The New B2B Buyer: What Manufacturers & Distributors Must Know Going Into 2026
written by Suresh Devanan
|December 2025
A 2026 Outlook · Digital Commerce Leadership Series by Nishtech
B2B commerce is entering a defining moment. After years of incremental shifts toward digital, 2026 marks a clear turning point:
the modern B2B buyer is now unmistakably digital-first, self-directed, and increasingly rep-optional.
Across the latest perspectives from McKinsey, Forrester, Gartner, and DigitalCommerce360, a consistent trend emerges:
B2B buyers are taking control of the purchasing journey—and they’re doing it online.
For manufacturers and distributors, especially those navigating complex catalogs, multi-site architectures, dealer channels, contract pricing, and ERP-heavy operations, this shift carries enormous implications. The organizations that modernize their digital experience in 2026 will create competitive separation. Those that don’t will see erosion in customer loyalty, wallet share, and long-term relevance.
This article synthesizes the most trusted analyst insights to help B2B leaders understand what’s driving the new buyer mindset and what actions are required to win in 2026.
1. The New 2026 Buyer Is Digital-First—and Prefers Self-Directed Journeys
The strongest signal from all the major analyst firms is this: The majority of B2B buyers now prefer digital channels over traditional sales-led engagement.
McKinsey’s current B2B Pulse research shows digital is no longer a secondary or supporting channel—it is the primary method through which buyers evaluate vendors, compare solutions, and advance purchasing decisions. Buyers trust digital content, digital workflows, and digital transparency more than ever.
Forrester’s 2026 forecasts emphasize that buyers want to progress through most of the journey on their own terms—privately, efficiently, and without pressure. They expect a “choose-your-own-path” buying experience.
Gartner’s analysis of B2B buying behavior highlights that buyers now spend only a sliver of their overall journey engaging with supplier sales reps. The bulk of their time is spent on internal research, peer discussions, and online content consumption.
DigitalCommerce360 echoes the same pattern: B2B procurement teams—especially newer decision makers—are showing strong preference for frictionless digital interactions over traditional rep-led motions.
In short: Digital is the buyer’s default path in 2026, not a detour from a sales-led journey.
2. In 2026, Large and Complex Purchases Will Increasingly Move Online
The transformation isn’t limited to low-touch or repeat purchases.
Analysts all point to a dramatic rise in buyers executing large, configuration-heavy, six-figure and seven-figure orders digitally or through remote channels.
McKinsey’s research shows buyers now feel more confident transacting high-value purchases online because platforms have become more transparent, accurate, and well-integrated with back-office systems.
Forrester’s commerce insights reinforce that self-service purchasing is expanding into enterprise-level transactions—custom configurations, multi-location fulfillment, contract pricing, and renewals.
DigitalCommerce360 reports that many distributors are already seeing significant online activity for:
- complex spare parts
- multi-SKU bulk orders
- contract-entitled pricing
- replenishment workflows
- multi-warehouse order routing
Gartner’s perspective is clear: B2B organizations must assume that even their most complicated workflows will increasingly need to be supported through digital channels.
In 2026, buyers will expect digital pathways capable of handling the full spectrum of transaction complexity.
3. Self-Service Is Now the Core of the B2B Experience Going Into 2026
Every analyst source reinforces the same conclusion:
Self-service is not an enhancement; it’s the foundation of modern B2B commerce in 2026.
It spans the entire buying lifecycle:
Discovery
- Rich product detail & attributes
- Spec sheets, documentation, manuals
- Product comparison tools
- Compatibility and configuration workflows
Evaluation
- Transparent pricing & contract entitlements
- Real-time inventory & lead times
- Automated quote creation
- Digital RFQs and self-generated proposals
Purchase
- Streamlined checkout
- Approval workflows
- Multi-user accounts
- Tax, compliance, and shipping automations
Post-Purchase
- Order tracking
- Invoice access
- Self-service returns & support
- Replenishment workflows
McKinsey’s buyer research indicates a clear preference for do-it-yourself procurement—buyers want control, clarity, and speed.
