The seven at a glance
| What they think | What they're really asking | What answers it | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I don't need this" | Is this my problem? | Their problem, in their words | First screen |
| "It won't work for me" | Is this for someone like me? | Who it's for and who it isn't for | Just below that |
| "I don't trust you" | Are you real? | Your name, real reviews, a way to reach you | Near your promises and your button |
| "It costs too much" | Is it worth it? Are there extras? | The full price and what it includes | Beside the price |
| "It looks like a hassle" | How much work is this for me? | Short forms and clear next steps | Beside the button |
| "I need to ask someone" | What will I tell them? | Something easy to forward | Beside the button |
| "Not right now" | What happens if I wait? | A real date and a way to come back | Near the end of the page |
Think of this list as your page, read from the top down.
What a sales objection is
A sales objection, or customer objection, is any reason someone has for not buying. In a shop, you hear it and you reply. A website can't hear anything. All you get is a visit that ended.
Objections are better news than they look. The person weighing up your price is still interested. The person who isn't interested doesn't weigh anything.
One rule before the list: use a line below only if it's true of your business, and swap in your own numbers.
1. "I don't need this"
This person often does need it. They just can't tell in a few seconds that your page is about their problem. So they guess it isn't, and they leave.
Name the problem before you name the product. Put it on the first screen:
- A shop: "Socks for people whose feet are always cold."
- A plumber: "Leaking tap? Send us a photo and we'll tell you what it needs."
- A coach: "For new managers who dread their one-to-one meetings."
Then try this. Show your first screen to a friend for five seconds and take it away. Ask what problem you fix. If they can't say, start here.
The other version of this objection is "I already have someone." So talk to the people who are fed up with their someone: "Tired of waiting three days for a call back?"
If they say it to you: "Fair enough. What do you do about [the problem] today?" If the honest answer is "nothing, and it's fine," believe them.
2. "It won't work for me"
Everyone thinks they're the odd one out. My dog is fussy. My feet are wide. My business is different. This person likes what you sell and thinks it was made for somebody else.
Say who it's for. Then say who it isn't for. Turning some people away makes everyone else believe you.
- A shop: "Made for wide feet. If yours are narrow, try the Slim."
- A cleaner: "We clean homes and small offices. We don't do building sites."
- A course: "For complete beginners. If you've run a shop for years, this will feel too basic."
Show someone like them, too. A review from a nervous first-timer speaks straight to other nervous first-timers.
If you sell several options, tell people how to choose: "Most families of four pick the medium."
If they say it to you: "What makes you think it might not work for you?" Then answer honestly, even if the answer is "you're right, it won't."
3. "I don't trust you"
They've never heard of you. They shouldn't trust you yet. Researchers at Baymard asked US online shoppers why they'd left a cart. Not counting people who were just browsing, about 1 in 5 said they didn't trust the site with their card details.
So give them proof:
- Your real name and face. A face is easier to trust than a logo.
- A way to reach you that works. A phone number, an email and an address if you have one.
- Reviews that give details. "I thought these wouldn't fit my wide feet, and they do" beats "Great service!"
- Payment options they already know. PayPal or Apple Pay can feel safer than typing a card number into a stranger's page.
- Plain policies. Say how refunds work in words a tired person can read.
Your first few reviews matter most. Northwestern researchers found people were nearly four times as likely to buy a product with five reviews as one with none. Buying was usually highest at 4.0 to 4.7 stars. It dropped as ratings got close to a perfect 5. So one grumpy review won't sink you.
Ask real customers. The US bans fake reviews, and it bans paying people for good ones. Both would rather spoil the point of this section.
If they say it to you: "That's fair, we're small. Here are two customers who were in your spot. I'm happy to put you in touch."
4. "It costs too much"
These four words can mean several different things, and each one needs a different answer.
| What they mean | What to do |
|---|---|
| "The total surprised me" | Show the full price sooner |
| "I don't see why it costs that" | Say what's included and what it saves them |
| "I can get it cheaper" | Say plainly what the cheaper one leaves out |
| "I can't afford it" | Offer something smaller, or let them go kindly |
| "I'd rather not say no to you" | Look for one of the other six objections |
That last row matters. Price is the politest way to say no, because nobody can check it. If people keep saying "too expensive," make sure they don't really mean "I don't believe you."
Surprise is the one you can fix today. In that same Baymard survey, the top reason was extra costs like shipping, tax and fees. Four in 10 people named them. Put the real number on the page:
- A shop: "$38, and that includes shipping."
- A repair business: "Most bathroom repairs cost $180 to $400. We confirm the price before we start."
- A coach: "$1,200 for 8 sessions, or $300 a month for 4 months."
Don't reach for a discount first. It only answers one row of that table, and it teaches everyone else to wait. Once you know which row you're hearing, you can work out how to handle price objections properly.
If they say it to you: "Fair enough. What were you comparing it with?" Then stop talking. People often fill the quiet with the real reason.
5. "It looks like a hassle"
Nobody says this one out loud, so owners miss it. The visitor wants what you sell. They just looked at your long form and decided to do it later. Later doesn't come.
In that Baymard survey, nearly 1 in 5 had left a cart because the site wanted them to create an account. If you sell online, let people check out as a guest. If you take bookings or inquiries, cut the form down to what you truly need to reply.
Then say what happens next:
- A shop: "Check out as a guest. You don't need an account."
- A local service: "Send us a photo of the problem. We'll text you a price the same day."
- A coach: "Book a 20-minute call. There's nothing to prepare."
