The APAC B2B Buyer Journey Research Hub 2026

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The secret life of B2B buyers.

For the third consecutive year, Green Hat’s APAC B2B Buyer Journey Research explores how business buyers make significant purchase decisions, from how they stay informed and form preferences to how buying groups evaluate, align and make their final choice.

For our 2026 study, conducted in partnership with 6sense, we surveyed 512 B2B buyers across five APAC markets, each involved in a purchase worth more than US$25,000 annually within the previous two years.

This year’s research reveals something important about when that journey really begins.

B2B buyers don’t simply switch on when a new project appears. 94% stay informed between buying cycles, continually learning about their category, potential solutions and vendors. During this period, 76% change the vendors they would consider.

We call this period Latency. It means preferences can be taking shape long before a project becomes visible, an intent signal fires or a buyer fills in a form.

And that changes how B2B marketers need to think about the entire buyer journey.

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Latency: Preference forms before active buying begins

Buyers don’t switch off between purchases. They continue learning about their category, potential solutions and vendors, building on experience accumulated through previous buying cycles. 94% stay informed between purchases, while 76% say the vendors they would consider have changed since their last evaluation.

This makes Latency an important period of influence, with industry expertise, reputation and previous experience helping shape who will be considered when the next active buying process begins.

Selection: AI helps buyers evaluate. People help buyers decide.

Once an active need emerges, buyers enter Selection with considerable knowledge and often competing vendor preferences already represented within the group. The challenge becomes evaluating the options and building enough internal confidence and consensus to move forward. AI is increasingly helping buyers compare, evaluate and synthesise information.

But the harder problem remains human: 58% say agreeing to invest is harder than agreeing which vendor to choose. With an average buying group of 11 people, alignment across different priorities and risks is central to the decision.

Validation: Seller engagement and the final decision

By the time sellers enter the conversation, much of the decision has already taken shape. Buyers have established requirements, evaluated vendors and typically identified a preferred option. 79% ultimately buy from the vendor they preferred before speaking with sellers.

But Validation isn’t simply a formality. Around one in five buyers still switch away from their pre-sales favourite, as solution fit, security and compliance, pricing and other concerns are put to the test. And the experience buyers have during Validation helps shape the knowledge and preferences they carry into their next period of Latency.

How AI is impacting the buying process

Buyers tell us that they expect the presence of AI in their B2B solution. Our report indicates the varying degrees of this requirement across product categories. So, regardless of the deep experience of these buying members, globally they are reaching out sooner to understand the 'AI inside'. Below you can see five key AI criteria raising questions. Further, most buyers are using LLMs to help understand that AI inside.

Where to from here for B2B CMOs?

Win your place in the Selection Phase shortlist

Treat the Selection Phase as the real battleground – 76% of the time the preferred Selection Phase vendor wins. Invest in search and discoverability – GEO, AEO, SEO, including comparison pages, and third-party validations.

Drive ABM to engage the whole buying party

Know the whole buying party for your target accounts that matter. Shift success metrics from MQLs to whole buying group engagement. Build persona-based content for reputational buyers as well as solution buyers e.g. ROI calculators, security one-pagers, compliance checklists.

Publish Selection Phase content including an AI-Inside Transparency Kit

Publish thought-leadership personalised for personas and industries. Provide AI clarity in your MOFU/BOFU content as buyers seek to understand the ‘AI inside’ your solution.

Transform measurement model away from MQL/clicks to four journey stage measures

Share of search and large language model – as a proxy for brand strength. Buying party engagement. Marketing Qualified Accounts (MQAs) – leverage 1/2/3rd party intent signals. Pipeline uplift – opportunities and wins.