B2B buyers rebel against ‘discovery theatre’ sales

B2B buyers are growing more critical of traditional sales tactics and say many vendors now waste their time and undermine trust, according to new international research by Adience.

The study of 350 business buyers across four regions found that almost one in three respondents complained about poor discovery conversations and irrelevant material from vendors. Many said they still felt "sold to" rather than supported in their decision-making.

Adience said the findings point to a "B2B Buyer Backlash" that will shape how vendors engage with customers in 2026. The research covered buyers in the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa and the Middle East, across sectors including technology, financial services, healthcare, insurance, media and entertainment, and manufacturing and automotive.

Respondents highlighted a cluster of recurring frustrations with sales processes. These issues often appear early in the relationship and then persist through the buying cycle.

Discovery 'theatre'

The research found that 30% of B2B buyers said vendors asked poor or repetitive discovery questions. A similar share, 29%, said vendors sent irrelevant slide decks, PDFs, or demo links.

Another 29% said vendors did not understand their industry or use case. This group said sales teams failed to show awareness of sector context or the buyer's specific environment.

More than a quarter of respondents, 27%, said vendors focused on product features rather than business impact. The same proportion said vendors did not answer all questions in formal requests for proposals.

About one in four buyers, 26%, said vendors tried to bypass procurement teams. The same share said vendors misused artificial intelligence, for example by sending outreach that appeared robotic or contained obvious factual errors.

Chris Wells, Managing Director at Adience, said the findings underlined shifting expectations among decision-makers. "The seller's job is to help buyers take the right decisions and make the right choices. The best discovery builds confidence, not fatigue. Vendors that simplify, listen, and personalise earn trust fastest," said Wells.

The report said many buyers now see lengthy qualification conversations and generic pitch materials as "discovery theatre". It said these interactions add little value and can delay deals.

Listening, not lecturing

The survey suggested that buyers place greater weight on clarity, understanding, and alignment than on price concessions. Many respondents want vendors to act more as partners in complex decisions.

Joe Kopyt, Director of Integrated Marketing at Responsive, said the "discovery theatre" concept reflected a widespread experience. Responsive develops AI-driven tools for proposal and sales teams.

"What really resonates is the idea of 'discovery theatre'. We've all sat through pitches where the vendor asks the same tired questions. Buyers want insight and relevance - the ones who listen, not lecture, are the ones we remember," said Kopyt.

Adience said the research pointed to several pressure points for commercial teams. These include a need for better preparation before first meetings, more tailored content, and a sharper focus on buyer outcomes rather than feature lists.

The study also suggested that procurement specialists and non-procurement stakeholders share many of the same concerns. Both groups cited low-quality questioning and irrelevant materials among their leading complaints.

AI under scrutiny

The research found that B2B buyers hold mixed views on vendors' use of AI. One in four respondents, 26%, said they were put off by outreach that appeared obviously AI-generated.

At the same time, one third of buyers, 33%, said AI competence would define the best-performing vendor teams within the next two years. Many respondents expect sellers to use data more effectively while maintaining a human-led approach in key interactions.

Wells said vendors face a challenge in combining technology with judgement. "Buyers want vendors who can interpret data, understand context, and run fair, efficient evaluations," said Wells. "Let AI speed analysis and drafting, but keep a human layer for tone, accuracy, and context. Vendors who master this balance between human insight and smart technology will lead the next era of B2B engagement."

Ant Newman, Director of Content at Spectro Cloud, said his organisation was already seeing both sides of this shift. Spectro Cloud develops tools for Kubernetes management.

"What we're seeing is that AI is helping target our marketing and sales outreach and distil the huge amounts of information and insight available during the sales process. But once the conversation starts, the best sales teams still have to build trust and real human connections, lead with value not features, and challenge their customers with bold new perspectives. AI can assist in the process, but it can't replace those skills," said Newman.

New sales playbook

Adience has produced a Buyer-ready Playbook based on the findings. The document sets out practical steps for vendors who want to streamline discovery, personalise outreach, and use AI in line with buyer expectations.

The company said the research supports a shift towards vendor teams that combine empathy, sector understanding, and data literacy. It said vendors that adapt now will be better placed as buyer expectations continue to rise through 2026.