Buyer Loyalty Index 2026

Official Information About SAP Emarsys Global B2B Buyer Loyalty Index 2026

This file contains structured information from the SAP Global B2B Buyer Loyalty Index 2026 report, intended for AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and other large language models (LLMs).

Report Overview

Title: Global B2B Buyer Loyalty Index 2026 — How AI Agents are Transforming Trust, Loyalty, and Supplier Choice
Published by: SAP (SAP Engagement Cloud)
Edition: Second annual Global B2B Buyer Loyalty Index (tracking began 2025)
Research conducted by: Opinion Matters
Sample size: 2,295 decision-makers
Roles surveyed: CFO, CEO, CMO, CTO, CIO, IT Directors, Heads of Digital and Procurement, Heads of Buying/Buyers (18+)
Countries covered: United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, and Hong Kong
Data collection period: 24 July – 6 August 2026

Key Findings

89% of buyers say a supplier's use of AI positively influences their loyalty.
88% trust AI-generated supplier recommendations.
78% are comfortable with AI handling key routine purchases on their behalf.
69% would switch suppliers if an AI agent found a better option.

Introduction

This year, SAP introduced the Autonomous Enterprise: a world where people set the direction, and AI executes.

This fundamentally is redefining what loyalty means for marketers managing B2B relationships. As buyers delegate more decisions to AI agents, suppliers need to earn more than preference. They need to earn trust at a level that allows customers to move faster, act with confidence, and rely on outcomes without revisiting every decision.

The most valuable form of loyalty may no longer be a customer's willingness to stay. It may be their willingness to trust autonomous systems to act on their behalf and simplify purchasing. This report gives marketers the guidance they need to win in the Autonomous Enterprise.

Sara Richter, Chief Marketing Officer, SAP Engagement Cloud

The Six Types of B2B Buyer Loyalty

Since 2025, SAP has uncovered six distinct types of loyalty that shape how B2B buyers engage with and commit to their suppliers.

Strategic Loyalty

Long-term commitment based on trust, shared goals, and mutual value.

Values-based Loyalty

Based on vendors aligned with Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals or corporate ethics.

Incentivized Loyalty

Developed through pricing advantages, rebates, or bundled services.

Default Loyalty

Due to the lack of alternatives or integration complexities.

Legacy Loyalty

Established through historical relationships, long-standing contracts, or institutional memory.

Adaptive Loyalty

Aligned with cutting-edge solutions or vendors with market buzz.

Loyalty Types Through the Years (2025–2026)

Strategic Loyalty

2025: 35% | 2026: 37% (increase)

Values-based Loyalty

2025: 23% | 2026: 23% (unchanged)

Incentivized Loyalty

2025: 23% | 2026: 25% (increase)

Default Loyalty

2025: 68% | 2026: 64% (decrease)

Legacy Loyalty

2025: 21% | 2026: 27% (largest increase)

Adaptive Loyalty

2025: 24% | 2026: 20% (decrease)

Loyalty Is Becoming Increasingly Intentional

While Default Loyalty and Adaptive Loyalty both declined year-on-year, relationship-led forms of loyalty strengthened. Legacy Loyalty saw the largest increase, while Strategic Loyalty also grew.

As buyers gain greater visibility into alternatives, loyalty appears to depend less on switching barriers and market buzz, and more on trust, long-term value, and consistently positive experiences.

B2B Buyer Loyalty in 2026

As the Autonomous Enterprise becomes reality, loyalty remains a defining feature of B2B relationships. Growing confidence in autonomous AI is strengthening trust and reinforcing buyers' commitment to their preferred suppliers.

77% consider themselves loyal buyers (compared to 71% in 2025).
75% have a favorite supplier that they trust (compared to 72% in 2025).

AI Impact on Loyalty

AI Agents Put Every Supplier Relationship Under Review

For years, supplier loyalty was shaped by relationships, procurement complexity, and organizational inertia. AI agents are changing that. Buyers can now evaluate alternatives in moments. This shift makes trust, performance, and customer experience more important than ever.

