Inside the 2026 B2B Buyer’s Report
What B2B buyers told us.
Explore the findings behind Carbon’s study of 189 B2B decision-makers: how they compare providers, reconsider partners and decide what deserves a closer look.
Explore the findingsHow the study was conductedResearch by Carbon
Findings companion published September 16, 2026.
Satisfaction & switching
“Happy” doesn’t mean settled.
are satisfied with their current B2B partners overall.
177 of 188 respondents · Q36
are likely to reconsider at least one partner in the next 12 months.
110 of 186 respondents · Q28
have reconsidered a partner despite being generally satisfied.
99 of 184 respondents · Q33
These are three separate questions with different response bases. They do not add to 100% or show which individual customers will leave.
See the questions and how these figures were calculated
Q36: “How satisfied are you with the B2B partners your organization currently uses overall?” The 94% combines 104 somewhat satisfied and 73 very satisfied responses, divided by 188.
Q28: “How likely is your organization to review or reconsider at least one current B2B partner in the next 12 months?” The 59% combines 74 somewhat likely and 36 extremely likely responses, divided by 186.
Q33: “Have you re-evaluated or considered replacing a B2B partner in the past, despite being generally satisfied with their performance?” The 54% represents 99 “Yes” responses out of 184.
AI & the buying decision
You’re already in the comparison.
AI helps buyers do more than find a name. In this study, 57% selected comparing providers side by side as a way they use AI during discovery or evaluation.
Give buyers something useful to compare. Explain who you help, what you actually do and the evidence behind it. A clear case study can answer questions a list of capabilities leaves open.
How respondents use AI
Selected responses · Q15 · n = 188
Multiple selections allowed. Bars use a 0–100% scale.
View all responses and the survey question
“Which of the following ways, if any, do you use AI during the partner discovery or evaluation process? Select all that apply.”
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing providers side by side | 107 | 57% |
| Summarizing vendor information | 91 | 48% |
| Generating background information on the partner | 84 | 45% |
| Generating shortlist criteria | 72 | 38% |
| Identifying risks or gaps | 68 | 36% |
| Drafting questions for vendors | 66 | 35% |
| Reviewing case studies or references | 52 | 28% |
| I do not use AI in this process | 26 | 14% |
Percentages use all respondents to this question, including those who selected that they do not use AI. They are not percentages of AI users alone.
Reasons to reconsider
Give them a reason to stay.
Better value led the reported reasons a new partner could become attractive. Expertise and proof of results also featured prominently.
Make your contribution easy to explain inside the customer’s business. Show the work, connect it to their priorities and ask what they need next. Value needs a clearer story than a price alone.
What could prompt a switch?
Top three selections · Q21 · n = 188
Stated considerations, not observed switching outcomes.
View all responses and the survey question
“What would make your organization most likely to switch from a current B2B partner to a new one? Select all that apply.”
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Better value for the cost | 110 | 59% |
| Stronger expertise or specialization | 75 | 40% |
| Better proof of results / ROI | 73 | 39% |
| Better technology or innovation | 71 | 38% |
| Better customer service / support | 66 | 35% |
| Better reputation or trust | 66 | 35% |
| Stronger strategic thinking | 57 | 30% |
| Better integration with our systems / processes | 57 | 30% |
| Easier implementation | 55 | 29% |
| Other | 2 | 1% |
Multiple selections were allowed, so percentages do not add to 100%. These answers do not establish that any particular action will prevent a customer from leaving.
About the research
The people behind the percentages.
Carbon’s national quantitative study explores how people discover, evaluate and reconsider B2B partners.
The findings describe reported attitudes and experiences. They do not establish cause and effect or predict the behavior of an individual company.
- Study
- Carbon’s 2026 B2B Buyer’s Report
- Sample
- 189 quality-filtered responses in the study’s final analysis.
- Participants
- People involved in selecting, evaluating or managing business partners.
- Scope
- B2B partners, vendors and service providers across industries. The study is not limited to marketing agencies.
- Calculations
- Question-specific response bases are shown with each finding. Percentages are rounded to whole numbers.
- Reading the data
- Some questions allow multiple answers. Separate questions and differently sized bases should not be combined into a single result.
A finding worth sharing?
Credit Carbon’s 2026 B2B Buyer’s Report, include the question and response base, and link to the original research.
Put the findings to work
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