Dealing with Buyer's Remorse: How to Prevent and Overcome It

“This is not what I wanted!” Our new customer kept saying this during our onboarding meetings. As a CS lead, I had seen customers hesitate before, but this time, it felt like a complete disappointment. 

Based on our internal kickoff, this customer was a perfect fit for our product, meeting nearly every criterion of our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). We aligned on success metrics and goals from the start, yet the frustration kept growing. This was when we first encountered buyer’s remorse in full force.

Sadly, this happens way more often than you’d expect. In 2023, Gartner found that “60% of technology buyers responsible for renewal feel remorse about almost every purchase they make.” 

So, let’s dig into the reasons behind buyer’s remorse and how to address it effectively.

Why does tech buyer’s remorse happen and how to prevent it?

A buyer’s remorse is a feeling of regret that arises after making a purchase. It often occurs when the buyer realizes the product doesn’t meet their expectations or requirements. It can also occur when unexpected limitations, flaws, or missing features become apparent after the purchase. 

For those of us in customer-facing roles, it is crucial to recognize the early signs of buyer's remorse so we can act quickly and effectively. But to do that, we need to understand why it happens in the first place.

Here are common reasons for the buyer’s remorse in SaaS and how to address them:

1. The end-user use case wasn’t thoroughly investigated by the vendor

Some customers rush into purchasing a tool without a deep understanding of how it will be used within their organization. This often happens when decision-makers focus solely on features rather than practical applications, leading to a mismatch between the product and the day-to-day workflows of the people who will be using it. Our role as a CS team is to help them create a clear use case. 

💊 How to prevent it:

• Ensure all departments that will use the tool are involved early in the selection process.
• Work with the customer to map out how the product fits their workflows.
• Encourage pilot programs or proof-of-concept (POC) trials to allow customers to see how the product fits within their existing workflows before making a final commitment.

2. Key stakeholders were not included in the selection process

A common pitfall in software buying is when IT teams make a purchase decision without consulting end users or, conversely, when business teams adopt a tool without involving IT. When key stakeholders are left out of the discussion, critical concerns may only emerge after the purchase, resulting in friction and potential rejection of the solution.

💊 How to prevent it:

• Facilitate early discussions between IT teams, end users, and leadership to ensure alignment on objectives, usability, and security concerns.
• Host dedicated sessions with IT teams to confirm integration capabilities, security compliance, and technical feasibility before finalizing the purchase.
• Document and share a stakeholder involvement checklist to guarantee that all necessary voices are considered in the decision-making process.

3. Additional costs were not communicated clearly

One of the quickest ways to create buyer’s remorse is failing to disclose the full cost of ownership upfront. Customers may budget based on the base subscription price but later discover additional costs related to implementation, customization, training, or ongoing support.

💊 How to prevent it:

• Make sure that your potential customer is aware of all additional costs, including implementation, training, setup, or ongoing maintenance.
• Proactively introduce all pricing options (especially optional add-ons and premium features) rather than waiting for the customer to ask. 

Provide a clear and detailed breakdown of pricing options in various formats (interactive calculator, proposal documents, etc.) for easy reference. Digital sales rooms by Flowla help you house this information making it easily accessible and sharable within the buying committee.

4. Poor communication during the sales process

Many business tools require additional setup, integrations, or configurations before they can be fully operational. If customers are not properly educated about these requirements during the sales process, they may feel misled or unprepared when implementation begins.

💊 How to prevent it:

• Ensure that the sales team provides a clear onboarding roadmap, outlining necessary configurations, expected timeframes, and key milestones. Having a mutual action plan within your deal room will make your buyer’s journey more transparent.
• Offer setup guides, training options, or professional services where needed. Develop an FAQ or knowledge base to address common setup questions.
• For high-priority customers, assign a dedicated onboarding specialist or account manager to guide customers through the initial implementation phase and address any challenges.

5. The customer didn’t fully research the market before the purchase

Some buyers make purchasing decisions without fully exploring alternative solutions. This can lead to regret when they later realize that other products might have offered better functionality, pricing, or support.

💊 How to prevent it:

• During the demo, highlight all the key features that will cover customer use cases to set up accurate expectations.
• Provide competitive comparisons (when requested) to help buyers make an informed decision and understand how your solution stands out.
• Offer consultation calls to discuss their specific needs in detail and ensure they’re selecting the right tool for their business.

Spotting early signs of buyer’s remorse

Sadly, preventing buyer’s remorse during the sale process isn’t always possible. As a result, CS teams should be prepared to deal with buyer’s remorse at the onboarding stage and beyond. But to do that, you need to be able to recognize it as quickly as possible.