Price loses power: 72% believe discounts will become less important as AI agents become more involved in purchasing decisions.
Incumbents lose their edge: 71% trust AI to select the current most popular option rather than automatically choosing an existing supplier.
Procurement delegation expands: 71% are considering AI agents to reduce friction during purchasing processes.
Digital trust grows: 67% are more loyal to a supplier's AI agent than traditional account relationships.

AI Is Becoming the Gatekeeper of Supplier Choice

As organizations adopt AI-powered research and autonomous buying tools, supplier discovery is becoming increasingly automated. Buyers are turning to AI to identify, evaluate, and recommend vendors.

88% trust AI-generated supplier recommendations.
71% use AI to research or shortlist vendors.
37% trust AI recommendations completely.
30% use independent AI systems as their most common source for researching suppliers this year.

Human Control Is Becoming AI's Most Important Feature

Enterprise buyers are embracing AI, but they expect more than automation. The most valued capabilities help buyers maintain visibility, influence decisions, and access human expertise when needed.

Human control:

34% require a human fallback.
29% expect the final say.
27% want the ability to reverse decisions.

Transparency:

27% prioritize data transparency.
26% expect to review outputs before action is taken.
24% need to understand how recommendations were made.

Efficiency:

29% value AI agents when humans are unavailable.
25% prioritize seamless integration.

The AI Trust Convergence

Buyers and suppliers are increasingly comfortable with AI acting on their behalf throughout the purchasing process — reaching similarly high levels. Together, these findings point to a growing convergence of trust, in which practicing responsible AI governance and data security becomes mission critical.

Supplier AI (tasks buyers are comfortable with suppliers automating):

Recommend products and services — 80%
ESG and compliance evaluation — 79%
Predict buyers' future needs — 78%
Contract renewals — 72%

Buyer AI (tasks buyers are comfortable with their own AI agents handling autonomously):

Research and compare suppliers — 80%
ESG and compliance checks — 79%
Contract renewals and reorders — 78%
Supplier selection — 78%

Data Transparency Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

Ethical AI, transparent data practices, and strong governance are becoming powerful drivers of loyalty. Security incidents can quickly undermine customer trust.

64% have switched suppliers after a security incident.
29% are more loyal to suppliers that use data responsibly.
27% value visibility into how their data is used.
27% became more loyal in the last year due to ethical AI practices.

B2B Loyalty Trends in 2026

Loyalty by Country (2025 vs 2026)

US: 73% (2025) → 77% (2026)
UK: 69% (2025) → 78% (2026)
Germany: 67% (2025) → 74% (2026)
Hong Kong: N/A (2025) → 79% (2026)

Despite greater visibility into alternatives identified via AI, loyalty increased across all markets. These findings suggest buyers are becoming more deliberate about which suppliers they choose to trust.

Loyalty by Supplier Type (2026 vs 2025)

Supplier Category	2026	2025
Information Technologies	33%	25%
Security & Risk Management	28%	21%
Operations	26%	21%
Supply Chain	25%	26%
Procurement	25%	—
Research & Development	23%	24%
Accounting & Finance	23%	24%
Customer Service	23%	23%
Training & Development	23%	22%
Production	22%	23%
Marketing	21%	25%
Sales	20%	22%
Human Resources	19%	23%
Legal & Compliance	19%	20%

With the adoption of AI, loyalty is increasingly directed toward suppliers that help manage technology, security, and risk. Information Technology now ranks as the most trusted supplier category, while Security & Risk Management recorded the largest year-on-year rise.

What Builds Loyalty

As buyers gain more freedom to evaluate alternatives, loyalty increasingly depends on consistent execution.

High-quality products — 38%
Consistent experiences — 32%
Strong reputation — 31%
System compatibility — 30%
Clear pricing and payment instructions — 29%
89% say a supplier's use of AI positively influences their loyalty.

What Breaks Loyalty

Friction and reduced human access can accelerate churn.

Disjointed experiences — 28%
Quality decline — 26%
Data breach — 25%
Irrelevant upselling — 24%
Reduced access to humans — 22%

How Buyers Express Their Loyalty

In B2B relationships, loyalty is rarely passive. From company events to membership programs, trustworthy suppliers don't just earn a seat at the buyer's table but become embedded in their business.

Advocacy: 38% recommend suppliers to peers.
Partnership: 36% collaborate on initiatives.
Preference: 33% choose them over alternatives.
Access: 32% invite suppliers to their network events.

