The technology purchase process is complex and customers are looking to their vendor partners for help. Depending on the technology being purchased, IT decision-makers rely on specific information sources and individuals to help them navigate the buyer’s journey.
Foundry’s 2025 Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Research provides insight into the progression of technology in business, as well as an in-depth analysis of who is involved in the IT purchase process and the information sources they rely on during each stage of the process. This global research of more than 721 technology decision-makers is a valuable resource for tech vendors to understand the decisions made around their products and services to gain an advantage in this competitive landscape. To assist technology marketers as they plan out their strategies for the upcoming year, we have outlined a handful of key findings below.
Key takeaways:
- Technology is still seen as “recession proof” as budgets are expected to increase (52%) or remain stable (36%) over the next 12 months.
- The buying cycle is getting longer for advanced technologies – only 26% of ITDMs spend less than a year researching edge computing or internet of things products.
- The average number of individuals who have influence over the tech purchase process increases to 26 people this year, up from 25 people in 2023. This varies by the technology being purchased. On average, there are 32 individuals involved in edge computing purchases, but only 18 in desktop/laptop purchases.
- Brand awareness matters – 79% of ITDMs are more likely to consume content from known and trusted brands, which increases to 82% for Boomers and decreases to 75% for Gen Z.
- During the purchase process, tech buyers rely on research, technology content sites, vendors, analyst firms and peers. The sources relied upon also vary depending on which stage of the purchase process ITDMs are in.
The findings in this report solidify the need that tech buyers have for consistent, valuable, and trustworthy vendor relationships. These individuals are tasked with researching, evaluating, and implementing new technologies while maintaining status-quo tasks. To do so, they seek reliable information sources and insight during each stage of the process to make sound purchase decisions.
View the sample slides below for additional insight and download the full report to better understand and engage with tech buyers.