Forrester emphasizes the growing expectation for “consumer-grade usability” in B2B platforms.
Gartner stresses friction reduction as a key requirement—buyers must be able to navigate the journey independently and confidently.
DigitalCommerce360 highlights that high-performing distributors are those leaning heavily into advanced self-service capabilities.
Going into 2026, self-service maturity will be a defining competitive advantage.
4. Sales in 2026: Still Essential, But No Longer Center Stage
Sales teams are not disappearing—but the role they play is transforming.
The analyst consensus shows several 2026 patterns:
Sales enters later in the journey.
Buyers want to self-educate; sales steps in when buyers are ready for validation or solution alignment.
Sales delivers expertise, not information.
Digital channels must cover the basics. Sales should focus on architecture, ROI, configuration, and strategic consultation.
Sales relies on digital signals.
Buyer intent is increasingly shaped by browsing behavior, quote activity, digital content consumption, and portal interactions.
Hybrid selling dominates.
McKinsey notes strong buyer preference for a mix of digital, remote, and occasional live interactions.
Sales must amplify—not replace—digital experiences.
Sales becomes a guide, not a gatekeeper.
In 2026, sales teams that fail to adapt to digital-first buyer behavior will dramatically underperform.
5. What's Required for Manufacturers & Distributors to Win in 2026
Synthesizing the most credible insights across McKinsey, Forrester, Gartner, and DigitalCommerce360, several imperatives emerge.
- Your digital experience must operate as your primary sales channel.
Buyers form opinions before ever speaking with you.
A weak or incomplete digital experience is the fastest path to lost revenue. - Your commerce platform must handle B2B complexity natively.
Manufacturers and distributors depend on:
- Contract pricing
- Customer hierarchies
- Multi-warehouse fulfillment
- Complex SKU structures
- ERP/PIM/CRM/CPQ integration
- Configurable products
Legacy and patchwork systems cannot meet 2026 expectations.
-
Omnichannel orchestration is mandatory.
McKinsey highlights the importance of seamless movement across channels.
Your website, portal, reps, marketplaces, and mobile apps must share the same data and customer context. -
Self-service must become your most polished customer experience.
Simple ordering is not enough.
Self-service must support discovery → evaluation → purchase → support with zero friction. - Sales must be reengineered around digital-first motions.
This includes:- Consultative involvement
- Real-time context
- Personalized engagement
- Eliminating repetitive tasks
- Leveraging digital intelligence
The “sales-first” model was a 20th-century strategy.
The “digital-first, sales-supported” model is the 2026 strategy. -
Why Nishtech Is the Right Partner for This 2026 Shift
Nishtech has spent more than 14 years helping manufacturers and distributors modernize their digital commerce stack. The trends highlighted by analysts align directly with what we see every day:- The buyer wants speed → we build frictionless experiences
- The buyer wants autonomy → we engineer advanced self-service
- The buyer wants confidence → we integrate ERP, PIM, CPQ deeply
- The buyer wants modern architectures → we deliver modern eCommerce solution using platforms like Optimizely Configured Commerce, Shopify Plus B2B, Znode10, and composable stacks
- The buyer wants faster time-to-value → we bring accelerators and repeatable frameworks
We combine the agility of a boutique consultancy with the technical depth of an enterprise SI—the exact partnership model manufacturers and distributors need to compete in 2026.
Where analysts describe the new buyer expectations, Nishtech delivers the systems that meet them.
Sources Informing This 2026 Outlook
This report synthesizes publicly available insights from:
- McKinsey & Company — B2B Pulse research on digital and omnichannel behavior
- Forrester Research — 2026 outlook on B2B commerce, technology, and purchasing patterns
- Gartner — Analysis of B2B buyer journeys, digital-first sales dynamics, and friction reduction
- DigitalCommerce360 — B2B distributor and manufacturing ecommerce adoption and buyer preferences
These organizations provide ongoing analysis that informs the shifts and behaviors highlighted here.
