Research on Buyer Enablement
This hub collects the most important primary research on buyer enablement and B2B buying behaviour -- from Gartner, Forrester, McKinsey, and other credible research organisations.
Each entry links directly to the original source. Where a report requires analyst client access, this is noted. The editorial summaries on this page are our own -- they represent our reading of the research, not the original authors' words.
Analysis -- editorial articles on this research →Buyer Enablement -- Gartner Sales Insights Hub
Gartner's primary resource on buyer enablement covers the four buying job categories, the role of digital and human channels, and guidance for sales organisations. Contains the foundational research showing buyers spend only 17% of their total buying time with vendors.
- Buyers spend only 17% of total buying time with vendors
- Covers four buying job categories
Gartner Sales Glossary -- Buyer Enablement Definition
Gartner's official definition: "the information and tools provided to buyers to help them complete critical buying tasks faster and more easily." The primary definitional source for the category.
- Primary definitional source for the category
Gartner Sales Survey: 67% of B2B Buyers Prefer a Rep-Free Experience
The most recent Gartner survey on B2B buyer preferences. Key finding: 67% prefer a rep-free buying experience, up from 61% the previous year. Also found 45% of buyers used AI tools during a recent purchase.
- 67% prefer a rep-free experience (up from 61% in 2025)
- 45% used AI tools during a recent purchase
- Survey: 646 buyers, Aug-Sep 2025
Gartner Sales Survey: 61% of B2B Buyers Prefer a Rep-Free Buying Experience
Earlier Gartner survey establishing the 61% rep-free preference figure. Also found 73% of B2B buyers actively avoid suppliers who send irrelevant outreach.
- 61% prefer a rep-free buying experience
- 73% actively avoid irrelevant outreach
- Survey: 632 buyers
Gartner Sales Survey: 74% of B2B Buying Teams Show Unhealthy Conflict
Key finding: 74% of B2B buying teams demonstrate unhealthy conflict during the decision process. Teams that achieve consensus are 2.5x more likely to rate the outcome a high-quality decision.
- 74% of buying teams show unhealthy conflict
- Consensus-reaching teams 2.5x more likely to call the decision high-quality
Gartner Says By 2030, 75% of B2B Buyers Will Prefer Human Interaction Over AI
A counterintuitive Gartner forecast: despite accelerating AI adoption in buying, by 2030 75% of B2B buyers will prefer sales experiences that prioritise human interaction over AI.
- By 2030, 75% will prefer human interaction over AI in sales experiences
Buyer Enablement: A Vital New Discipline For B2B Sales And Marketing
The landmark Forrester report naming buyer enablement a dedicated strategic discipline. Calls on B2B organisations to transform their go-to-market approach to support buyers who increasingly rely on self-service and autonomous interactions.
- Names buyer enablement a "vital new discipline" for B2B sales and marketing
- Link goes to report page; client access required for full report
The State of Business Buying, 2024
Forrester's summary of State of Business Buying 2024, drawing on 16,000+ global business buyers. Key findings: 86% of B2B purchases stall during the buying process, and 81% of buyers express dissatisfaction with their chosen provider.
- 86% of B2B purchases stall during the buying process
- 81% of buyers dissatisfied with their chosen provider
- Survey: 16,000+ global business buyers
- Full report requires client access
Buyer Enablement: Five B2B Companies That Do It Well
Forrester blog post accompanying the discipline report, highlighting five B2B companies with effective buyer enablement practices. Includes examples of self-service demo tools, purchasing promise documentation, and buyer journey mapping.
- Five real B2B companies with effective buyer enablement programmes
Five Fundamental Truths: How B2B Winners Keep Growing -- B2B Pulse Survey 2024
McKinsey's ninth global B2B Pulse Survey, drawing on nearly 4,000 B2B decision-makers across 13 countries and 34 sectors. Key findings: buyers now use an average of 10.2 channels (up from 5 in 2016); buyers split time equally across in-person, remote, and digital self-service (the "rule of thirds").
- Buyers use an average of 10.2 channels across their journey
- Rule of thirds: equal split across in-person, remote, digital self-service
- 39% comfortable spending $500k+ through self-service or remote
- Survey: ~4,000 decision-makers across 13 countries
This research hub is updated as new primary research is published. The editorial summaries on this page are our own readings of the research; they do not represent the original authors' positions. Links go directly to the original publication wherever possible.
For the full statistics extracted from these sources, see Key Buyer Enablement Statistics. To suggest a research entry for inclusion, contact editorial@buyerenablement.org.