How Zero-Party Data Can Improve Your eCommerce Email Marketing Strategy
Have you ever wondered why some of your email campaigns don’t get the response you were hoping for? Maybe you’re sending promotions or product updates that aren’t hitting the mark. What if your emails could be exactly what your customers want to see? That’s where zero-party data comes in. It’s not a fancy marketing buzzword—it’s a simple way to make sure the information you’re using to talk to your customers is exactly what they’ve told you they want.
We’ll cover what zero-party data is, why it’s valuable, and how you can start collecting and using it to improve your email marketing.
What is Zero-Party Data?
Zero-party data is the information your customers voluntarily give you. It’s not data you gather from tracking their online behavior or buying habits. Instead, it’s information they hand over because they trust you to use it to make their experience better. This could be things like:
Their favorite product categories
Style preferences (for clothing or home decor)
How often they want to hear from you
Whether they prefer special discounts or early access to new products
The beauty of zero-party data is that it’s straightforward—customers are telling you exactly what they want. And as a business owner, that makes your job easier because you don’t have to guess anymore. You’re using clear, direct information to personalize your emails and increase engagement.
Why Zero-Party Data Matters for Your Business
Why should you care about collecting zero-party data? Because it helps you deliver a better customer experience—and happy customers are more likely to buy from you again and again. Here’s how using zero-party data can help your email marketing strategy:
Better Email Engagement: Customers are more likely to open and click on emails when they’re relevant. Zero-party data helps you send emails that align with their interests, increasing your open and click rates.
Stronger Customer Loyalty: When people share information with you, they expect you to use it wisely. If they tell you they’re interested in certain products and you follow up with emails tailored to those interests, you’re building trust. That kind of relationship leads to more loyal customers.
Fewer Unsubscribes: Sending emails that don’t align with what your customers care about is a quick way to lose subscribers. Zero-party data helps you avoid that by keeping your emails relevant and helpful.
How to Collect Zero-Party Data for Your eCommerce Business
You don’t need to overcomplicate things to start collecting zero-party data. Here are a few simple and effective ways to get that valuable information from your customers.
1. Add a Quiz to Your Website
Quizzes are an easy and engaging way to collect information from your customers. People love interactive content, especially if it helps them find the right product or solution for their needs. By asking a few targeted questions, you can collect useful data that helps you send better emails.
Example: A beauty brand I worked with created a skincare quiz that asked customers about their skin type, concerns (like acne or dryness), and what results they wanted. Based on their answers, the brand sent personalized product recommendations through email. This approach led to a significant increase in email-driven sales because customers felt like the emails were speaking directly to their needs.
What You Can Do: Consider adding a quiz to your website that helps customers find the right product based on their preferences. You can use a simple tool like Typeform or Klaviyo’s built-in quiz feature. Once they take the quiz, you can follow up with personalized emails that match their answers.
2. Include a Preference Center in Your Welcome Email
Your welcome email is your first chance to make a strong impression. Why not ask new subscribers what they want to hear from you? A preference center allows customers to tell you exactly what kind of content or products they’re interested in.
Example: I worked with a fashion retailer that used a preference center in their welcome series. New subscribers could pick their preferred clothing styles (like casual, business, or athletic) and enter their size. This data was used to segment the email list, so each customer received emails featuring products that matched their style and size preferences. This personalization led to a 30% increase in click-through rates.
What You Can Do: In your welcome email, include a link to a preference center where subscribers can choose the types of products or content they want to hear about. Keep it simple—ask about their favorite categories or how often they want to receive emails. Use that data to segment your list and send more targeted campaigns.
3. Use Post-Purchase Surveys
After a customer makes a purchase, it’s a great time to ask for more feedback. Post-purchase surveys help you learn about their shopping experience, but they can also give you valuable insights into what they’re planning to buy next.
Example: I worked with an outdoor gear company that sent a short survey after each purchase. The survey asked customers about their favorite outdoor activities (hiking, camping, etc.). With that information, the company was able to send targeted emails with recommendations for products related to their interests. This simple tactic helped increase repeat purchases.
What You Can Do: After a customer completes a purchase, send a follow-up email with a quick survey. You can ask questions like, “What did you buy this product for?” or “What kind of products would you like to see next?” Use the responses to personalize your future emails and recommend products that fit their needs.
4. Offer Personalized Discounts
People love getting offers that feel like they’re tailored just for them. When you collect zero-party data, you can send personalized discounts based on the customer’s preferences, which increases the chances they’ll make a purchase.
Example: A jewelry brand I worked with used a style quiz to gather data on whether customers preferred gold or silver jewelry. Based on their answers, the brand sent personalized offers, like discounts on gold pieces for those who said they preferred gold. This strategy helped drive more conversions from their promotional emails.
What You Can Do: Set up an automated email flow that sends personalized offers based on the preferences customers have shared with you. Whether it’s a discount on their favorite product category or early access to new items, customers are more likely to respond to offers that feel relevant to them.
How Zero-Party Data Can Help Your Business Grow
When you collect and use zero-party data, you’re not just sending emails—you’re starting a conversation with your customers. You’re giving them what they want, when they want it, and in a way that feels personal. This builds trust and helps your business stand out in a crowded market.
Not only will your email engagement improve, but you’ll also see more loyal customers, fewer unsubscribes, and a better return on your email campaigns. And in today’s world, where data privacy is a big deal, zero-party data is a safe, reliable way to gather insights directly from your customers.
Ready to Improve Your Email Marketing?
If you’re ready to start using zero-party data to make your email marketing more effective, I can help. Whether it’s setting up a quiz, creating a preference center, or building personalized email flows, I’ve worked with ecommerce businesses like yours to create campaigns that get results. Let’s chat about how we can make your emails work better for your customers—and for your business.