. it's handy for taking my kids to school or for jogging.

Anonymous said...

I like Starbucks collectibles but strangely I don't buy the coffee. I like the new 2009 strap. It is very simple and just the company colors. I wish the company would sell them here too but I know there is a more of a market for them in Japan. I think I have over 20 from Japan from when I lived there. My current ones are "Sukiyanen" from Osaka, a gyoza charm, and a mini Eiffel tower. Gotta buy them all!

Donna Harris said...

Thanks for your nice blog. There are many phone straps which is beneficial for you. This is good for sale. Many people love Starbucks and use phone straps very easily. Well, These Starbucks straps are too cute and an amazing.

e.h. said...

YES. i live on the east coast the u.s., and i see them in every store in chinatown. they're a bit expensive, but any teenage asian girl i know owns atleast one.i guess it has to do with our age group.

Terry said...

mind if i ask, if there's anywhere i can buy online that starbucks phone charm?

FromJapanWithLove said...

Hi Terry-we don't have that exact strap for sale right now but we do have another one on our site www.from-japan-with-love.com just look under the phone strap section and it should be there.

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