Assignment # 1 Ethel's Chocolate Lounges Essay

These customers value both low cost and excellent customer service. Providing both generates both branch loyalty and advertisement through word of mouth.

Develop a marketing plan for the business that suggests how Helen’s may improve its performance.

Consider the last purchase you made in these categories: personal electronics, clothing, and vacation destination. To what extent was your purchase decision influenced by decision-making complexity, individual influences, social influences, and situational influences? What specific issues were the most influential in making the decision? How could a marketer have swayed your decision in each case?

Where do I start? I mean the people were kind. For example the owners, Jack and Iva Elmer, they are nice people. They gave us a tour and explained to us some of the baking process. They also showed us how everything worked, and how precise their timing and detail has to be. We were sat down in a nice, and cozy place to eat, where they brought out some hot chocolate and apple streusel. From there they sat down with us and explained to us some of the history from their start in December, 1986 up until now. On our way out we got some more apple streusel, of which they were nice enough to discount us. They treated us as though we were family even though we have only known them for a short time. The service and hospitality alone is enough to make me want to return. Even if the food was bad, which it's far from, I would return.

Candy is known by many as a swamper with only one arm. Steinbeck, however, has many more layers behind Candy than meets the eye. The springer production took those layers and created Candy from a similar viewpoint as Steinbeck. Candy's physical features and behaviors have helped make a fictitious character seem realistic.

The Kroger Company is a leading grocery retail chain that prides itself on its customer satisfaction and conducting ethical business. Kroger operates nearly 2500 grocery retail stores in 31 states. An internal evaluation of the company's strengths and weaknesses are analyzed, in addition to an analysis of the company's external opportunities and threats. In coordination with this a consumer characteristic and behavior was diagnosed along with Kroger's strategic direction for its company.

Mars Incorporated is listed in “100 Best Companies to work for” (Kaplan). As a matter of fact it was “ranked number 95 in 2013” (Kaplan) and is the third largest privately owned business in the world. It consists of over 70,000 employees and its management is composed of family members who inherited the business from Frank Mars who created the company. Frank Mars was stricken with polio and his mobility was compromised, therefore, growing up he spent most of his time learning the skill of making candy. It was during this time he thought of manufacturing and selling his confectionary products. Thus, the founding of Mars Incorporated was initiated.

Consumers who buy fantastic brand cleaner instead of Pathmark premium All-purpose cleaner behavior would be considered as bounded rationality because they tend to make their choices that serve their objectives, but they have limited ability to acquire and process information. Consumers that buy fantastic brand cleaner can also be considered as bounded rationality because they believe in the rule of thumbs that says the higher the price of goods the higher quality of the goods will be. Since the price of Fantastik brand cleaner is higher than that of Pathmark, they apply the rule of thumbs before making a choice between the two brands.

1. When a consumer shops at an upscale furniture store, what factors determine whether the consumer feels that he or she got a fair value? How does the perception of value differ when that same consumer shops at a discount furniture store?

Consumers who buy fantastic brand cleaner instead of Pathmark premium All-purpose cleaner behavior would be considered as bounded rationality because they tend to make their choices that serve their objectives, but they have limited ability to acquire and process information. Consumers that buy fantastic brand cleaner can also be considered as bounded rationality because they believe in the rule of thumbs that says the higher the price of goods the higher quality of the goods will be. Since the price of Fantastik brand cleaner is higher than that of Pathmark, they apply the rule of thumbs before making a choice between the two brands.

From the case study, Grace wanted to buy a toaster and it has became a priority for her. Buying a toaster used to be a low involvement process for Grace. Initially, she was not interested to spend much time and effort, and low price was the main factor in buying a toaster. However, internet offers both high and low involvement consumers a wealth of shopping information

The behavior was observed from a large sample of people. This included twenty people shopping alone and twenty people shopping in a group, for a total of forty subjects, each ranging in ages from approximately 19 to 40 years old. The subjects were observed from the time they entered the store until the time they left. The reasoning behind this was to see the buying behavior differences for the whole experience and figure out which areas of the store could be improved in order to appeal to groups of people shopping. The behaviors observed included the amount of time spent inside the store, the amount of money spent, the interactions with associates, and the areas of the stores that were navigated.

Wendy’s has a number of strengths, possibly one of the most important of which Wendy's additionally offered a few interesting item such as Frosty and spicy chicken sandwiches. A further strength for Wendy's has been a unique worth menu that comprised of around 10 things that could be acquired for 99 cent. Wendy's all fast food ground sirloin sandwich chains, were currently anticipated that would meet new customer wellbeing desires without companioning the menu things on which the organizations were established. (Case study)

For instance, internet has brought much effect on the information searching behaviors; this development makes it necessary for consumer researchers to keep up with these developments (Zhang et al, 2009). Consumer behaviors involve the interaction among peoples thinking, actions, feeling, and the environment. By knowing, these interactions better companies are able to satisfy their consumers. In this aspect, the new chocolate company will need to spend a lot of time trying to grasp the customer’s needs and thus be in a position to translate these needs into detailed plans in order to add value to its customers (Blythe, 2006).

From the case study, Grace wanted to buy a toaster and it has became a priority for her. Buying a toaster used to be a low involvement process for Grace. Initially, she was not interested to spend much time and effort, and low price was the main factor in buying a toaster. However, internet offers both high and low involvement consumers a wealth of shopping