A new report from Forrester highlights major shifts in the Asia Pacific (APAC) business buying environment, driven by younger buyers and the adoption of generative AI.
According to Forrester’s Buyers’ Journey Survey 2024, 71% of APAC business buyers are under the age of 45, and 68% are using generative AI to evaluate vendors.
The findings are detailed in The State Of Business Buying In Asia Pacific, 2024, which draws on survey data from business buyers across the region. The report emphasizes that traditional, seller-led tactics are losing effectiveness among younger buyers, who place greater importance on diversity, inclusion, and subject matter expertise.
With APAC’s large, culturally diverse buying groups—often including more than 30 people—Forrester advises marketers to abandon uniform strategies in favor of localized, data-driven approaches.
The survey compares APAC buyer behavior with that in Europe and North America, and explores the impact of demographic, cultural, and technological factors on B2B purchasing trends across the region.
“The APAC business buying environment is undergoing a generational transformation,” said Mavis Liew, executive partner and principal analyst at Forrester.
“With younger, digitally-native fluent buyers in the majority, marketing strategies built for yesterday’s buyers no longer apply. Today’s business buyers value expertise, expect personalisation, and demand authenticity – it is no longer just about product dominance.
Key findings:
Generative AI is mainstreaming B2B research: 68% of APAC buyers use generative AI tools to research or compare vendors, signaling a growing preference for self-service discovery over direct vendor engagement. Marketers must provide rich, accessible digital content that guides independent evaluation.
Younger buyers prioritize values and expertise: 94% of younger buyers express dissatisfaction with their selected provider, citing issues ranging from implementation failures to lack of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitment. They’re more likely to connect with a provider due to industry expertise than brand legacy.
Buying groups are larger and more inclusive: Risk-averse, 18% of APAC buyers report that purchase decisions involve 30 or more people internally — the highest globally. These decisions also include an average of 10 external stakeholders, making targeted messaging across diverse personas critical to winning deals.
“To stay competitive, B2B marketers must embrace localised, insight-driven approaches that speak relevance and align to the values, expectations, and complexity of this younger generation. It’s time to stop selling and start connecting.”
With APAC’s complex, cultural landscape and large, collaborative buying groups, marketing leaders must abandon one-size-fits-all strategies in favor of highly localized, data-driven approaches.
Forrester’s Buyers’ Journey Survey 2024 includes responses from business buyers across Asia Pacific. It investigates buying dynamics across key subregions, comparing APAC buyer behaviour to those in Europe and North America, and sheds light on how demographic, cultural, and technological shifts are transforming B2B purchasing across the region.
