Cleverbridge’s first-ever “Friction Report” reveals global SaaS sellers are bleeding revenue due to cart abandonment, poor localization, and post-sale missteps.

A new global study of over 1,700 software buyers and sellers exposes a hidden crisis in the digital economy: friction in software sales that is frustrating customers, stalling global growth, and silently draining billions in revenue. Released today, Cleverbridge’s The Friction Report: What’s Slowing Down Global Software Sales reveals where money is lost — and how leaders are getting it back.

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Cleverbridge’s Friction Report reveals how unseen inefficiencies at checkout and beyond are draining billions from global software sales — and where leaders are fighting back.

The research highlights a dangerous pattern: software sellers are ambitious about global growth, but many are creating their own bottlenecks by failing to meet basic buyer expectations regarding checkout speed, clear pricing, and localized experiences (e.g., preferred payment methods, currency conversion, language support).

"Software has never been easier to discover and harder to buy,” said Richard Stevenson, CEO of Cleverbridge. “High-intent users, often coming from AI search, expect the basics: pricing clarity, local currency, and the payment method they already use, and they notice when it’s missing. The gap between expectation and reality is more expensive than vendors realize. Close that gap, and growth follows — fast.”

Key Findings from the Report:

• Ecommerce is now the norm: 98% of software vendors sell online, with over 50% generating the majority of their revenue through ecommerce.

• Global growth remains elusive: 83% of software companies plan to expand internationally in the next 12 months, but only 6% of current global sellers say they do so with ease.

• Checkout friction is costly: 82% of vendors report double-digit cart abandonment, with nearly half losing at least 25% of prospective orders to a “friction tax” imposed by preventable steps.

• Localization gaps fuel buyer drop-off: 96% of buyers expect to see prices in their local currency, but just 31% of sellers prioritize localization at checkout.

• Poor retention is also leaking revenue: 63% of sellers say at least half of their churn is involuntary, yet fewer than half have the tools to recover lost revenue.

About the Friction Report

Cleverbridge, in partnership with Ascend2, surveyed 715 software sellers and 1,081 software buyers via an online questionnaire fielded in June 2025. Seller respondents are decision-makers at organizations with $1M+ in revenue across the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India. Buyer respondents (18+) purchased software or a digital subscription online in the past 12 months and represent the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, India, Japan, Korea, and Brazil.

Explore the full findings, including regional breakouts, here: grow.cleverbridge.com/friction-report

About Cleverbridge:

Cleverbridge is the smarter way to sell globally. As a premium merchant of record (MoR), we simplify global software sales by combining powerful ecommerce features — like payments, subscriptions, tax, and compliance — with expert services that drive growth across the entire revenue lifecycle. From onboarding to optimization, our team acts as an extension of yours, helping you remove friction, increase conversions, and expand into new markets with confidence.

Founded in 2005, Cleverbridge has processed over $10 billion in transactions across 240+ countries and territories, with offices in Chicago and Cologne and a global team of 200+ employees. Learn more at grow.cleverbridge.com.

About Ascend2

Companies partner with Ascend2 to create original research from survey conceptualization through report and content creation to media outreach. Ascend2 helps companies fuel marketing content, generate leads, and engage prospects to drive demand through the middle of the funnel. For more about Ascend2, visit ascend2.com.

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"The gap between expectation and reality is more expensive than vendors realize. Close that gap, and growth follows — fast.”