Starbucks Halts Fast Forwarded E-Mail Promotion

Coffee giant Starbucks pulled an e-mail offering to its employees after distribution got out of hand.

The e-mail called "Try your coffee" offered customers a free Grande beverage between noon and 9 p.m. through Sept. 30. The small print directed customers to print the e-mail and present it to baristas.

It was distributed to a limited group of Starbucks partners and employees in Atlanta on Wednesday, Aug. 23, with instructions to forward to friends and family.

However, the e-mail spread faster than Starbucks predicted, landing in e-mail boxes coast to coast, as well as being sold on auction sites like eBay.

Starbucks said the offer is no longer valid because it was redistributed beyond the original intent and modified beyond its control.