“We don't have enough first-party data”

Head of E-commerce · Customer data platforms

A buyer who thinks they don't have enough first-party data is usually measuring against the wrong benchmark. Most businesses have more useful signals than they think. Start with what they already have: ask which customer signals they can see today, like logins, baskets and email clicks, and what they'd do with them in real time.

What the buyer says

We don't have enough first-party data to make it worth it.

How to handle it

Listen

Listen for what they're comparing themselves with. "Not enough" often means they're measuring against the biggest retailers, not against what their own customers already tell them.

Acknowledge

Agree that a platform is only worth it if there's enough data to act on, and that it's a sensible question to ask before buying.

Explore

Ask which signals they collect today: logins, browsing, baskets, purchases, returns, email engagement, service contacts. Ask which of those they act on now, how quickly, and where customers fall through the gaps.

Respond

Show what's possible with the signals they already have, using one or two concrete moments, such as an abandoned basket or a returning customer. Size the value from their own numbers, not a benchmark.

Say this
“That's a sensible question to ask before buying anything.”

Say this
“Which customer signals do you already see: logins, baskets, email clicks?”

Say this
“If you could act on one of those in real time, which would make the biggest difference?”

Variations

CMO: “We're not big enough for a customer data platform.”
Head of Digital: “Most of our customers check out as guests.”

Questions people ask

How do you respond when a buyer says they don't have enough first-party data?

Start with the signals they already have, such as logins, baskets, purchases and email engagement, and ask what they'd do with them in real time. Show value from one or two concrete moments, sized with their own numbers.

What first-party data do most retailers already have?

Typically account logins, browsing and basket activity, purchases and returns, email engagement and customer service contacts. Many businesses act on only a few of these.