Zero-Party Data: Examples for Online Stores

Zero-party data is information a customer deliberately gives you, such as their preferences, size or reason for buying. An online store can collect it with quizzes, signup questions, preference centers and post-purchase surveys, then use it to send each customer more relevant messages.

Behavior tells you what someone did. Zero-party data tells you what they want, which is often what you've been guessing at. It only pays off if you use the answers, so only ask what you'll act on.

• Product quiz: "What's your skin type?" leads to a recommendation and a segment.
• Signup form question: "Shopping for men, women or kids?" lets you tailor the welcome series.
• Preference center: Customers pick topics, language or how often they'd like to hear from you.
• Post-purchase survey: "How did you hear about us?" and "Who is this for?" improve both marketing and later messages.
• Birthday and anniversaries: A date saved in exchange for a gift.
• Replenishment preference: "How long does a bag usually last you?" sets up your reminder timing.
• Reply-based texts: "Reply 1 for coffee, 2 for tea." It only works if someone or something records the answer.

• Give something back right away: a recommendation, a code or better emails.
• Ask one question at a time, at a natural moment. Put questions where they fit, such as right after a purchase.
• Say why you're asking, in plain words.
• Keep it optional, and don't ask for sensitive details you don't need, such as health conditions.
• Show the result. If someone said they like tea, stop sending coffee emails.

Before you add a question, write down what you'll do with each possible answer. If the answer wouldn't change a single email or page, don't ask it.

• Put one question on the thank-you page, or in an email soon after the order.
• Start with "How did you hear about us?" and offer a short list plus "Other."
• Add a second question only if it will change something, like "Who is this for?"
• Save the answer to the customer's record so that you can segment on it.
• Review results monthly, and compare them with what your ad reports claim.

• Asking the same question twice. Check the record before you ask again.
• Asking and then ignoring the answer. A customer who said tea doesn't want coffee promotions.
• Using very sensitive questions in a casual quiz.
• Letting answers go stale. Offer an easy way to update them, and re-ask once a year if it still matters.

Even when customers volunteer data, they expect you to use it for what you said you would. Explain the purpose on the form, keep your privacy policy current, and let people change or remove their answers. Special care applies to health, children's and other sensitive data, and laws such as GDPR add requirements. This isn't legal advice, so ask a lawyer about your own program.

SmartyTap forms and audience data keep what customers tell you on one customer record, next to orders, subscriptions and loyalty. Use that in segments and flows to choose who gets what, with the preference center handling language and marketing choices. Related: email segmentation examples and how to build an email list. Glossary: zero-party data, first-party data.

Information a customer intentionally shares with you, such as preferences, interests or the reason for a purchase. It usually comes from quizzes, forms and surveys.

First-party data is what you observe, such as orders and clicks. Zero-party data is what the customer directly tells you, such as what they're shopping for and why.

Use product quizzes, a question on a signup form, a preference center or a short post-purchase survey. Give something useful in return, and ask only what you'll use.

It's direct, but people change and sometimes answer casually. Use it together with what customers actually buy and click, and let them update their answers.