US-based TreviPay has released a report examining how B2B buyer expectations have shifted since its previous equivalent study in 2023. The report, titled The Evolution of the B2B Buyer, is based on a survey of 300 B2B buyers across the US and the UK, conducted in December 2025 by Murphy Research on behalf of TreviPay. Its findings indicate that while overall supplier loyalty remains high, the factors determining that loyalty have shifted materially towards operational and payment execution.
The study found that 88% of respondents report high loyalty to their suppliers, a figure consistent with TreviPay's 2023 research. However, the report identifies a meaningful change in what drives that loyalty, with buyers placing greater weight on the consistency and efficiency of purchasing, payment, and invoicing experiences.
Payment terms and AI adoption reshaping supplier selection
Several data points in the report reflect a measurable shift in buyer behaviour and expectations over the three years. The likelihood of a buyer choosing a supplier that offers invoice terms increased from 51% in 2023 to 68% in 2025, indicating growing demand for payment options that support cash flow management. Preference for paying with terms rose from 59% to 72% over the same period, while variety across payment methods became the top factor likely to increase purchasing volumes, climbing from 28% to 49%.
The report also captures the degree to which AI has entered B2B purchasing workflows. 73% of respondents now use AI in purchasing processes, suggesting automation has moved beyond experimentation into routine decision-making. The report notes that buyers using AI to compare suppliers and manage approvals increasingly expect suppliers' own systems to operate at a comparable level of connectivity and automation.
Consistent purchasing experience ranked as the most important factor in supplier selection, with 83% of respondents rating it as extremely or very important. Tolerance for onboarding delays declined from an average of 6.7 days in 2023 to 5.1 days, indicating a narrowing margin for manual or slow onboarding processes.
Pre-purchase research and revenue implications
The findings also highlight how extensively buyers evaluate payment and invoicing infrastructure before committing to a supplier. 94% of respondents research supplier payment options before purchasing, and 78% research invoice options. Among respondents identifying as B2B businesses specifically, those figures rise to 96% and 93% respectively.
The report frames these dynamics as having direct implications for revenue retention and share of wallet. As payment and invoicing experience moves earlier into the supplier evaluation process, suppliers that cannot meet baseline expectations around terms, onboarding speed, and channel consistency face a structural disadvantage before a commercial relationship is even established.
