Key findings
- 59% of B2B buyers report low regret about the vendor they chose. 9% report significant regret.
- 64% report at least some regret.
- Among them, the top four causes are all post-sale: pricing crept up at renewal (15%), under-resourced implementation (12%), onboarding that fell short of the pitch (12%) and slower adoption than expected (11%).
How many B2B buyers regret their purchase?
Few, strongly. We asked 250 B2B buyers to rate their regret about the vendor they chose from 1 (none) to 5 (significant). More than a third (36%) report none and 23% give it a 2. Together, 59% report low regret.
At the top of the scale, 9% report significant regret and a further 16% give it a 4.
Most buyers don’t regret the choice
How much do you regret the vendor you chose? (1 = none, 5 = significant)
View data
| Group | % |
|---|---|
| 1 (none) | 36% |
| 2 | 23% |
| 3 | 16% |
| 4 | 16% |
| 5 (significant) | 9% |
What causes buyer regret?
Delivery. Among the 161 buyers who report any regret, the most common single cause is pricing creeping up at renewal (15%). Under-resourced implementation and onboarding that fell short of the pitch follow on 12% each, with slower adoption than expected on 11%.
Those four account for half of all regret. The other half is spread across more than ten smaller reasons.
Half of all regret comes from four post-sale gaps
What is the root cause of your regret?
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| Pricing crept up at renewal | 15% |
| Implementation under-resourced | 12% |
| Onboarding fell short of the pitch | 12% |
| Adoption slower than expected | 11% |
| All other reasons (10+ items) | 50% |
Is regret about choosing the wrong vendor?
Mostly not. None of the top four causes is "we picked the wrong product". They are about what happened next: the price changed, the implementation team was thin, the onboarding didn't match the pitch, people didn't use it.
These are gaps between what was sold and what was delivered. Any vendor can fall into them.
What this means
Sales wins the customer. Delivery decides whether they regret it.
Three of the four causes are within a vendor's control before the contract is signed.
- Pricing at renewal. If the year-two price is going to rise, say so in year one. A surprise is what turns a price increase into regret.
- Implementation resourcing. Put the people who will deliver in the room before the sale closes.
- Onboarding against the pitch. Compare the sales deck with the onboarding plan. Where they differ, the customer will notice.
The commercial stakes are direct. Regret is what makes a customer open to switching at renewal, and what stops them recommending you to a peer.
Frequently asked questions
How many B2B buyers regret their vendor choice?
9% report significant regret and 59% report little or none, according to a survey of 250 B2B buyers by The Reality Department.
What is the most common cause of B2B buyer regret?
Pricing creeping up at renewal, named by 15% of buyers with any regret, followed by under-resourced implementation and onboarding that fell short of the pitch (12% each).
Is buyer regret caused by choosing the wrong vendor?
Mostly not. The four leading causes all relate to what happened after the sale.
Methodology
The Reality Department surveyed 250 UK B2B buyers, influencers and decision-makers at companies with annual revenue of $50m or more. Fieldwork: August 2026. The root cause question was asked of the 161 reporting any regret.
Related: What makes B2B customers switch supplier?
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