- A software tool: "Send us your customer list and we'll set it up for you."
Now buy from yourself on your phone and count the taps. If you get annoyed, so do they.
If they say it to you: "What part looks like the most work?" If you can do that part for them, offer to.
6. "I need to ask someone"
Sometimes that's true. A husband or wife, a business partner or a boss really does get a say. Sometimes it's a polite way out. Either way, the same fix helps.
The other person never saw your page. They'll ask two things: what does it cost, and what if it goes wrong? So make those answers easy to pass along:
- A short section headed "Need to check with someone?" with the price, what's included and your refund terms.
- A quote page with its own link, so it can be sent in a text.
- A button that says "Email me this quote."
That last one also gives you a way to follow up, as long as they know you might.
If they say it to you: "Makes sense. What do you think they'll want to know?" Answer those questions together. Then ask, "Is it OK if I check back on Thursday?"
7. "Not right now"
There are two groups here, and only one needs your help.
The first group is just looking. Baymard's survey found more than 4 in 10 US online shoppers have left a cart because they were browsing or weren't ready. Leave them be. Nothing you write will change that.
The second group wants it but has no reason to choose today over next month. Most of this is plain buyer hesitation. Help them in one of two ways: give them a real date, or give them a smaller step.
- A shop: "Order by Tuesday and it arrives by Friday."
- A local service: "We're booked from March. Book in February to get it done before summer."
- A coach: "Not ready to book? Get my one-page checklist by email."
Keep the dates real. The US government's consumer watchdog warns about countdown timers on offers that don't really end. People hate missing out, and a true deadline is the honest side of fomo marketing. Your regulars will notice if your "last day" comes back every week.
If they say it to you: "No problem. What would need to change for this to be the right time?" If they give you a date, call on that date.
Find out which one costs you the most
You don't need to fix all seven this week. Find your biggest one.
Read your inbox. Go through the last 20 messages from people who hadn't bought yet. Every question is an objection in disguise. "Do you work weekends?" means "I'm not sure this fits my life." Put each message in one of the seven piles. Start with the tallest.
Ask on the page. Put one question on your best page, and show it once someone has been there a while:
What's stopping you from buying today?
Give them answers they can tap, because typing on a phone is a pain:
- I'm not sure I need it
- I'm not sure it'll work for me
- I'm not sure I can trust this
- The price
- It looks like a lot of work
- I need to ask someone
- I'm not ready yet
- Something else
Read the "something else" answers first. They're the ones you'd never have guessed.
Writing these answers and putting them in the right spot is the everyday work of objection handling. Here's a good rule to keep: any answer you've given twice belongs on your page.
When one page has to answer seven worries
Your visitors don't all have the same worry. The person asking "will this fit?" has to scroll past your refund terms to find out. The person asking "what's the total?" has to scroll past your story. A good salesperson would just ask.
That's why we built Possible. It's our own product, so weigh that as you read this. Possible is an AI built on real sales psychology. It asks each visitor the right question at the right moment, remembers the answers and guides them to a sale, sign-up or booking. It's free to start. If you sell products, here's more on our AI sales assistant for online stores. Write your seven answers first either way, because you need to know what you'd say.
When to stop answering
Some objections are simply right, and you should let them win.
- If the same worry comes back after you've answered it, believe them.
- If they really don't have the money, don't talk them into debt.
- If it's a bad fit, say so, and tell them who might suit them better.
That last one costs you a sale you'd probably have refunded anyway. People remember it, too.
Check your page in 10 minutes
Open your best page on your phone. Pretend you've never heard of you. Ask these seven questions:
- Can I tell what problem this fixes in five seconds?
- Can I see who it's for and who it isn't for?
- Can I see a real person, real reviews and a way to reach them?
- Can I see the full price, extras included, before the cart or the form?
- Do I know what happens after I click?
- Is there something I could send to my partner or boss?
- If I'm not ready, is there a way to come back later?
Every "no" is a gap. Fix the one that matches your tallest pile first. Change one thing at a time, so you can tell what helped.
Questions about sales objections
What are customer objections?
They're the same thing as sales objections: the reasons a customer has for not buying. On a website, you rarely hear them. You have to find them in your inbox and by asking visitors.
What are the 5 major objections in sales?
There's no official list. A simple five is price, timing, someone else having to agree, not feeling a need, and not trusting you. On a website, add two more: "it won't work for me" and "it looks like a hassle." That's why this list has seven.
What are 7 common sales objections, and how can I overcome them?
I don't need this, it won't work for me, I don't trust you, it costs too much, it looks like a hassle, I need to ask someone, and not right now. Answer each one on your page before it's asked. If someone says one to you, ask one kind question before you reply.
What are the major 3 objection categories?
There's no official list. Three simple groups work well: money (the price), doubt (need, fit and trust), and timing (hassle, asking someone and not right now). If you can tell which group you're hearing, you'll know where to look first.
What is the most common sales objection?
Price. Salespeople hear it more than any other. It's also an easy thing to say, and nobody can check it. So don't assume it's the real reason until you've asked what they're comparing it with.
How do you respond to a sales objection?
Hear them out, ask one question, then answer what they really meant. After that, check you've helped: "Does that cover it?" Don't argue. And if they say the same thing twice, believe them.
What are the top 5 objections you have handled?
This sounds like a job interview question, so answer it like one. Pick five you've really heard, such as "too expensive," "I need to think about it," "I have to ask my partner," "we already use someone" and "I've never heard of you." For each one, say what you asked, what you did and what happened. A true story about a sale you lost and what you learned beats a perfect one.