Written by Sean McPheat | 
Buyer’s remorse is one of those things every salesperson comes up against. The deal is done, and the contract is signed, but a few days later, the customer starts to waver.
Doubt creeps in.
Was it the right decision? Did they move too fast?
In sales, managing what happens after the sale is just as important as closing it. As a sales training provider, we see how the right skills, including discovery, expectation setting, and follow-up, can reduce regret and keep customers confident in their choices.
So, let’s look at what causes buyer’s remorse and how you can prevent it from costing you sales.
Buyer’s remorse is a feeling of guilt, regret, or worry about a just-made purchase.
It’s the thought of, “Why did I just do that?”
Buyer’s remorse happens for various reasons. Sometimes, it’s about the investment. At other times, the customer realises that their expectations were not in line with what the product or service was going to offer them.
No matter the reason, buyer’s remorse is a serious problem. Sure, the buyer could back out of a deal. The other problem? It creates a negative perception of the brand, even if you’ve done nothing to warrant it. That makes it challenging to maintain your brand reputation, especially when such experiences occur frequently.
Every decision a person makes could have good or bad consequences. However, we make decisions throughout any given day. Not all of them will be good ones. But when you consider the buyer’s remorse, there’s more to consider.
Think about these concepts as they relate to the psychology behind buyer’s remorse:
It’s what so many people strive for today, for the short-term benefit that comes from the release of dopamine.
That excitement of making the purchase wears off quickly, exposing concerns about the necessity or value of the purchase. Impulse purchases happen because people are trying to keep up with social media. They may happen because something is just “too good” at that moment.
In this case, post-purchase remorse develops when someone starts to experience negative emotions associated with that purchase. Once that excitement wears off, concerns move in.
Another critical concept focuses on the fear of regret or the feeling that potential negative consequences are preferable to missing out. A person makes the buying decision because they don’t want to miss out on the chance. Then, they regret it later.
Emotions drive many decisions we make throughout the day. It’s not logic but the way we feel at that moment. This is where emotional intelligence plays a key role in understanding and responding to what really influences buying behaviour. Customer emotions may include a wide array of feelings, such as:
Buyer’s remorse, which is more formally considered a form of cognitive dissonance, is that uncomfortable, conflicting feeling that happens after making such a purchase. In some way, perceptions change, and that feel-good moment is gone.
To beat it, you need to understand it.So, what is buyer’s remorse brought on by?
The more you understand why it happens, the better able you are to create a plan that helps you avoid it. One area often overlooked is post sales follow up, or more specifically, the lack of it. Staying in touch after the sale can ease doubt, build trust, and reduce regret.
Let’s focus on several of the most common causes of buyer’s remorse in sales.
There’s a lot on the line.
Anytime anyone makes a big decision, there’s going to be some wavering.
Is this really the right decision for me? What if I did something else?
In situations where significant commitments are involved, you can expect some pushback. This may occur in situations such as:
Big commitments and high stakes are common causes for people to waver but not necessarily reasons for them to give up.
If someone is purchasing a high-end luxury car, it’s common to feel excited and all for it on the lot. Driving it home, there are suddenly a dozen factors running through their mind, such as insurance companies, theft risks, and where they are really going to drive it.
Another, and very important, preventable cause of buyer’s remorse focuses on a misalignment. Specifically, what expectations are versus what reality is are very different. That’s not realised until after the investment happens.
When customers misjudge what a product or service will do for them or what it does in any given situation, it leads to remorse later. That’s often because the salesperson hasn’t uncovered the full picture and hasn’t used the right sales questioning techniques can help reduce this risk upfront.
Additionally, if they encounter complications in using the product, delays in receiving it, or frustrations in applying it to their needs, that will also cause remorse. Learning that there are additional costs could also trigger the same feeling.
Another significant factor is the way a product or service is provided.
When pressure tactics are applied, or a buyer is rushed into a decision, they cannot clearly work through the process of making that decision. After they agree and they have more time to think about it, that’s when questions arise.
Buyers who find themselves frustrated with the pressure they are under may react simply to make the tactic stop rather than because they want or see the value in a product. That creates an instant “bad taste” in their mouth as a result. Ensure your sales pitch isn’t outdated.
You’ve made the sale. You’re earning a commission. Why should you care if your buyer is happy about the purchase or not?
Buyer’s remorse in sales is far more than closing that one deal. Consider the implications that come from just one bad experience:
The most important and impactful consequence is the loss of trust. A customer isn’t a one-time transaction. Many companies spend significant amounts of money just to drive that one customer to their sales floor. That means building a relationship over time, closing the sale, and encouraging them to return.
Buyer’s remorse leads to lost opportunities. That could result in the loss of future sales from that customer. It also means loss of benefits like word-of-mouth marketing. Those are additional sales metrics that are too important to overlook.
