Data Overview Report

Forrester’s 2021 B2B Buying Study Reveals Seismic Shifts That Amplify Long-Term Trends In Buying Behavior

The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Created A More Intense Buying Process

May 13th, 2021
Beth Caplow, VP, Principal Analyst
Beth Caplow VP, Principal Analyst
Barbara Winters, VP, Principal Analyst
Barbara Winters VP, Principal Analyst
John Buten, Principal Analyst
John Buten Principal Analyst
Katie Fabiszak, Principal Analyst
Katie Fabiszak Principal Analyst
Paul Ferron, VP, Research Director
Paul Ferron VP, Research Director
Amy Hayes, VP, Research Director
Amy Hayes VP, Research Director
Barry Vasudevan, VP, Principal Analyst
Barry Vasudevan VP, Principal Analyst

The results of the Forrester 2021 B2B Buying Study reveal how the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered B2B buying dynamics. Coping with the challenges of remote working and a recession, B2B buyers focused on purchases that help them adapt to new working and market conditions. A more intense purchasing process demanded more content and interactions — both digital and personal — throughout the buyer’s journey. Long-term trends confirm the importance of buying groups and uncover details on how decision-making authority changes with purchase complexity. Winning providers must step up to provide more digital content and interactions along with access to vendor representatives beyond sales. In this report, we outline the significant changes in short-term (since 2019) and long-term (since 2015) buying trends based on a global study of 957 B2B buyers who made an important purchase in the last six months of 2020.

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