Smart reads: Vogue Business, Deloitte/WSJ, and Forbes show how e‑commerce brands are outsmarting the Cookie Apocalypse by owning their data. Let’s unpack that.
Expert Breakdown
1. Forbes Technology Council (May 2024):
E‑commerce brands can turn first‑party data into their strongest asset. Forbes recommends investing in Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), building consent‑based data collection systems, deploying zero‑party data (quizzes, preference centers), refining content marketing, and deepening loyalty programs . The payoff: personalized journeys, smarter ad targeting, boosted loyalty, and better conversion rates.
2. foodpanda’s Panda Ads (September 2024):
They highlight why first‑party beats cookies:
- More personalized engagement
- Higher accuracy and ROI
- Privacy compliance
- Real‑time intent data
Holistic insights across touchpoints
They recommend loyalty programs, server‑side tracking, CRM/CDP integrations, retail media networks, and contextual ads as key win‑buttons. Forbes
Our Take
We’re in a pivot. Third‑party cookies are fading, trust and personalization are rising. Brands that lean into direct engagement, transparency, and smart tech will own the future. Cookie demise is a blessing—it forces brands to build authentic customer relationships and strategic data infrastructure.
3 Action Steps You Can Take Now
- Gamify your data collection
- Add fun quizzes, AR try‑ons, or live‑shop features.
- Partner with platforms (Inner Reality, BeLive) or build in‑house interactive elements.
- Incentivize with personalized product matches, early‑buy access, or reward points.
- Add fun quizzes, AR try‑ons, or live‑shop features.
- Build a server‑side data stack + CDP
- Move analytics and tracking to your own servers (Server‑Side Tagging, Conversion APIs).
- Integrate with a CDP (Klaviyo, Segment) to unify sign‑ups, purchases, browsing data. Klaviyo
- Ensure explicit consent, explain “why we collect,” and offer easy opt‑outs.
- Move analytics and tracking to your own servers (Server‑Side Tagging, Conversion APIs).
- Launch a retail media channel or loyalty ecosystem
- Turn your website or app into ad real estate—for your brand or partners.
- Bake in loyalty gamification: points for quizzes, reviews, surveys.
- Use these interactions to feed your CDP and power targeted offers & follow‑ups.
- Turn your website or app into ad real estate—for your brand or partners.
In today’s landscape, owning customer conversations is everything. Build engagement loops, centralize your data, and activate insights thoughtfully. Transparency isn’t a buzzword—it’s currency.
Written By Emmi Rezyan
