Information that a customer intentionally and proactively shares with a company, such as preferences or purchase intentions.
A consent-based data source that can support more transparent personalization.
Short and sweet:
Information that a customer intentionally and proactively shares with a company, such as preferences or purchase intentions.
A consent-based data source that can support more transparent personalization.
See also: First-Party Data, Personalization, Customer Data Platform
Zero-party data is information a customer deliberately and proactively shares with a brand, like preferences stated in a quiz or product needs described in an onboarding form, as opposed to data inferred by observing behavior. Because it comes directly from the source with clear consent, it tends to be more accurate and easier to use responsibly than data pieced together from browsing patterns. As tracking cookies become less reliable, many brands are building more direct exchanges, like preference centers, specifically to collect this kind of information.
Sephora collects zero-party data through its Beauty Insider quiz, directly asking shoppers about their skin type and beauty goals so it can recommend products without ever guessing.
A clothing retailer like Stitch Fix relies almost entirely on this kind of self-reported information, having customers fill out detailed style profiles before a single item is ever shipped.
Netflix’s onboarding flow, which asks new users to pick a few favorite shows and genres, is another everyday example, gathering explicit preferences straight from the source rather than inferring them from viewing behavior alone.
