What Is Zero-Party Data Collection Through Email?
Zero-party data collection through email refers to the intentional information your customers share with you. Unlike behavioural or third-party data, zero-party data is proactively given—making it extremely reliable and compliant with privacy standards.
Examples include:
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Product or style preferences
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Birthday or special occasions
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Communication channel preferences
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Pain points or goals
The beauty? You can gather this right inside your emails—without complex tools or risky tracking.
Why Zero-Party Data Is More Valuable Than Ever
As third-party cookies phase out and privacy laws tighten, first-hand data is your brand’s most powerful asset. But not all data is equal. Zero-party data is:
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Permission-based: Customers willingly give it.
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Accurate: They know themselves better than any tracker.
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Personalisation-ready: Perfect for targeting flows or campaigns.
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Compliant: Safer for GDPR, CCPA, and more.
If you’re relying only on open rates or past purchases, you’re missing a goldmine of insights.
Best Methods for Zero-Party Data Collection Through Email
1. Welcome Pop-Ups and Signup Forms
One of the best places to start collecting zero-party data is at the point of entry.
Use your signup forms or welcome pop-ups to ask simple questions such as:
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What are you shopping for today?
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What’s your clothing size?
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What type of content do you want to receive?
🔹 Tools: Klaviyo forms, Typeform pop-ups, Shopify pop-ups
Make sure you don’t overwhelm them—1–2 fields max is ideal at the first touchpoint. You can always enrich later.
2. On-Site Preference Centres
Once a customer subscribes, send them to a preference centre.
This can be hosted on your website or as a Klaviyo profile form, allowing users to:
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Set their email frequency
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Choose topics of interest
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Share their birthday or gender
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Opt-in to SMS or WhatsApp
This page is a live hub for ongoing zero-party data collection, especially useful for reducing unsubscribes.
3. Typeform Surveys Linked in Email
A clean, branded survey sent by email (hosted on Typeform or Google Forms) can help you collect deeper data.
For example:
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What problem are you trying to solve?
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Which products are you most interested in?
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What’s your skincare routine like?
🔹 Pro tip: Offer a small reward like a discount or loyalty points to increase participation.
Surveys are especially effective during onboarding, win-back campaigns, or post-purchase flows.
4. Embedded Buttons and Polls Inside Emails
This is where email marketers can get clever.
Use buttons or polls inside your emails to capture preferences:
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“Which colour do you like best?” (3 image buttons)
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“How often do you want to hear from us?” (Weekly / Monthly / Just promos)
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“Tell us what’s most important to you” (Price / Quality / Eco-friendly)
With Klaviyo, you can set these buttons to automatically update customer profiles or trigger conditional flows.
Tips for Getting Better Zero-Party Data
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Keep it light: Ask one question at a time for better completion rates.
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Use plain language: Avoid jargon—be clear and relatable.
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Make it visual: Use icons or emojis in buttons to draw attention.
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Reward engagement: Offer something small in exchange for data—discounts, early access, or loyalty points.
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Tag and segment immediately: Every click should update the profile or feed a dynamic segment in your ESP.
Zero-Party Data + Segmentation = Magic
Once you’ve gathered zero-party data, the magic starts with smart segmentation.
Examples:
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Segment by skincare concern (acne, ageing, sensitivity)
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Segment by shopping goal (gifting vs. personal use)
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Segment by colour/style preference for new drops
This lets you run:
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Personalised product launches
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Location-specific events
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Targeted upsells or replenishment flows
And the results? Higher click-throughs, better conversion, and lower churn.
Final Thoughts
Zero-party data collection through email isn’t just a trend—it’s the future of ethical, high-performance email marketing.
By proactively asking customers what they want, you’re building trust, boosting engagement, and future-proofing your ecommerce strategy.
Start small. Ask smart. And let your customers tell you what they need.
Start Capturing Smarter Zero-Party Data
Already using Klaviyo? Start experimenting with buttons inside your emails, and link to a preference form or survey in your next campaign.
Not sure where to start? Explore our guide on segmentation strategies and Klaviyo signup form tips to start collecting zero-party data that converts.
