Almost out of K-cups

Last one on carousel.  Few more in a box elsewhere in the kitchen that I forgot about.  These have become morning staples, though not entirely indispensable.  I have ample ground coffee with two functioning inserts that fit my Mr. Coffee on sale machine.  There are two French presses, two Melitta cones with a reasonable supply of #2 filters, and enough cash on hand for a pick-up at WaWa or a leisurely sip at Brew HaHa.  Not having morning coffee was never jeopardized.  Having my morning routine of washing dishes and retrieving the newspaper while a k-cup brews could have collapsed.

It didn't.  Restoring the new supply made it to my daily task list as a priority.  Everyplace sells them but the best match of price and quantity comes from Christmas Tree Shops and Costco.  While the latter sells more established brands, including their own, and I much appreciate the large sturdy box once depleted, Christmas Tree Shops had the advantage of proximity and variety, so I went there.  While my cell phone calculator would enable me to figure out the best buy with certainty, I opted for the ability to estimate learned in junior high math, along with the reassurance that my level of prosperity does not mandate the rock bottom per-unit price.  I could also consider what experience I might like to have with the next 60-100 morning mugs.  All discounted brands not widely advertised.  Consumer choice depends on price but also on taste, prior experience, variety, size, attractiveness of the box and many other investments that sophisticated manufacturers make to allure me to their product ahead of other products.  I like variety packs, but settled instead for 60 units of basic ground coffee that they labelled donut shop blend, more image than reality.  Good price.  Had before.  Reliable.  Won't run out again for a while.

After putting the box in my cart, I headed to the back of the store to look for more of a dental item.  I didn't find it but found the box of Christmas Clearance k-cups in boxes of 18.  Wide selection, a third off, some flavored, some not, all specialty offerings but what I assume are upstart suppliers.  Got one of those too.  Made myself a cup of that as soon as I returned home.

I don't know how close I come to the model of consumer behavior.  Stimulus was need, though once I arrived at the choices it shifted to want.  Display, packaging, perceived taste, experience, value, and anticipation of making the coffee all became inputs into the decision-making apparatus of my CNS.  When the choice are too many, true at Christmas Tree Shops but not at Costco, there is a risk of dissatisfaction with any final selection.  But having returned home, restored the revolving k-cup rack next to the coffee brewer, and place the remaining k-cups in a safe place, my usual mornings can continue another few months.