Gurgaon, 3rd March 2025 – A new study by Capterra reveals that 72% of Indian businesses have experienced regret over a software investment in the last 18 months, significantly higher than the global average. The 2025 Tech Trends Survey, which polled 3,500 software buyers globally (including 350 Indian respondents) across 12 countries highlights the challenges companies face in selecting the right technology and offers key insights into successful purchasing strategies.

High regret rate among Indian businesses

The study found that security and IT-related software tops the list of regretful purchases (54%), followed by marketing/communication tools (37%), finance/accounting tools (34%), human resources tools (32%), and sales and business development tools (31%). These findings underscore the critical need for Indian businesses to refine their software purchasing process.

 

Key findings:

• Financial impact: 56% of Indian firms experiencing software regret report a significant or monumental financial impact.
• Strategic approach: Successful buyers start with a shorter list of products (5.2 on average), conduct thorough research, and engage deeply with vendors.
• Key research tools: Product review and comparison websites, customer reviews, and industry expert opinions are crucial resources for successful buyers.
• Vendor engagement: Product trials, vendor customer support interactions, and online demonstrations significantly influence successful purchase decisions.
• Flexibility is key: Successful buyers are more open to revising their initial list of vendors during the evaluation process.

Root causes of software regret

The research reveals that the most common reason for software purchase regret in India is investing in overly complex technology (42%), closely followed by adopting tools that are too basic (39%). This highlights the critical importance of finding the “just right” fit for a business’s specific needs. Identifying the right product appears to be a particularly acute challenge in India, with 42% of companies citing it as a top challenge compared to the global average of 36%.

• Other factors contributing to software regret include:
• Difficulty training and onboarding users (37%)
• Poor technical support services (37%)
• Higher-than-expected costs (36%)
• Incompatibility with existing systems (36%)

 

Commenting on the survey, Tessa Anaya, analyst of the study, said: “Indian companies seem to have bigger difficulties in finding the right tools than decision makers in other locations, and experience purchase regret more often. This means it’s of utmost importance to study the habits of successful software purchasers, such as engaging with vendors, using product review and comparison sites for research, and signing up for product trials when available.”

 

Moreover, details concerning Project Management Software are available within our catalogue.

 

For further information, please visit capterra.in

 

About Capterra

Capterra is the #1 B2B marketplace for organisations to find the right software. Our platform connects buyers to over 2 million verified user reviews about products spanning 1,000 categories and offers actionable, objective insights and recommendations to help them find the best product for their specific business needs.

 

Press Contact

Palash Bhattacharjee, palash.bhattacharjee@gartner.com