How to Respond to “We're Looking at Other Options”: 3 Answers
“We're looking at other options.”
The buyer is comparing several products. Three responses to learn their criteria, help them choose well, and stay in the running without bashing anyone.
Practice this objectionWhy buyers say it
Someone saying “we're looking at other options” is handing you valuable information: they're in decision mode, they have a real need, and they're comparing. It's not a rejection, it's a window. The classic mistake for a founder is to start listing why their product is better, often without knowing what it's being compared against. The other mistake is anxiously asking “who else are you looking at?” right away. Better to ask what matters to them in the choice: those criteria tell you where you're strong, where you're weak, and whether it's worth pushing. A seller who helps someone choose well gets remembered even when they don't win.
What it often means
- They haven't settled on the criteria they'll decide by
- They want leverage to negotiate on price
- Sometimes they've already picked someone else and want a kind way to say it
Three answers that work
Good call, it's a choice you live with for years. It helps me if you tell me what matters most in the comparison: price, how easy it is to learn, support, integrations? Then I can tell you honestly where my software is strong and where another one might be stronger.
Why it works: You ask for criteria instead of competitor names. It positions you as an advisor, and honesty about weak spots makes the strong ones believable.
Perfect. Here's a suggestion: run the same task, the one you do most often, on every product you're considering, including mine. Ten minutes each. It's the fastest way to see the real differences instead of the brochure differences.
Why it works: An identical test for everyone is fair and concrete. If your product is genuinely good at the daily work, it shows without you having to say so.
Understood, and I won't say a word about the others. Just one question: once you've decided, what has to be true for you to be glad about the choice a year from now? If I can answer that, maybe I earn a spot on the shortlist. If not, you should go with someone else.
Why it works: You move the comparison from today to the outcome they want. It's a question the buyer often hasn't asked themselves, and the answer steers everything.
Avoid this one
Look, the others are cheaper, but you'll regret it, everyone who switches to us says that.
Why not: Trashing competitors makes you look insecure, and the buyer can't verify it. Worse, if they picked those options, you're telling them they were wrong.
Example dialogue
BuyerWe're looking at other options too, so I'm not deciding today.
YouGood call. What matters most to you in the choice?
BuyerThat the guys in the shop actually use it without me standing over them.
YouSo the real criterion is ease of use, more than price. Have one of your mechanics do the same thing, open a work order, on every product you're looking at.
BuyerGood idea, I'll see who complains.
YouExactly. I'll set up access to mine by tomorrow; let me know how it goes, even if someone else wins.
Practice this objection
A simulated buyer says it to you out loud (or in writing), you answer, and you get a score plus the model answer. Free, no account, 2 minutes.
FAQ
Should I ask which competitors they're considering?
You can, but after asking about criteria, and without sounding anxious. Often the buyer volunteers it. If you know, don't comment on the competitors: use the information to understand which criteria you'll be judged on and to decide whether that deal is worth your time.
What if my product really is weaker on a criterion that matters?
Say it. “On that point [another product] does more, that's true; where I make the difference is here.” The buyer would find out anyway, and hearing it from you builds trust in everything else. If that criterion is the only one that matters to them, maybe your product isn't the right fit, and saying so gets you remembered next time.
How do I stay in touch while they decide without being pushy?
Agree on a date to reconnect at the end of the conversation and honor it. In between, send only things that help the decision: an answer to a question they asked, an example on their case. No empty check-ins like “just wanted to see if there's any news.” People call back the ones who helped them choose.