ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of purchase policies on
customer buying behavior, with a case study of a furniture store in Ongwediva Town.
The research was conducted with a targeted population consisting of management
members and customers of the furniture store. Three (3) management members were
interviewed, and seventeen (17) customers were provided with questionnaires to
complete. The researcher employed a qualitative approach to data collection, using
interviews for the management and questionnaires for the customers. Permission to
conduct the study at the selected furniture store was granted by the International
University of Management (IUM). A letter requesting permission to carry out research at
the store was sent to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the store, and the
confirmation letter from the CEO was attached. The collected data was analyzed and
evaluated thematically, grouping the responses according to respondent categories and
their feedback. The findings indicate that purchase policies are generally viewed
positively by both customers and management. However, there are several areas that
could be improved to further enhance customer satisfaction and influence purchasing
behavior. The study also revealed a strong relationship between a customer-friendly
returns policy and increased purchasing confidence. Based on these findings, it was
recommended that the store needs to build a user-friendly online shopping platform that
allows customers to browse products, understand policies clearly, and make purchases
securely. Including customer service chat support will also help address queries
promptly. The store should implement ongoing training programs focused on customer
service to ensure employees are knowledgeable and capable of assisting customers
effectively with inquiries related to policies. The store needs to simplify the steps
required to initiate a return. Providing a clear, easy-to-understand guide or flowchart on
the return process both in-store and online will enhance the customer experience.

Keywords: influence, purchase policies, managers, customers, buying behavior

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am deeply thankful to a number of people for their support and guidance throughout
this project. First and foremost, I would like to thank God; through His love and mercy, I
have been able to complete this project. My heartfelt thanks go to my supervisor, Mrs.
Hileni Ithindi, for her patience, technical support, constructive criticisms, and valuable
suggestions, all of which made my study much easier. I would also like to express my
appreciation to the entire Schmidtco Group family, the holding company for Casamia
Furnishers, for their support and participation.

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 DEDICATION

I dedicate this research project to my parents, Mr. Ezequiel Silva and Mrs. Ana-Cristina
Silva. Completing this journey has not been easy, but with their unwavering support,
love, and prayers, I have been able to push through every challenge and hurdle. Their
words of encouragement and their sacrifices have played an instrumental role in my
success. I would also like to dedicate this work to my relatives and friends, especially
Mr. Harris Chigwedere, whose presence and understanding have been a constant
source of strength throughout this process. His belief in me has been a powerful
motivator, and his support has played a significant role in helping me reach this point.

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 DECLARATION

I, Magda Madalena Velhinho Da Silva, do hereby declare that this project titled
“The influence of purchase policies on customers` buying behavior: a case study of
a furniture store in Ongwediva Town” is my own work. I also affirm that no part of
this work was published before expect those sources that have been duly cited and
referenced. This work has never been submitted to any institution, college or
university for awarding of the degree.

Student’s Name……………………………………….............

Student’ Signature………........................……………………

Date ……………………............................…………………..

Supervisor’s Name…………………………………………….

Signature………………………………….............……………

Date…………………………………….......................……….

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 page 18

Table 2 page 19

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACHRONYMS

IUM - International University of Management

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT..................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION.................................................................................................................. iii
DECLARATION.............................................................................................................. iv
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................ v
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACHRONYMS...........................................................vi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1 Introduction..........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2. Background of the study.........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3. Statement of problem..............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.4. Objectives of the Study...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.5. Research Questions................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.6. Significance of the study.................................................................................... 4
1.7. Delimitation of the study.....................................................................................4
1.8. Definition of terms...............................................................................................5
1.9. Summary.............................................................................................................. 5
CHAPTER: 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................6
2.1. Introduction..........................................................................................................6
[Link] purchase policies....................................................................................6
2.3. Various purchase policies that impact customer`s buying behavior..............7
[Link] Policies.................................................................................................7
[Link] Strategies..................................................................................................7
[Link] Service Policy...................................................................................8
2.3.4 Loyalty Programs...............................................................................................8
[Link] shops can adopt to improve purchase policies..............................9
[Link] Summary.....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1. Introduction..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2. Research approach..................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3. Research design......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.4. Population of the study...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

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 3.5. Sample and sampling procedures..........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.6. Research instruments.............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.7. Data collection procedure.................................................................................15
3.8. Data analysis procedures.................................................................................15
3.9. Ethical consideration.........................................................................................16
3.10. Summary...........................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 4: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION AND
DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS......................................................................................18
4.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................18
4.2 Research Overview.............................................................................................18
4.2.1 Demographic of Participants..........................................................................18
Table 1: Management Interview Demographics.....................................................18
Table 2: Customers Demographics.........................................................................19
4.2.2 Overview Of Research site .............................................................................19
4.3 Presentation of Data..........................................................................................19
4.3.1 The Purchase policies utilized........................................................................19
4.4 Interpretation and Discussion of Findings.......................................................25
4.4.1 Various purchase policies that impact customers` behavior......................25
4.4.2 Strategies to improve purchase policies in the selected furniture store....28
4.5. Summary......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS................34
5.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................34
5.2 Summary of the findings....................................................................................34
5.3 Conclusions........................................................................................................ 35
5.4 Recommendations..............................................................................................36
5.5 Summary............................................................................................................. 38
REFERENCES.................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

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