What is Zero-Party Data?
What is Zero-Party Data?
Zero-party data is information that a customer voluntarily and intentionally shares with your brand. It’s not tracked behavior or inferred preferences—it’s given directly, in response to a question or prompt.
That makes it the most accurate and actionable form of customer insight available to marketers.
Why Zero-Party Data Matters
When a customer tells you where they heard about you, what they’re shopping for, or why they chose your brand—that’s zero-party data. And it’s becoming the most powerful asset in a modern marketer’s toolkit.
It matters because:
It helps you understand why customers convert—not just how.
It’s direct-from-the-source—no assumptions, no tracking needed.
It’s immediately actionable across campaigns, personalization, and product.
It fills gaps in attribution and intent that first-party and third-party data can’t cover.
If you want clarity about channel performance, message relevance, or product-market fit—zero-party data is how you get there.
Real-World Examples of Zero-Party Data
✍️ A post-purchase survey asking, “How did you hear about us?”
📊 A product quiz that recommends the right skincare routine
❤️ A customer indicating email preferences or favorite product types
🎯 A direct answer to a signup form question like “What brought you here today?”
Because customers give this data willingly, it tends to be more reliable than inferred data—and far more actionable.
Zero-party data tells you why a customer did something. First-party data tells you what they did. Together, they offer a complete view.
Zero-Party Data vs. First-Party Data
Data Type | What It Tells You | How It’s Collected | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Zero-Party Data | Customer intent, preferences, motivation | Direct input (survey, quiz, form) | “I heard about you on Instagram.” |
First-Party Data | Customer behavior | Observed behavior (site, email, purchases) | Visited product page 3 times |
Zero-party data gives you the why. First-party data gives you the what. You need both to build a complete customer picture.
Why Fairing Helps
Fairing is built to unlock the full value of zero-party data—at the exact moment customers are most engaged: right after purchase.
🎤 Ask attribution questions like “How did you hear about us?”
💬 Capture qualitative context at scale with open-text responses
⚡ Integrate with Klaviyo, GA4, or BI tools for real-time personalization
📊 Analyze trends by channel, cohort, or campaign
Zero-party data from Fairing gives you the truth behind attribution, intent, and customer preferences—without relying on cookies or pixels.
How Brands Use Zero-Party Data
Attribution — Understand which channels actually influenced a purchase.
Segmentation — Group customers based on preferences or motivations.
Product development — Identify unmet needs or trends in open-text feedback.
Personalization — Tailor emails, on-site experiences, or recommendations.
Zero-party data is high-value because it reflects customer intent. Fairing helps you collect it with ease—and activate it instantly.
FAQs
What makes zero-party data different from first-party data?
Zero-party data is volunteered by the customer. First-party data is observed through behavior. They answer different questions—and you need both.
Why is zero-party data so actionable?
Because it’s direct. You’re not guessing what the customer wants—you’re being told outright.
Can I collect this data at scale?
Yes. Brands using Fairing collect tens of thousands of responses per month, automatically sorted and tagged for easy analysis.
TL;DR: Zero-Party Data Is Customer Truth
Zero-party data is what happens when you ask instead of assume. It gives you the “why” behind every purchase, and Fairing makes it effortless to collect and act on—so you can build smarter campaigns and stronger customer relationships.
👉 Unlock zero-party insights with Fairing. Get started
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