A secondary and more immediate impact is the desire to refund. A customer who has misaligned expectations or doesn’t understand what they are purchasing is likely to cancel. That leads to refunds and wasted time.
Learning how to deal with buyer’s remorse means learning how to avoid it happening in the first place. Being proactive is the best policy here. It is far more difficult to fix the problem later.
Consider these strategies that can make a significant difference in avoiding buyer’s remorse in your sales:
Ensure there is clarity on what the product is and what it does early on. If you are providing a service, state exactly what the buyer can expect. There is no benefit in being misleading, even if it’s just to get the conversation started.
By setting clear expectations early on, you eliminate the risk of not obtaining the valuable insights needed to close the deal.
For example, if your prospect has a specific problem that your product cannot solve, you waste less time by being upfront about it and moving on.
Once a customer makes a purchase, don’t walk away from the transaction. Follow up, gather details about how well it is working for them, and ask questions about what could be better. By utilising highly interactive opportunities like this, you can foster stronger relationships.
Even if there is a problem with the purchase, your buyer has an avenue for getting help. Positive interactions addressing a problem can lead to improved relationships over time. This could mean offering a user’s guide. It may mean sending a follow-up email. It could mean looping in the tech team if there are questions on functionality.
Keep the lines of communication open with your buyer. To prevent buyer’s remorse, be sure they know you’re there for them on an ongoing basis – or be clear about what you can and cannot do.
For many situations, this means responding to emails and calls. It may mean interacting with your customer in a post-sales setup session or consultation. In this way, you are providing them with critical support now, alerting them to the fact that you’re not leaving them to manage on their own. That can reduce some of those feelings of regret when there’s a big commitment to change involved.
Ensure that you reinforce their decision. When a customer makes a decision, encourage them. Provide feedback on why you believe this is the right decision for them. Share insights into what they can expect and what happens next. Continue to demonstrate the value of the customer’s decision on their life, needs, or goals.
One of the most effective strategies for protecting your brand from buyer’s remorse is to apply effective sales training from the start.
When your sales team knows how to sell in a way that prevents customer regret, they can provide a better level of service while also ensuring your brand’s long-term viability.
With an effective sales training plan in place, you’re not just teaching how to close deals. You’re creating authentic opportunities for your buyers to become loyal, brand-building customers.
Consider these factors:
Teach your team how to properly and comprehensively qualify their sales prospects. Not only does this minimise instances of buyer’s regret, but it also leads to improved overall time spent. Ensure your team has the necessary tools and knowledge to manage the discovery process, allowing them to use their time better to provide authentic value to every customer they speak to and invest time in.
As simple as it sounds, providing your team with better conversation skills can make a big improvement in reducing buyer’s remorse risk. Educate your sales team on essential strategies for effective conversation building, including establishing rapport and gathering key details. It also means being honest, open, and friendly. The art of conversation is quite different in today’s sales environment.
The days are gone when high-pressure closing techniques, such as the “if you don’t buy, you’re missing out” strategy, is effective. Remember, this is not a one-time sales close. It’s about building relationships that carry your company onward. For that reason, your team must have specific skills to teach them how to close without pressure and, therefore, reduce buyer’s remorse in the process.
Even if all went right during the sales conversation and closed, there’s still work to be done after the sale to prevent buyer’s remorse.
Teach your team to incorporate these steps into their workflows:
Create an automated (preferably) method that enables your customers to get hands-on support when they need it. A simple follow-up contact call or email allows your sales team to stay in touch. It provides them with a way to check in within a few days or weeks to assess how well the customer’s experience is progressing. Most importantly, it helps nip that remorse for purchasing immediately.
Once you purchase a product, you want to know that you made the right decision. Teach your sales team to reinforce the value after a purchase. To accomplish this, buyers require some assistance. For example, provide them with documents, graphics, and tools that enable them to see how well they did in making this decision.
Reducing buyer’s remorse sometimes means finding a solution. To minimise the negative impact that such a refund or cancellation can have, offer a fast solution to problems.
For example, if your customer experiences a failure in the product’s functionality, replace it without question.
Look beyond the initial sales close. Landing that sale is an excellent outcome, but only if the customer is satisfied enough to return and recommend it to their friends.
Ultimately, by reducing buyer’s remorse, you’re strengthening long-term sales for your company as a result. With effective selling skills training, you’ll have more ability to make sure this is happening consistently.
Remember, too, that customers need confidence after the purchase. Reassure them that the decision they are making is the right one. With account management training, you can have your team connect with the buyer for follow-up, reassuring them that they made the best decision.
With in-house training, it’s possible to teach your team skills that close sales and build relationships. That also means reducing the risk of buyer’s remorse eating away at your brand and hard work.
Happy Selling!
Sean
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
Updated on: 17 July, 2025
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