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Characteristics of the African Buyer’s Purchase Behaviour

Indigenous Management Practices in Africa

ISBN: 978-1-78754-849-7, eISBN: 978-1-78754-848-0

Publication date: 10 August 2018

Abstract

This chapter examines the trends and issues in the purchase behaviour of African buyers as a contribution to the literature on consumer behaviour and management from an African perspective. The objectives of the chapter include investigating the nature of African buyers’ purchase patterns; examining the cultural influences on African buyers’ purchase behaviour; documenting African buyers’ path to purchase; and comparing African and non-African buyers’ purchase behaviours. The data used in the chapter were gathered from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa through surveys, a focus group discussion and a key informant interview in order to generate findings that represent various regions of Africa. Findings reveal that African buyers purchase mostly consumables for household consumption. Price bargaining is also a common feature among African buyers. Findings further indicate that nature of households, local culture and the use of technology are some of the factors that influence African buyers’ purchase behaviour. The data also showed that information gathering and involvement of others are essential in the purchase path of African buyers. The chapter created a model to depict these various issues and made recommendations for managers, educators and policymakers in Africa on the subject matter.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Professor Abel Kinoti for the use of primary data collected under his supervision by Riara University, Nairobi, Kenya.

Citation

Uzo, U., Zephania Opati, T. and Shittu, O. (2018), "Characteristics of the African Buyer’s Purchase Behaviour", Indigenous Management Practices in Africa (Advanced Series in Management, Vol. 20), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 9-29. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1877-636120180000020002

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

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