The 2026 B2B Buying Disconnect: What 4,800 Enterprise Buyers Say vs. What Vendors Think

globainsight today released 'The 2026 B2B Buying Disconnect,' a comprehensive study based on 4,800 enterprise buyer interviews and a parallel survey of 1,200 B2B sales and marketing leaders. The research reveals a widening gap between what vendors think buyers want and what buyers actually prioritise — with significant implications for B2B go-to-market strategy.

The headline finding: 67% of enterprise buyers say vendor content does not address their actual purchase criteria. While vendors invest heavily in thought leadership, product demos, and case studies, buyers consistently rank 'independent third-party reviews,' 'peer recommendations,' and 'custom ROI analysis based on my company's data' as the three most influential information sources — none of which feature prominently in most B2B marketing budgets.

'B2B vendors are investing millions in content that buyers are actively ignoring,' said Sara Ahmed, VP of Product at globainsight. 'The data suggests a fundamental misalignment: vendors think buyers want to be educated, but buyers actually want to be validated. They've already done their research — they're looking for third-party confirmation that they're making the right choice.'

The study also found that the average enterprise buying committee has grown to 14 people (up from 11 in 2022), and that 41% of the purchase journey now happens before a buyer ever contacts a vendor — up from 27% two years ago. 'The implications are clear,' Ahmed added. 'If your category isn't visible in the channels where buyers do their independent research, you're not in the deal.'