E-commerce without cookies: from tracking to trust

For a long time, third-party cookies have been the backbone of digital marketing. They made it possible to follow customers across the web, build audiences, and deliver targeted ads. But the playing field is changing. Cookies are not completely gone yet, but their power is fading fast and being replaced by new methods. For e-commerce businesses this shift brings both risks and great opportunities. So what is really happening, and how can you prepare? Here are the key insights you need to know.

1. First-party and zero-party data are the new currency

As third-party cookies lose relevance, the focus is shifting to what we call first-party and zero-party data.

First-party data is the information you collect yourself when a customer interacts with your store – purchases, clicks, opened emails.

Zero-party data is even more powerful, because it’s information the customer chooses to share with you, such as wishlists, style preferences or answers to a quiz. This data is not only more accurate, it also builds trust. The customer shares it voluntarily, making it far more valuable than data collected in the background.

Action ➡️:

Create interactive experiences like quizzes, guides, and loyalty programs where customers willingly share their preferences.

2. Many companies feel unprepared

Even though the issue has been on the table for years, recent studies show that nearly all decision-makers feel unprepared for a cookieless world. More than eight in ten also believe their current personalization is inadequate.

This means many e-commerce players still rely on outdated methods, even though they risk becoming irrelevant soon. At the same time, this creates an opportunity. Companies that start building a strong cookieless personalization strategy today will stay several steps ahead of competitors.

Action ➡️

Run a quick audit of your current data collection and pinpoint where you are most dependent on cookies.

3. Cookieless marketing may actually perform better

It’s easy to assume cookieless marketing will mean less precision, but several agencies report the opposite. In some cases, they have seen 30 percent more conversions and up to 15 percent lower campaign costs.

The explanation is straightforward: they are working with cleaner data. When the information comes directly from the customer, it is more reliable, which makes it easier to target the right communication and offers.

Action ➡️

Start prioritizing campaigns built on your own data and compare the results – they might outperform cookie-based campaigns.

4. New technology is taking over

Leaving cookies behind does not mean leaving measurement behind. Quite the opposite – new solutions are quickly emerging:

1: Server-side tracking moves data collection from the user’s browser to your own server, giving you more control and more reliable stats.

2: Real-time identity resolution makes it possible to connect anonymous traffic with known profiles, enabling relevant personalization without compromising privacy.

3: Data clean rooms are another approach, allowing businesses to share first-party data with partners in a secure and privacy-friendly way. All of this shows that cookieless does not mean data-less, it simply means moving into a more sophisticated era.

Action ➡️

Explore server-side tracking and simple forms of identity resolution to start building a more resilient measurement setup.

5. Transparency will be a competitive advantage

In Sweden, eight out of ten consumers actively take steps to protect their privacy online. That means every unclear cookie banner or vague privacy policy risks damaging the relationship right from the first visit. Companies that instead communicate openly and clearly about what data they collect and why will win customer trust. Transparency is therefore not only a legal requirement but also a strategic advantage. When customers feel their privacy is respected, their willingness to share information also increases, creating a positive cycle that strengthens the relationship over time.

Action ➡️

Rewrite your cookie banners and privacy policies so that they are easy to understand without a law degree.

Conclusion: from data chase to data dialogue

The cookieless era is not the end of personalization – it’s the beginning of something new. Instead of chasing data through tracking, the focus now shifts to building a dialogue with the customer. Those who can combine first-party and zero-party data with new technology and clear communication about privacy will not only continue to deliver relevant shopping experiences but also build stronger and more sustainable customer relationships.

E-commerce without cookies is not a limitation. It is an opportunity to make the customer journey both more profitable and more human.