An Insight into Decision-Making Process for Purchasing Chocolates

The decision-making process for purchasing chocolate is guided by the need recognition stage, where the consumer identifies their interest or need. This is followed by an information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase of product, and post-purchase evaluation stages. Consumer and brand theory play a crucial role in shaping the decision-making process, influencing every stage of the process. The EKB model provides knowledge on different aspects that can be utilized to improve the purchasing experience. Additionally, consumer research methods help gather responses from customers, ensuring the quality of chosen products and services.

Brands and consumer Lifestyle
Consumer Dairy

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Method of consumer research for Chocolate...................................................................................1
Purchasing process...........................................................................................................................3
EKB model......................................................................................................................................4
Decision-making process.................................................................................................................7
Consumer and Brand theory Role in Decision Making Process......................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11
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Introduction
Chocolate is considered the most popular sweet dish in the world which is liked by everyone. In
this paper, the decision is made regarding the purchase of chocolate. Apart of this, the purchasing
chocolate should of dairy milk brand. It is purchasing to give a birthday gift to someone
important. Chocolate can be the effective gift because it spreads various good memories. It is a
sweet and brown food product which has different flavors like vanilla or others. It prepared with
the Cocoa beans that are considered the fruits of the Cacao tree. Chocolate is developed in the
form of liquid, block or in a paste form which works as a core ingredient in developing other
products. It can be said that purchasing process is different from person to person. But, it mainly
depends on the nature and behavior of a person who is going to make a purchase. The main
important part of the overall purchasing process is decision making regarding purchasing of a
particular product. Agree on a particular brand helps individual in making sustainable purchases.
Chocolate with dairy milk brand can make the occasion very special. It can also be said that
chocolate comes in different flavors like vanilla and others. Thus, it can be said that purchasing
of chocolate highly depends on the taste and preferences of people. On the basis of its popularity,
it can be said that chocolate has the number one food product preferred by more and more
consumers especially children. But, taste and quality of dairy milk chocolates make it different
from others. It is mainly produced by the Cadbury Company in a combination of different
flavors.
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Method of consumer research for Chocolate
Consumer research is performed by using shopping blogs and video diary. Both methods give
significant knowledge about the consumer reviews and quality of dairy milk chocolate. They
both play an important role in giving significant knowledge about retail insights and trends
especially shopping blogs. Shopping blogs makes the purchasing process easier and convenient.
Shopping blogs of dairy milk chocolate gives significant knowledge about the product, its
ingredients, and different available flavors. For example, Chocablog shopping blog of chocolate
lists all chocolate posts and reviews regarding the dairy milk chocolate and its customers (Li,
2013). Apart of this, it also represents the different rewards schemes which a customer can get by
subscribing its services. Chocablog helps me in selecting the best alternative chocolate for
making the occasion happier and memorable. Different reviews of customers regarding the dairy
milk chocolate help me in making good decision. Furthermore, a different flavor of chocolate
gives me the option to select one with better taste and quality. Thus, it can be said that shopping
blogs on chocolate give me significant understanding about different things of chocolate brand
and customer responses which ultimately improves my purchasing experience.
On the other hand, video diary also plays an important role in taking a decision and formulating
purchasing process. It influences our purchase decision in a significant manner. The visual
feature of diary influenced the audiences in a great manner. Generally, it is said that one will not
understand the value of a particular thing until it becomes a memory (Claiborne, 2015). Video
dairy proves this. Video diary of dairy milk chocolate display most beautiful memories and
moments of chocolate. This makes us more attractive towards the product. Video diary posted on
youtube gives us significant information about the layout, taste, manufacturing process and
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others. The entire video diary forces me to purchase it immediately without wasting any more
time.
Thus, it can be said that both consumer research methods helpful in making a purchasing
decision and measuring consumer responses.
Purchasing process
Procurement of dairy milk chocolate done by using below-mentioned steps of purchasing
process:
 Identify requirement: The first and foremost step follow for procuring chocolate is
identified requirement (Pieters, 2013). At this step, the first decision is made regarding
the choice of product which makes the occasion very special and sweet. Finally, selected
chocolate for further purchase process. Requirement identification gives clear guidance
about the further procedures which need to carry for final purchasing.
