Introduction

As third-party cookies disappear and privacy regulations tighten worldwide, brands are entering a new era where first-party data is becoming the single most valuable asset in marketing, loyalty, and consumer intelligence. FMCG companies, retailers, and CPG brands that once relied heavily on media platforms for targeting now need to build their own consumer datasets — responsibly, transparently, and with a clear value exchange.

In this guide, BuyerFy.global breaks down what first-party data actually is, how it differs from zero-party data, and why modern brands are using technologies like WhatsApp loyalty flows, receipt OCR, and AI-powered consumer journeys to collect better data than ever before.

What Is First-Party Data?

First-party data is information that a brand collects directly from its customers — with full consent — across its own touchpoints. This includes both digital interactions and offline behaviors.

Common examples of first-party data:

• Demographics (age, gender, household, education, occupation)

• Purchase behavior and POS receipts

• Website and mobile app activity

• eCommerce interactions

• Email and SMS engagement

• Loyalty program history

• Customer support interactions

• Chatbot and live chat transcripts

• Receipt submissions and validations (e.g., via BuyChat.me WhatsApp automation)

• In-store events, promotions, and contests

In simple terms:
First-party data = information your customers naturally generate while engaging with your brand.

Unlike third-party data, which is aggregated by external platforms, first-party data is owned, permission-based, and far more accurate.

Why First-Party Data Matters More Than Ever

1. Personalization is now expected, not optional

Consumers want brands to understand their needs, preferences, and context. They expect:

• relevant offers

• accurate recommendations

• frictionless cross-channel experiences

But they only accept personalization if it is based on data they have willingly shared.

2. Trust is the new currency

Customers hesitate to share personal information unless a brand demonstrates:

• transparency

• ethical handling

• meaningful value exchange

First-party data is the foundation of this trust.

3. Third-party cookies are disappearing

Google is phasing out third-party cookies across Chrome.
Apple already restricts tracking through iOS.
Facebook has similar limitations.

Brands can no longer rely on external data sources for targeting or measurement.
They must own their data strategy.

4. Global privacy regulations are tightening

GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, ADPPA, and dozens of new regulations are reshaping the data landscape.
The safest long-term strategy is:
➡️ Collect first-party data directly and compliantly.

How Brands Collect First-Party Data Today

Modern brands interact with customers across numerous channels, each producing valuable data.

Digital Channels

• Website browsing & conversions

• Mobile app behavior

• Email and SMS engagement

• Chatbots and live chat

• In-app purchase flows

• BuyChat.me WhatsApp interactions (keyword triggers, receipts, loyalty claims)

Offline Channels

• POS receipts

• Retail activation events

• In-store loyalty scans

• Manual form submissions

• Customer support calls

• Warranty registrations

• NPS & feedback programs

Receipt OCR: A New First-Party Data Source (BuyerFy Advantage)

With BuyerFy.global’s OCR engine and BuyChat.me WhatsApp integrations, brands can capture:

• real purchase data

• product combinations

• frequency of buying

• retailer preference

• regional behavior

• cross-brand activity

This makes receipts the new gold standard of first-party data in FMCG.

First-Party Data vs. Zero-Party Data

While closely related, they serve different purposes.

Zero-Party Data

Information customers explicitly volunteer, such as:

• preferences

• likes & dislikes

• communication choices

• shopping intentions

• quiz/survey answers

Zero-party data is collected through:

• loyalty program preference centers

• onboarding flows

• quizzes and surveys

• WhatsApp conversational journeys

• registration forms

Zero-party data can come from both customers and non-customers.

First-Party Data

Collected automatically through consumer interactions:

• purchases

• website usage

• app events

• loyalty redemptions

• receipt submissions

• customer service calls

First-party data comes mainly from actual customers.

How Brands Use First-Party Data

First-party data fuels core commercial and marketing operations.
Here are the most common use cases:

1. Personalization at Scale

Customers want relevant, not generic experiences.

Brands use first-party data to personalize:

• offers

• messaging

• recommendations

• timing and channel selection

Example:
Using receipt OCR to suggest the next best product based on last purchase.

2. Advertising & Audience Targeting

Brands use first-party data to create:

• custom audience lists

• lookalike profiles

• high-intent retargeting pools

These can be used across:

• Google Ads

• Meta Ads

• TikTok Ads

• Email & SMS

• WhatsApp push campaigns

3. Omnichannel Customer Journey Optimization

By combining data from all touchpoints, brands can understand:

• how customers move across channels

• where they drop off

• what triggers purchase

• what improves loyalty

This allows them to optimize the entire purchase journey.

4. Email & SMS Segmentation

With first-party data, messages become:

• more relevant

• more timely

• more profitable

Examples:

• back-in-stock alerts

• category-specific offers

• price-drop notifications

• loyalty reward reminders

5. Retargeting & Re-Engagement Campaigns

Identify:

• dormant customers

• low-frequency shoppers

• past buyers

• category switchers

Then create:

• win-back campaigns

• product reactivation flows

• loyalty boosts

WhatsApp is especially powerful here via BuyChat.me.

6. Loyalty Programs & Reward Mechanisms

First-party data powers:

• personalized point multipliers

• tier upgrades

• birthday & anniversary rewards

• coupon delivery

• exclusive member events

This is the strongest overlap with zero-party data.

7. Customer Success & Support Optimization

Brands can:

• understand app usage

• identify upsell opportunities

• reduce churn

• offer proactive assistance

Example:
Mobile app insights reveal that users aren’t using a premium feature.
Customer success triggers an email tutorial + WhatsApp reminder.

How BuyerFy.global Helps Brands Build High-Quality First-Party Data

BuyerFy’s ecosystem enables brands to collect and activate first-party data more efficiently than traditional systems.

BuyerFy Advantages:

✔ GDPR-compliant, EU-hosted Azure infrastructure
✔ Real-time receipt OCR extraction
✔ WhatsApp loyalty via BuyChat.me
✔ Fraud detection & data cleansing
✔ Multi-retailer, multi-territory support
✔ AI-powered recommendation engine
✔ Integration with CRM, CDP & BI tools

This transforms fragmented touchpoints into a single, unified customer intelligence platform.

Conclusion: First-Party Data Is the Future of Consumer Engagement

In 2025 and beyond, brands that master first-party data will win.
Those that delay will lose visibility, accuracy, and revenue.

The brands that lead are already:

• building direct relationships

• using WhatsApp conversational commerce

• capturing receipt-based purchase data

• investing in loyalty ecosystems

• centralizing their data

• acting on insights in real time

With BuyerFy.global and BuyChat.me, brands can build a sustainable, privacy-safe, future-proof first-party data engine that drives measurable growth.