What SMBs Will Buy in 2026

What SMBs Will Buy in 2026

Bredin’s latest survey of 500 SMB principals shows that marketing and technology will be top investments next year. SMBs are also making quicker buying decisions than they have in the past.

Here are the details:

‍The smallest SMBs are focused on marketing. Marketing, selling, and advertising top the list of next year’s spending priorities for very small businesses (VSBs, with 1-19 employees), followed by technology upgrades and new equipment or machinery.

‍Larger SMBs prioritize technology. For small businesses (SBs, with 20-99 employees) and midsized businesses (MBs, with 100-500 employees), technology upgrades will be the top investment for the next 12 months. Marketing follows, tied with data and IT security for MBs. Generative or agentic AI ranks third for SBs.

‍The pace of purchase decisions is accelerating. One in five VSBs, a third of SBs, and nearly half of MBs say they’re making major investments, purchases, or other business decisions faster than they did one year ago.

‍Principals have more say. In the past 12 months, owners, founders, CEOs, and presidents have become more involved in the purchase decision-making process at two in five VSBs and roughly half of SBs and MBs.

SMB 12-Month Purchase Plans

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