 Source Option: After selecting the product, different procurement sources are studied to
place an order and purchase it. This is done through by using different consumer research
methods such as visual diary and shopping blogs. Appropriate suppliers searched with the
help of these tools. The quality of supplied chocolate largely depends on the quality of
selected supplier.
 Price and Terms: After collecting the detail about a number of suppliers, various details
regarding price and terms of supply collected from the suppliers. This will be helpful in
further proceedings. Knowledge of terms and price of available suppliers helps in
selecting the best at least price (Gelderman, 2015). This will also provide comparison
facility with which price and terms of one supplier can compare with the other.
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 Purchase order: Order of chocolate placed after satisfying with the terms and conditions
of selected supplier.
 Delivery: There are various sources by which order of product can place such as fax,
personally, electronic means, and mail. Basically, order for chocolate placed by using
email. It is because email considered the secured and beneficial way of placing shopping
orders. Through email, I can secure one copy of my order in one folder. On the other
hand, the supplier can also keep file secure. This reduces the chances of missing
information.
 Expediting: It is considered the efficient way of addressing the timeliness of material and
service delivered. It used to fix the timeliness of chocolate order. Timeliness fixed by
considering the date of occasion in mind. It becomes especially important if there are any
delays. Expediting document of chocolate order contain payment dates, work completion
and other detail regarding the delivery time (Engelseth, 2015). This is helpful in making
effective schedule regarding work.
 Receipt and inspection of purchases: Once the selected supplier deliver the product, the
order accepted by inspecting it completely. Inspection of chocolate is done by identifying
required brand name, and quantity.
 Invoice Approval and Payment: After receiving the ordered product it is evaluated
against the invoice. After satisfying with the evaluation, payment is made to the supplier.
Payment can be made in different forms like credit cards, cash, bank transfer, and other
electronic transfers. But, payment of chocolate order paid by using bank transfer
electronic media.
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Thus, it can be said that purchase with the above process enables secure purchasing in a cost-
effective manner.
EKB model
EKB model stands for the Engel, Kollat, and Blackwell model. As per the EKB model, there are
different aspects of the consumer decision making (O’Brien, 2015). These steps are following:
 Input
 Information Processing
 Decision Process
 Decision Process Variables
 External Influences
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The above aspects of the EKB model have been tried to use to demonstrate the consumer
decision-making process in purchasing chocolate of dairy milk brand.
1. Input: Generally, the input stage is considered the data collection stage of the consumer
decision-making process. It can be said that consumer exposed different stimuli and
information regarding different products. These stimuli contain marketing ads in
magazines, newspapers, TV, internet and social media (Wu, 2016). All these parts are a
form of data that a consumer receives. Knowledge regarding chocolate also collected
from shopping blogs and visual diary. This information is aware of different aspects of
chocolate which can further use to improve the shopping experience.
2. Information Processing: At this stage, the collected data is processed to get the required
outcome which helpful in making further decision. After viewing different shopping
blogs and visual diary, different stimuli arise in mind which ultimately grabs attention
towards the chocolate. The current stimuli information about the chocolate and the path
information from experience forms the complete database which further utilizes in
information processing. At this stage, the collected information about the chocolate
filtered, classified, and understood. This helps in reaching the decision of acceptance or
rejection of certain data which don't fulfill the required desire. On the basis of such data,
opinion regarding purchasing of chocolate is developed, and further processes are placed
for procurement.
3. Decision Process: As I felt the requirement of chocolate for the occasion, I started my
research on different available suppliers or market trends (Longart, 2016). This provides
different options available in the market. The information for making decision collected
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by using external sources or the processed information. The decision was taken by
considering the market trends of different consumer products.
4. Decision Process Variables: There are different variables which influence the decision-
making process. Mainly the decision-making process of chocolate largely influenced by
informational and normative compliance. I got different ideas from my subordinates and
colleagues. Adoption of such ideas may give happiness but not so as chocolate.
5. External Influences: Apart of this, decision-making process also influenced by external
influences. These affect buying process in a greater manner. It mainly contains cultural
norms and lifestyle. These are the core factors which are necessary to consider.
