5 Key Moments to Gather Zero-Party Data

Zero-party data (ZPD) is the information customers willingly tell you—their goals, preferences, constraints, and channel choices. In a privacy-first world, these moments are where trust becomes revenue.

Most brands still try to out-yell the internet. Retention-first brands listen—then respond with precision. In this guide, you’ll get the five highest-leverage touchpoints to collect zero-party data inside your email and loyalty programs, plus the exact fields to capture, where to store them in Klaviyo, and how to activate them in your next send. We’ll also show you how our top partner Digioh helps you launch quizzes, forms, and preference centers—fast.

Want help wiring this end-to-end? Start with our Personalization Services or browse all Sticky Digital services. For a deeper primer, read Zero-Party Data: What It Is & How to Use It.

1) Email Preference Center (the fastest ZPD win)

Your preference center is the most respectful—and most reliable—place to ask for ZPD. Give people control and they’ll give you clarity.

  • Ask: Primary goal (what they’re trying to achieve), top category, channel preference (email/SMS), quiet hours, and “deals-only vs. new products.”
  • Store in Klaviyo: primary_goal, top_category, channel_pref, quiet_hours, promo_pref.
  • Where it lives: Footer link in every email + a dedicated “Update your preferences” CTA in campaigns.
  • Tool we use: Digioh (top partner) to build a two-minute, mobile-first center mapped to Klaviyo properties.

Need a refresh on list hygiene and preference controls? See our resources in Personalization Services.

2) Post-Purchase Survey & Welcome Micro-Quiz

The best time to ask what someone needs next is right after they’ve said yes. Keep it short; act on it immediately in your onboarding.

  • Ask (within 24–48 hours): Usage frequency, constraints (allergies/budget), variant preference (shade/size/flavor), and one open “What result are you after?”
  • Store in Klaviyo: cadence_intent, constraints, variant_pref, desired_outcome.
  • Activate: Branch your welcome/education series by primary_goal + variant_pref; recommend one add-on that aligns with their outcome.

Use our Welcome Guide Template to turn ZPD into clearer onboarding.

3) Loyalty Sign-Up & Tier Progress (the ZPD goldmine)

Loyalty programs are a steady stream of volunteered insights if you ask smart questions at the right moments.

  • Ask at sign-up: Gifting intent (self/gift/both), preferred benefits (status, early access, points), and why they joined.
  • Ask as they level up: “What perk would be most valuable next?” and “What product would you like early access to?”
  • Store in Klaviyo: gifting_intent, benefit_pref, vip_interest.
  • Activate: Show progress-to-perk in email/SMS; personalize offers by benefit_pref (e.g., early access vs. points boost).

If your program needs structure, start here: Shopify Loyalty Program Optimization.

4) Review & UGC Requests (context that personalizes)

Reviews are more than stars—they’re structured stories. Ask one ZPD question inside the review flow to personalize future messages.

  • Ask: “Which use-case fits you best?” (options tied to your categories), “What did you pair it with?”
  • Store in Klaviyo: use_case, paired_with.
  • Activate: Send “pairs-well-with” modules that match use_case; show UGC tiles for that exact variant in browse/cart recovery.

For the automation side, see our Core Retention Workflows.

5) Account Profile & SMS Preferences

Let customers tune how and when you talk to them. It’s respectful—and it drives better performance.

  • Ask: Channel (email, SMS, both), preferred send days/times, content theme (deals, education, new drops).
  • Store in Klaviyo: channel_pref, send_window, content_theme.
  • Activate: Honor quiet hours; split sends by content_theme so “deals-only” subscribers aren’t hit with long editorials.

How to Activate ZPD in Your Next Send

  1. Create a Klaviyo dynamic section that swaps the hero based on primary_goal.
  2. Swap a proof block (UGC/reviews) by variant_pref so the photos match what they want.
  3. Adjust the CTA by gifting_intent (e.g., “Gift set” vs. “Subscribe & Save”).
  4. Respect channel_pref and quiet_hours when scheduling.

Need a holiday cadence to plug this into? Use our Holiday Retention Calendar.

Measurement & Governance (Keep Trust Intact)

  • Holdouts: 10–20% receive non-personalized creative; compare conversion, add-on attach, 30-day second-purchase rate.
  • GA4 events: Track quiz_submit, preference_update, and segmented funnels (session → PDP → add_to_cart → checkout → purchase) by ZPD properties.
  • Governance: Minimize fields, make edits easy, and document who can export profile data. Break a preference promise once and you reset trust to zero.

7-Day Quickstart

  1. Day 1: Launch a one-question preference update with Digioh (“What are you shopping for next?” → primary_goal).
  2. Day 2: Map field to Klaviyo; branch tomorrow’s campaign hero by primary_goal.
  3. Day 3: Add a two-question post-purchase micro-quiz (cadence + constraints).
  4. Day 4: Add “deals-only / new products / weekly roundup” to your preference center.
  5. Day 5: Insert variant-matched UGC tiles into browse/cart recovery.
  6. Day 6: Update loyalty sign-up to capture benefit_pref and gifting_intent.
  7. Day 7: Turn on a 15% holdout to prove lift from ZPD-personalized journeys.

What to Do Next

Zero-party data isn’t about collecting more; it’s about making fewer, better decisions with consent. If you want a done-with-you build, we’ll design the schema, launch the forms/quizzes with Digioh, wire Klaviyo, and validate lift with clean holdouts.

Partner with us via Personalization Services, explore all services, or request a retention audit.

Bottom line: Ask smart, act fast, and honor the promise you make when you ask. That’s how email and loyalty become engines for trust—and growth.

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