For decades, third-party cookies were the backbone of digital marketing.
But that era is ending.
Increasing regulation (think GDPR, CCPA) pushed Firefox and Apple to block third-party cookies by default. Though Google reversed its decision to phase out third-party cookies last year, the company is working on “Introducing a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing.”
Amidst these changes, consumers seem to be thinking more carefully about their privacy. CivicScience found that 66% of U.S. adults agree that Google should eliminate third-party cookies on Chrome, and 49% ‘strongly’ agree.
All signs point to cookies dying on the vine. So, what comes next?
In this post, we share what we think is the way to win in a cookieless world and how you can get started.
First-party data is the new gold standard
It’s consented, authenticated, and resilient to browser changes. There’s just one problem: it’s really tough to get.
One way is to buy that data. Of course, that comes at a high cost. And if you join those new datasets with the data you already have, you could risk violating GDPR or CCPA.
Offering discounts for email and SMS sign-ups is another, potentially cheaper way, but it only gets you so far. Most consumers register to get the 20% off promo and then unsubscribe as soon as your product arrives at their doorstep, never to buy again.
A better way — that’s still a give-to-get model — is rewards. Giving new customers 20% cash back, then hitting them with another 10% cash back offer for their second purchase (and potentially 5% for their third purchase) is what makes people want to keep buying from you.
A cascading offer strategy is designed to boost loyalty, but it raises average order values. If people trust the products they’ve already purchased, why not go for higher-tier items? They’re getting cash back, so there’s no reason not to.
Beyond customer engagement, rewards platforms like Kard unlock:
More granular information about your customers
You’re not just capturing an email or phone number. You’re getting transaction-level data tied to real, verified purchases. That data is rare. So rare, it’s one of the reasons why several of Kard’s senior leaders joined the company in the first place.
Shea Stringert, VP of Sales and Head of GTM, shares:
“Having worked in adtech, I knew the deprecation of third-party cookies would change the performance marketing landscape forever. Before I joined Kard, very few solutions had materialized to address the impending gap. I was bought in the minute I heard Kard’s approach — the product is inherently connected to the buying experience, recording exactly how customers buy, who they buy from, and when.”
To be more specific, our dataset shows:
- When people buy (i.e., time of day)
- Where people buy (online, in-store, with store specificity)
- What customers buy (at your store and at competitors)
- What other subscriptions your customers have
- Where else they shop (by category, price point, or brand)
- How much they spend, on average
Exposing all that data to our customers enables them to segment their audience in a smarter way and design more appealing rewards.
Want to know what we learned from analyzing billions of real purchases? Download our 2025 Consumer Research Report →
More reach without relying on site visits
Traditional marketing tactics are dependent on cookies, clicks, and pixel fires, which inherently put a damper on your reach. Rewards-based ads aren’t limited that way.
Kard Merchant Sales Director, Chris Di Censo, explains:
“Because rewards offers are displayed in so many different banking and reward environments, you may grab the attention of people who would’ve nevBrands could follow users across the web, retarget them with ads, look for other potential consumers who matched their behavior, and personalize content based on their clicks. visited your site otherwise. That gives you a huge leg up in terms of new potential customer engagement and acquisition.”
With Kard, for example, you gain access to a 61M+ captive audience, primarily made up of digitally savvy buyers, who are notoriously tough to target.
Not sure how to reach younger consumers? Download our Gen Z Insider Guide →
More ideas to activate customers
Too often, media budgets are optimized in isolation. With first-party data, you can build an integrated strategy based on how customers actually shop (not just how they click).
For example, let’s say you notice a cohort of customers eat at fast-casual competitors on weekday afternoons. That’s a signal you might want to launch a midweek lunch promo.
Or maybe your data shows customers consistently buying across apparel and beauty retailers. You might think about bundling or loyalty tie-ins with adjacent brands.
This kind of intelligence can inform product roadmaps, pricing strategy, and market expansion, giving you even more levers to drive growth.
More budget flexibility (and less wasted spend)
Most performance marketers are still paying for impressions. But the more reach you want, the more you have to pay. And you don’t even know for sure if your ads will convert.
With a rewards infrastructure and demand platform like Kard, you only pay when a transaction actually happens.
And you’re more likely to get those transactions because you’ve got the first-party data you need to refine your rewards and show them to an audience that is actively spending and actively looking for value. Shea emphasizes:
“Performance marketers pay a steep CPM whether a customer buys or not. In the background, they are just hoping and praying they get a return. A CLO platform like Kard de-risks that whole process. You’re only paying for a good outcome."
Future-proof your performance marketing plan
Third-party cookies may linger in some corners, but the reality is that cookies are on their way out. If you don’t have a plan for a cookieless future, your revenue targets are going to take a hit.
The best way to get ahead is to formalize your first-party data strategy. Brands like CVS, fuboTV, and Sunoco are already doing it.
Don’t know where to start? Schedule time with one of our experts to launch your first rewards-based ads campaign.
