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Zero-Party Data

Data management and qualityIntermediate Level

Zero-party data is information a customer shares with a brand on purpose, such as preferences, sizes or purchase plans, for example through a quiz or profile.

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What is Zero-Party Data?

Zero-party data is information a customer shares with a brand intentionally and proactively, such as preferences, sizes, skin type or purchase plans. It is collected through quizzes, preference centers, surveys and profile settings, and the customer knows exactly what they shared and why. The term was coined by Forrester. It differs from first-party data, which a brand observes from behavior (pages viewed, past orders), and from third-party data, which is bought from outside sources. Zero-party data only pays off when your products carry matching attributes: a quiz answer of 'dry skin' can only drive a recommendation if products are tagged with skin type. That is why clean attribute management is the other half of any zero-party data strategy.

Why Zero-Party Data matters for e-commerce

As browsers block third-party cookies and privacy rules tighten, brands have less behavioral data to work with. Zero-party data fills part of that gap with information customers chose to give, which also makes consent clearer under rules such as the GDPR. It makes personalization more accurate: a stated preference beats a guess from browsing history. But the data is only useful if it can be matched to products, so the product catalog needs consistent attributes for the things customers are asked about.

Examples of Zero-Party Data

  • 1Collected via: skincare quiz, Answer: skin type dry, Product attribute used: Skin type = dry
  • 2Collected via: account profile, Answer: shoe size EU 43, Product attribute used: Size, to show items in stock in that size
  • 3Collected via: preference center, Answer: only vegan products, Product attribute used: Vegan = yes
  • 4Collected via: gift finder, Answer: budget under 50 euros, for a runner, Product attributes used: Price, Sport
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How WISEPIM Helps

  • Attribute management lets you add the attributes that quiz and profile answers need to match, such as skin type or diet.
  • AI enrichment fills those attributes across the catalog from your existing product data.
  • Bulk editing tags whole product families at once.
  • Export and platform connections send the attributes to the shop and tools that run the personalization.

Common mistakes with Zero-Party Data

  • Asking too many questions at once, so customers drop out before the end.
  • Collecting preferences without using them, which teaches customers that sharing is pointless.
  • Asking about traits your products are not tagged with, so answers cannot be matched.
  • Not explaining what the data is used for, which hurts trust.

Tips for Zero-Party Data

  • Offer a clear benefit for sharing, such as better recommendations or a personal guide.
  • Ask only what you can act on, and map each question to a product attribute.
  • Spread questions over time instead of asking everything at signup.
  • Check that the matching attributes are filled for most of your catalog before launch.

Trends around Zero-Party Data

  • Conversational shopping assistants that collect preferences through natural dialogue.
  • Preference centers that let customers update their own data at any time.
  • Retail media and loyalty programs built on declared preferences instead of tracking.

Tools for Zero-Party Data

  • Typeform
  • Octane AI
  • Klaviyo
  • Jebbit
  • WISEPIM (product attributes that preferences match against)

Related Terms

Access Control (PIM)Attribute Dependency ManagementAttribute InheritanceAttribute ManagementAttribute mappingAttribute Scoping

Also Known As

Declared dataSelf-reported dataExplicit data

Frequently Asked Questions

It is data a customer shares with a brand on purpose, such as preferences, sizes or purchase plans. It usually comes from quizzes, surveys, preference centers and profile settings.

First-party data is observed from behavior, such as pages viewed and orders placed. Zero-party data is told to you directly by the customer. Both are collected by the brand itself, unlike third-party data.

A skin type from a beauty quiz, a shoe size saved in an account, a dietary preference set in a preference center, or a budget entered in a gift finder.

Yes, the terms are used for the same idea: data the customer declares themselves. Zero-party data is the more common marketing term.

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