Here are some early signs that customer may be experiencing buyer’s remorse:

• Incomplete onboarding: The customer didn’t complete key onboarding steps or logged into the system only 1-2 times.
• Concerns about mismatched expectations: The customer asks questions or expresses thoughts that show signs of concern:
  
  • This doesn’t look like something we saw in the demo.
  • Why are there extra fees?
  • The agreement says that you provide these features OOTB, but now you’re saying there is a setup needed...
• Frustration with the features or complexity of the tool setup and configuration. 
• Comparisons with competitors: If the customer frequently mentions competitors, they may be reconsidering their decision. It might start happening 4-6 months before renewal. 
• Reluctance to fully commit: The customer wants to expand the free trial or doesn't want to roll out the tool. During the renewal, they do not want to commit to a full subscription period and ask to reduce it.
• Reduced engagement: Customers shift from multithreaded engagement to single-threaded interactions. They cancel/reject scheduled meetings to reduce the number of interactions, which is a clear sign of avoidance. 

How to overcome buyer’s remorse post-purchase

Whether it's uncertainty about the product’s fit, concerns about implementation, or anxiety over stakeholder buy-in, addressing customer doubts proactively during onboarding is key to ensuring long-term success. 

Here’s how you can minimize buyer’s remorse and reinforce your product’s value:

1. Guide customers toward achieving value quickly and celebrate any small win

The best way to counter second thoughts is to help customers see real value as soon as possible. Instead of overwhelming them with complex processes, break their onboarding into clear, achievable milestones. Did they complete their first setup successfully? Acknowledge it. Did they hit their first success metric? Celebrate it. Quick wins not only build confidence but also create positive reinforcement that they made the right choice.

2. Personalize as many customer interactions as possible

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. Personalize onboarding experiences based on customer needs, industry, and goals. This can include:

• Tailoring welcome calls to address specific pain points.
• Providing customized onboarding check-ins based on the customer’s pace.
• Assigning a dedicated customer success manager to build a stronger relationship.

Making customers feel valued and understood helps ease their doubts and strengthens their commitment to the product.

3. Address concerns and expectations as early as possible

Buyer’s remorse often stems from misaligned expectations. Instead of waiting for customers to express frustration, proactively surface potential challenges and provide solutions upfront. If they voice concerns about usability, integration, or ROI, acknowledge their worries and offer clear, actionable resolutions. The earlier these concerns are addressed, the smoother the transition.

4. Re-engage disengaged stakeholders

Sometimes, key stakeholders or end-users become disengaged, which can fuel doubts about adoption. Address this by:

• Offering additional live training sessions tailored to their roles.
• Sharing best practices cheat sheets or industry-specific configurations to simplify setup.
• Identifying internal champions who can drive adoption within their teams.

By making adoption easier and ensuring all users feel equipped to succeed, you reduce hesitation and reinforce long-term value.

5. Allow flexible contract adjustments if they show hesitation

If a customer shows hesitation, explore flexible contract adjustments to address their concerns. This might include:

• Extending trial periods for additional validation.
• Offering phased rollouts instead of full-scale deployment.
• Providing flexible payment terms to ease financial anxiety.

Showing a willingness to adapt builds trust and reassures customers that they’re not locked into a rigid commitment.

6. Maintain proactive communication at every stage of interaction

Silence can breed doubt. Keep communication lines open through:

• Regular check-ins that focus on progress, not just problems.
• Automated but personalized touchpoints that reinforce key product benefits.
• Transparent updates about new features, integrations, or improvements.

When customers feel supported and informed, they’re less likely to second-guess their decision.

Final word

Whenever you notice a customer struggling, look for ways to turn the situation around. Not every case will result in retention, but even if a customer churns despite your efforts, their feedback is invaluable. Use it to refine your onboarding and sales processes, ensuring future customers have a smoother experience.

In the case I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we didn’t just save the customer—we also developed a renewal playbook that continues to drive success today.

The business environment evolves rapidly. The key contact you work with today may not be there tomorrow, and customer needs can shift just as quickly. That’s why staying vigilant and agile is essential. By recognizing the early signs of buyer’s remorse and responding with a structured, customer-focused approach, you can turn initial misalignment into long-term success.

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About the author:

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Anastasia Mieshkova, Certified Customer Success Leader

I've spent years making sure customers get what they actually need and that their post-sales experience meets the expectations they signed up for. Focused on delivering value and driving greater outcomes, I have grown into a leadership role in Customer Success, which continues to be my passion to this day. I love learning, reading, Korean food and eating with chopsticks ☺️

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