Blog #2: Death by Chocolate

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Death by Chocolate is one of my all-time favorite sweets to eat.  Death by Chocolate is a bowl full of different layered chocolate desserts.  First, you start with a bottom layer of brownies.  Second, you add a layer of chocolate pudding.  Third, you add a layer of chocolate mousse.  Finally, the last layer is Cool Whip.  Then you continue to pile up the layers in that same order until you reach the top of the bowl.  Once the layers reach the top, you can choose to add little sprinkles, chocolate chips, or any other kind of topping to decorate it like in the picture below.  

This picture below is the Death by Chocolate that me and my cousin made last Thanksgiving.  We layered it in the same order listed above and also decorated the top.  To outline the turkey, we used cookie crumbs then we filled in the feathers using sprinkles.  

PURCHASE DECISION PROCESS

To help explain these five steps in the purchase decision process, I will use an example involving me and my cousin; for every holiday family dinner, me and my cousin get together to make the dessert Death by Chocolate.  However, our level of involvement in the purchase decision process is very low.

Step 1: Problem Recognition

This is the first step in the purchase decision process.  During this stage, you recognize that there is a situation where you need a certain product or service.  In my example, me and my cousin recognize, as the holiday is coming up, that there is no dessert for our holiday dinner yet.  Our family always has a sweet tooth so dessert is always needed at big family gatherings.  Therefore, we recognize that we need to make a dessert!

Step 2: Information Search

During the information search stage, you look back at your previous purchase history to determine which brands or products you liked the most.  For example, when me and my cousin are at the store looking at the certain products we need, we look for the same products we always use every time we make Death by Chocolate. Those ingredients are Cool Whip, brownies, chocolate pudding, and chocolate mousse. Sometimes we also like to add a few extra things on the top, like in the picture below.  

Step 3: Alternative Evaluation

Alternative Evaluation is the step where you research more about the product you are looking for.  You might compare it with other brands to see which is the best fit for you.  For the example involving me and my cousin, we usually don’t need this step since we are just buying food and it is not a high involvement situation.

Step 4: Purchase Decision

The purchase decision is when you actually buy the product you are looking for.  In my example, me and my cousin buy the ingredients we need.

Step 5: Post Purchase Behavior

In this final step, after you have bought your product, you evaluate your product and see if you made the right decision with buying it.  You see if you are either happy or unhappy with the product you have purchased.  So in my example, me and my cousin are satisfied after our purchase of the ingredients to make our Death by Chocolate dessert.