Ethel's Chocolate Lounges

Chapter 6 Case Study: Ethel’s Chocolate Lounges
Deborah Y. Riley
Principles of Marketing – Winter Quarter
Professor Andrea D. Benjamin
January 30, 2011

Question - #1 Describe the type of consumer buying decision that best describes the choice to
indulge at Ethel’s.
    Consumers have three categories to choose from when making buying decisions.   Of the three
choices the best one that would describe the choice to indulge at Ethel’s would be Routine
Response Behavior.   This type of buying decision is products and services that are purchased at a
lower cost.   Consumers do not spend a lot of time on making decisions to purchase because they
are familiar with the product.   Consumers have indulged in chocolates for centuries in some form
or another.   Chocolate bars are the most popular chocolate product that consumers have
experience with and purchase on a regular basis.   During special occasions consumers purchase a
lot of chocolate products.   A good example would be Valentine Day when consumers purchase
large volumes of chocolate candy for their loved ones.   Another example would be Easter and
Halloween when chocolate candy is in very high demand.   Although Ethel’s chocolates cost
more the product is very familiar to consumers.  
Question - #2 Discuss the factors that influence a consumer to spend money and time at Ethel’s.
    There are four factors that could influence consumers to do business at Ethel’s Culture,
Social, Individual and Psychological Influences.   The first factor Social Influence social class
upper, middle and lower class consumers.   Ethel’s appears to be an upscale chocolate lounge
geared towards a certain class.   They would attract the upper and middle class consumers as
customers as oppose to the lower class consumers.   Ethel’s could be associated with the Godiva
chocolate stores as well as Star Bucks due to their pricing.   Both of these retailers can also be
geared towards a certain class.   Considering... [continues]

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