Thus, it can be said that EKB model helpful lots in knowing the different behavioral aspects of
consumer and making a decision regarding a product.
Decision-making process
The consumer takes a decision regarding purchasing of a product by careful analysis. Decision-
making process helps them in shaping their behavior as per process (Solomon, 2014). It guides
them in making purchase of necessary items. The decision-making process for purchasing
chocolate is following:
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 Need Recognition: Need is considered the most important factor which leads to
purchasing of services and products. On the other hand, need also considered catalyst
which triggers the buying behavior of consumers. While making a decision regarding the
purchase of chocolates, I firstly identified the interest of my friend which further helpful
in making my decision. It can ensure that chocolates satisfied him in a larger context
because it is an important thing which gives him larger happiness (Lysonski, 2013).
 Information search: After identifying the taste and need, different information regarding
the available brands and their customers collected through using public sources or the
online sources. These sources give me significant information with which occasion of a
friend can make very special.
 Evaluation of Alternatives: At this step, different available alternative brands are
evaluated to find the best one. Evaluation of alternatives gives me significant knowledge
about the positive as well as negative aspects of different chocolate brands. Finally, after
evaluation, I selected the dairy milk brand which produced by Cadbury.
 Purchase of Product: At this stage purchase order for chocolate is placed.
 Postpurchase Evaluation: At this stage, the purchase of the particular product is followed
by post purchase evaluation (Saaty, 2013). After making a purchase, feedback is taken
from a friend about its taste. This helps me in measuring the efficiency of my choice as
well as dairy milk brand.
Thus, it can be said that decision-making process largely helps me in making my decision
regarding a particular product. In addition, it also gives me knowledge about different market
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trends with which I can make the occasion very special and attractive. This gives me an
opportunity to spread happiness and sweetness in the occasion.
Consumer and Brand theory Role in Decision Making Process
Consumer and brand theory both play an important role in decision-making process. They
largely influence the every stage of the decision-making process. Consumer theory mainly
defines how consumers take their decision regarding any purchase of the product. It also gives a
significant understanding of how demands for goods and services influence the buying behavior
of individuals (Balasko, 2016). It can be said that preferences of consumer changed as per
change in demand of goods. Due to this, the need recognition stage largely influenced. By
applying consumer theory, most of the consumers do not make a purchase decision as per their
needs, but they mainly focus demand of the product. As per the market demand for a product,
they arise need ultimately. This changes the overall concept of decision making and turns it a
failure. It is necessary for the consumer to work as per the process because it will provide them
various benefits and they can save themselves from loss.
On the other hand, the brand theory also influences the consumer decision-making process in
large context. Generally, the brand is considered as a concept that happens in a mind of the
consumer. On the basis of brand, one can easily create its goodwill in the market. The brand
theory defines how a brand can create its reputation in the mind of consumers and can change
their perception or buying behavior (Punjaisri, 2016). Brand theory offers a new way of taking
decisions. It also said that a brand could operate much like culture, in the anthropological sense
of the word. Thus, it can be said that brand attacks the mind of consumers directly which
ultimately changes the overall process. In such condition, there is no any requirement of
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collecting information, and conducting the evaluation. A required brand can easily purchase
directly from the brand showrooms and other places (Wilson, 2016). In such manner, it can be
said that brand theory and consumer theory have such potential to change the mind of the
consumer which ultimately influence the overall decision-making process.
Conclusion
After studying all this, it can be said that decision-making process and purchasing process have a
great role in making the purchasing experience better. Following all concepts of the decision-
making process and purchasing process enables me to take an appropriate decision regarding the
brand of chocolate. It is only possible due to the comparative feature of these processes. On the
other hand, EKB model also plays an important role in shaping my purchasing behavior. It
provides me knowledge regarding different aspects which ultimately utilize for improving
purchasing experience (Pescher, 2014). Furthermore, consumer research methods help me in
obtaining responses from different customers. With the help of all collected information, I can
ensure the quality of chosen product and services of the company. Thus, it can be said that
consumer behavior researchers provide a base with which further purchase process can
successfully carry out.
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