{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "95-5-rule-b2b-buyers-out-of-market",
  "slug": "95-5-rule-b2b-buyers-out-of-market",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/95-5-rule-b2b-buyers-out-of-market/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/95-5-rule-b2b-buyers-out-of-market.json",
  "claim": "Only 5% of B2B buyers are in-market at any time; 95% are not (the 95-5 rule)",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"95% of B2B buyers aren't ready to buy\"",
  "verdict": "verified",
  "verdict_definition": "Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.",
  "confidence": "medium",
  "rating": {
    "value": 5,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "LinkedIn B2B Institute with the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute",
    "title": "The 95-5 Rule",
    "year": "Undated page (B2B Institute)"
  },
  "quote": "The 95-5 rule, which shows that 95% of your potential buyers aren't ready to buy today. These 95% are \"out-market\" today, but will be \"in-market\" sometime in the future.",
  "method": "A rule of thumb derived from typical B2B purchase frequencies (e.g. companies changing banking services about once every 5 years), not a survey of buyers.",
  "drift": [
    "Precision: an approximation from purchase cycles, not a measured share; it varies by category"
  ],
  "interest": "LinkedIn sells B2B advertising, and the rule supports long-term brand advertising.",
  "safe_rephrasing": "The LinkedIn B2B Institute and Ehrenberg-Bass estimate that roughly 95% of B2B buyers are out of the market at any time, based on how rarely firms switch suppliers.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "LinkedIn B2B Institute — The 95-5 Rule",
      "url": "https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/95-5-rule",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "stat_check",
  "as_of": "Page retrieved 2026-10-16; publication date not shown",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}