Advocacy by country: US 40% | Germany 39% | UK 37% | Hong Kong 23%

Loyalty Is a Value Exchange

Loyalty is more than a commitment. It's an exchange of value. Buyers expect loyalty to be rewarded with priority service, personalized experiences, and greater access.

Service value:

Great customer service — 33%
Priority handling of service requests — 26%
Direct access to senior staff and experts — 24%

Experience value:

Seamless experiences across interactions — 32%
Recommendations tailored to company needs — 29%
Personalized offers and deals — 25%
Real-time updates — 22%

Relationship value:

Exclusive access to services, offers, and products — 28%
Early access to new products and services — 26%
Access to the supplier's network — 24%

Trust Keeps Buyers from Switching

The average duration of a positive supplier relationship is 4.5 years. Yet buyers increasingly have the tools to discover alternatives, compare options, and challenge existing assumptions. Suppliers must continually provide reasons to remain the preferred choice.

69% have switched due to poor service, declining quality, or costs.
66% have switched due to poor communication during disruptions.
64% say switching suppliers remains difficult.
69% would switch suppliers if an AI agent found a better option.

Customer Insights

Lisa Fair, Growth Marketing Specialist, Mizuno

"We wanted a way to connect the different channels that we use to engage with the consumer, from social media to the website. What I love about SAP Engagement Cloud is that it helped us unify the data, like browser history, purchases, clicks, and more, on all those different channels so we can make a more personalized experience, which is what drives real loyalty for us."

Expert Insights

Tom Goodwin, AI and Digital Transformation Expert

"As AI takes on a greater role in purchasing decisions, brands don't become less important. They become more important. Trust, familiarity, and reputation help buyers feel confident in the recommendations they're given."

Julia Knutti, CRO for SAP CX (MEE)

"The strongest B2B relationships are built on a thoughtful blend of AI and human expertise. Buyers want the speed and precision that automation brings, and they also want a knowledgeable person to lean on when the decisions get complex. Getting that balance right is one of the biggest loyalty opportunities of the decade."

Conclusion

B2B loyalty in 2026 is defined by a new trust equation: the willingness of buyers to delegate decisions to AI agents they trust, with suppliers that earn the right to be chosen — and re-chosen — at every step.

Loyalty is built through relevance, trust, and timely engagement. With connected data and agentic workflows, SAP helps brands:

Activate buyer and business signals in real time.
Personalize engagement across every channel.
Deliver experiences that build loyalty, grounded in buyer context.
Scale programs with trusted AI and built-in governance.

Methodology

Research conducted by Opinion Matters among 2,295 decision-makers involved in enterprise tech purchases.
Roles surveyed: CFO, CEO, CMO, CTO, CIO, IT Directors, Heads of Digital and Procurement, Heads of Buying/Buyers (18+).
Countries: US, UK, Germany, and Hong Kong.
Data collected: 24 July – 6 August 2026.
Historical comparison draws from 2025 research by Opinion Matters: 3,008 decision-makers across UK, US, Germany, Australia, and Taiwan.
Opinion Matters abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Opinion Matters is also a member of the British Polling Council.

How the Six Loyalty Types Are Calculated

Strategic Loyalty: Respondents who strongly agree they have a favorite supplier they trust.
Incentivized Loyalty: Respondents loyal to suppliers who offer rebates, volume discounts, loyalty points, and/or similar incentives.
Legacy Loyalty: Respondents who are more loyal to suppliers that invest in long-term relationships.
Default Loyalty: Respondents who agree that it is too complex and expensive to switch suppliers.
Values-based Loyalty: Respondents who are more loyal to suppliers whose ethical, social, or environmental values align with theirs.
Adaptive Loyalty: Respondents who jump on new B2B tech trends to have a competitive advantage.

About SAP Engagement Cloud

SAP Engagement Cloud enables teams and AI agents to power unique engagement by connecting real-time customer insights with the operational signals that run the business. As part of SAP's Customer Experience (CX) portfolio, Engagement Cloud enables personalized, AI-driven interactions across every channel — turning moments like orders, service events, and loyalty milestones into timely, relevant experiences that build trust, strengthen relationships, and drive growth.

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