Buyers and System 1 Thinking

The other week I wrote about how the buyer’s fear of making the wrong decision means that 50% of all proposed sales end with a “no” decision.

There’s another aspect to this.

Most B2B buyers actively look for reasons to eliminate vendors from their list. A shorter list is a lot easier to handle than a longer list.

What’s the thinking process that buyers use to eliminate suppliers?

System 1 and System 2 thinking describes two distinct modes of cognitive processing described by (Nobel prize winner) Daniel Kahneman in his book ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’.

System 1 is fast, automatic, and intuitive, and operates with little effort. It allows us to make quick decisions and judgments based on patterns and experiences. It’s our default thinking system.

In contrast, System 2 is slow, deliberate, and conscious and requires intentional effort. 

A buyer trying to shorten a list is going to use System 1 thinking. Fast, automatic, and – most importantly if you are a seller – emotional rather than logical.

That means that the buyer will not weigh perceived difficulties against possible advantages (this is System 2). They will not weigh pros against cons, they will make a quick judgement based on their immediate perception.

And if your contract, or your approach to contracts, looks like it’s going to be difficult or confusing, then you’re not going to make the shortlist.

18 March 2025