5 big hesitations users have before they buy

Humans are wired to resist risk. Even if someone’s actively looking for what you offer, their brain is scanning for reasons not to buy.

It’s commonly accepted that there are five main hesitations nearly every potential user experiences before they commit to buying. So if your website doesn’t intentionally address these, you’re asking people to leap without a safety net. Or in website terms, you’re basically guaranteeing a high exit rate.

Here’s how to address and overcome those hesitations.

1. “I don’t have time”

This objection isn’t always about literal time. It’s about perceived effort. Your customer is already juggling work, life, responsibilities, mental load. When they land on your site, they’ll be weighing up both what you offer, and whether they have the capacity to engage with it.

You might offer the most perfect service that they know will be life changing, but if it feels too big or complicated a commitment for them, they’ll use it as a reason to duck out.

What this looks like:

• Service descriptions that sound vague or overwhelming.

• Long blocks of text with no clear next step.

• Lack of clarity around what’s expected of them (how long something takes, how much energy it requires, etc.)

What to do instead:

• Make things feel fast, doable, and low-pressure.

  • Emphasise quick wins or simple steps.

  • Break bigger processes down into clearly labeled stages.

  • Use headlines like: “Book in minutes;” “Designed to fit into your week;” “Just 3 steps to get started.”

You want to reduce any possible friction users may have for buying your product or service. And if there is commitment involved from them, you’ll need to make that feel manageable.

2. “I can’t afford this”

When someone says, “I can’t afford it,” it doesn’t always mean they have zero funds.

Sometimes it means:

• “I don’t see the value yet.”

• “I’m not convinced this is worth prioritising.”

• “I’m afraid I’ll waste my money.”

Price sensitivity is real, but it’s also often a symptom of unclear value.

What this looks like:

• Pricing without explanation of the outcome.

• Emphasis on features, not results.

• No framing of the long-term impact of the offer.

What to do instead:

• Shift the focus from price to value.

  • Use messaging that paints a picture of the transformation, not just the transaction.

  • Add case studies, before-and-afters, or benefit-led copy like:“Feel confident in your offer and how you show up online” or “Attract clients who actually get what you do.”

• Be upfront about what’s included, and make the return on investment feel tangible.

When people understand why the cost exists, they’re more willing to consider how they can make it work.

3. “It won’t work for me”

This is a self-protection mechanism. Even if someone trusts you, they might not trust that they are the kind of person this will work for. They might believe they’re too early, too late, too inexperienced, too overwhelmed, too unique.

They don’t see themselves in your offer, or in the people you’ve helped.

What this looks like:

• Testimonials that are too generic or vague.

• Messaging that’s either too broad (“this is for everyone!”) or too narrow (“this only works if you do X, Y, Z”).

• A lack of stories, details, or customer voices on the site.

What to do instead:

• Make your users feel seen and understood.

  • Use testimonials that share specific experiences, especially those that show variety in who you’ve helped.

  • Use phrases your audience already uses, ideally taken from research, past conversations, or DMs .

  • Create small “choose your own path” moments in your website journey. For example:“Are you just starting out or ready to scale?”

This helps people self-identify and feel more confident that your offer can meet them where they are.

4. “I don’t believe you”

This one’s about trust. We’ve all been burned online before. Overpromises. Flashy claims. Too-good-to-be-true offers. So we scan for red flags and will try to make the tiniest thing into said red flag.

If something feels vague or inconsistent then you’re leaving room for your customers doubt to creep in.

What this looks like:

• Big promises with little evidence.

• A mismatch between the tone of your brand and the reality of your services.

• Lack of transparency around who you are and how things work.

What to do instead:

• Build credibility by being specific, honest, and real.

  • Add clear social proof—real client names, photos, outcomes.

  • Include a detailed FAQ that doesn’t shy away from common objections.

  • Use numbers and visuals when you can (e.g., “Helped 47 business owners reposition in the last year”).

The solution here isn’t just to add in a testimonial page to your website. You need this to be consistently showing up across your whole site and user journey, so that no matter where a user lands, they can have confidence in you.

5. “I don’t need it”

This might be the hardest objection to tackle, because it lives in customer denial.

Sometimes a user lands on your site and doesn’t yet feel the urgency. They might not be fully aware of the problem you solve, or the cost of staying where they are.

If your messaging only speaks to people who already “get it,” you’ll miss a lot of people who could be perfect for your offer.

What this looks like:

• Messaging that jumps straight to the solution.

• A lack of storytelling or examples showing the “before state.”

• Not enough focus on why now.

What to do instead:

• Help people understand the problem before pitching the solution.

  • Use storytelling to build context. Show what life/business looks like without your offer.

  • Paint a picture of what’s possible—then show how your offer gets them there.

  • Reframe urgency without being pushy:“How much longer do you want to feel stuck in a business that no longer fits?”

When someone realises they do have a problem, your offer becomes the obvious next step.

What Would I Do?

If I were redesigning your website (or mine) to solve these 5 objections, here’s what I’d prioritise:

1. Start with research:

   • Read through past customer inquiry emails and DMs.

   • Pull out phrases people used before buying, and look what they were unsure about.

2. Rework your service pages:

   • Add a section on each page that addresses one or more of these hesitations directly.

   • Use FAQs, real client stories, and outcome-focused language.

3. Make the journey clear:

   • People want to know what happens next, so spell this out for them.

   • Use language like: “Here’s what happens after you click book.” or “In week one, we’ll...”

4. Build emotional clarity:

   • Speak to how your customer will want to feel: confident, clear, capable, supported.

   • Show them what that transformation looks like in real terms.

5. Use your homepage wisely:

   • This is your first impression. It should build trust, frame the value, and guide people forward.

Want help applying this to your own site?

I help purpose-led businesses design websites that connect, convert, and make people feel something. Whilst answering all the user hesitations that might stop them from clicking to buy.

So if you know your current site isn’t answering the questions your users are actually asking, let’s fix that.

Explore my Website Design Services if you’re ready to start fresh with something that actually works.