New Research Reveals B2B Vendors Have Lost Control: 94% of Deals Won by Day-1 Shortlist

The 2025 UK & Ireland B2B Buyer Experience Study

MarketOne and 6sense Study of 754 UK & Ireland Buyers Exposes "Dark Funnel" Where Critical Decisions Happen Before Vendor Contact

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, November 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- B2B vendors are operating blind for 57% of the buyer journey, missing the critical window where purchase decisions are actually made, according to new research released today by MarketOne International and 6sense.

The 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Study: UK & Ireland Edition surveyed 754 B2B buyers across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland about their most recent significant purchase. The findings reveal a fundamental shift in the balance of power: buyers now control when, how, and with whom they engage. And by the time vendors know a purchase is underway, the most important decisions have already been made.

The study's most striking findings include:
- 94% of winning vendors were on the initial shortlist when the buying group first formed, before vendors were contacted. Those not on the Day-1 shortlist virtually never win.
- 57% of the 8-month buying cycle happens before first vendor contact, down from 67% in 2024, a four-week shift that paradoxically gives vendors less influence, not more.
- 85% of buyers initiate first contact, not vendors, fundamentally undermining traditional outbound sales strategies.
- 87% of buyers have requirements and evaluation criteria fully established before engaging vendors, meaning vendors can't shape the brief.
- 83% of winning vendors had prior relationships with the buying organisation, indicating brand-building is the cost of entry, not a nice-to-have.

The research also reveals a significant UK and Ireland divergence from global patterns: only 68% of vendors ranked #1 at the end of the Selection phase go on to win (compared to 80% globally), meaning 32% of UK and Ireland buyers shift their preference during the Validation phase, the highest rate of movement in any region studied.

"This research reveals an uncomfortable truth: B2B vendors have lost agency in the buying process," said Enrico Brosio, CEO of MarketOne International. "In many cases, they aren't losing deals - they're never even reaching the starting line. And when they do make the shortlist, it's rarely because of their marketing efforts. The vendors who adapt to this new reality will thrive. Those who don't will continue operating blind."

The study looks into what 6sense call the "Dark Funnel": the extended period where buying groups of 10 or more people form, conduct independent research, build requirements, create shortlists, and rank vendors, all without vendor visibility or input. This invisible phase represents the majority of the buyer journey and is where the decisions that matter most are made.

"Traditional demand generation operates on the assumption that vendors can influence buyers during their research phase," Brosio continued. "Our data shows that assumption is false. By the time you know they're buying, the decision is largely made. This requires a fundamentally different approach."

The report introduces a three-phase ABX (Account-Based Experience) framework that combines signal intelligence, AI-powered engagement, and strategic human interaction to help vendors regain agency across the Pre-Intent stage (before buying begins), Selection phase (independent research), and Validation phase (direct vendor engagement).

Key UK & Ireland Market Dynamics:
The study reveals "The UK & Ireland Paradox": buying cycles compressed from 10 months to 8 months (a 20% reduction), yet the number of vendors evaluated increased from 4 to 5 (a 25% increase), and Point of First Contact moved from 67% to 57% of the journey, four weeks earlier.

The research identifies two primary drivers behind earlier engagement: 58% of buyers engaged earlier specifically to clarify AI implementation questions, while 62% cited economic uncertainty as the reason for accelerated timelines.

Methodology:
The 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Study was conducted by 6sense between June and August 2025, surveying 3,974 B2B buyers globally. The UK & Ireland edition analyses 754 responses from buyers across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland who made B2B purchases averaging £320,000 / $400,000 USD. A supplemental study conducted in August 2025 examined AI-related questions and economic pressure impacts, including 209 additional UK & Ireland respondents.

You can download the 2025 study here.

Gifford Morley-Fletcher
MarketOne
email us here

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