7 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Consumer Data 

As marketers, we know how important consumer data is. It can supercharge your campaigns—but only if you know what you’re buying. 

Choosing the right data partner isn’t just a box to check—it’s a decision that can make or break your results. 

The good news? A few smart questions upfront can save you a whole lot of time, money, and frustration later. 

Here are 7 must-ask questions to help you choose data that’s clean, compliant, and actionable. 

1. Where does the data come from, and how is it collected? 

Understanding where data comes from and how it is collected is important. Without clear source information, you are flying blind. 

There are several types of data sources, and knowing which you’re working with helps determine reliability, compliance, and relevance: 

• Zero-party data: Information a consumer intentionally shares; like preferences, interests, or survey responses. Often the most accurate and compliant, but not always available at scale. 

• First-party data: Data collected through your own platforms (web behavior, purchase history, email engagement). It’s highly valuable but limited to your existing audience. 

• Third-party data: Aggregated from various sources, often purchased or licensed from data brokers. It offers reach but varies widely in quality and transparency. 

According to Retail Dive, 64% of marketers do not completely understand the origins of their first- or third-party data sources 

You want to know exactly how the data was sourced, whether the users consented, how recently it was collected, and whether it was inferred, modeled, or observed. 

Ask your vendor: 

• How do you collect the data (transactions, scraping, public records)? 

• Do consumers know their data is sold? 

• Can you provide documentation and a sample dataset with a data dictionary? 

A trustworthy partner will be transparent. If they’re vague or defensive, move on. 

2. Is the data privacy-compliant and ethically sourced? 

Compliance isn’t a competitive advantage; it’s the bare minimum. Between GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and new AI governance rules, you can’t afford shortcuts. 

But it’s not just about avoiding fines. Consumers are increasingly vigilant and values-driven when it comes to how brands collect, share, and use their personal information. 

According to secureframe, 71% of consumers say they would stop doing business with a company if it mishandled their sensitive data. 

Ask your vendor: 

• Can you provide proof of consent? 

• Was data collected transparently and permission-based? 

• How do you handle sensitive categories (health, financial, ethnicity)? 

• Are you ready for audits? 

Ethical sourcing goes further: Would consumers expect this use of their data—or feel misled? 

3. How often is the data updated or refreshed? 

Data goes stale fast, and if your provider isn’t taking the necessary steps to ensure it is fresh, it’s your campaigns that will suffer.  

Ask your vendor: 

• What’s your refresh cycle (real-time, weekly, quarterly)? 

• How do you handle bounces, invalid numbers, or outdated records? 

• What’s your process for retiring old data? 

Freshness matters. Old records just lead to wasted spend. In fact, according to Cognism, on average, 70.3% of data goes out of date every year. 

4. How accurate and complete is the data? 

Accuracy is the difference between targeting the right people and sending a new mover guide to someone who has been settled in for months.  

Ask your vendor: 

• What’s your average match rate? 

• How do you measure accuracy? 

• Do you allow third-party verification or match tests? 

Also check completeness—a “big” dataset is useless if half the fields are empty. 

5. How easily can the data integrate with your tech stack? 

The best data in the world is worthless if you can’t use it efficiently. Seamless integration is key—especially if you’re working across CRMs, CDPs, ad platforms, or sales enablement tools. 

Ask your vendor: 

• What file formats are supported? 

• Do you offer a real-time API? 

• Can you map custom fields into my CRM or CDP? 

Bonus: Some vendors offer pre-built audience segments or onboarding support. Ask if they’ll help you get campaigns live—not just hand over a file. 

Check out PGM’s audience catalog. PGM offers audiences that fit your needs so that you can be sure you are targeting the right people at the right time.  

6. What use cases is the data best suited for? 

All data isn’t created equal—and neither are your campaign goals. Before you invest, get crystal clear on what the dataset was designed for. 

Ask your vendor: 

• Is this dataset optimized for audience expansion, personalization, ABM, or predictive modeling? 

• Do you have case studies from other customers? 

If they can’t provide examples of real-world use, that’s a red flag. 

7. What happens after the purchase? 

Buying consumer data is never a one-and-done transaction—at least, not if you’re doing it right. 

Ask your vendor: 

• Do you provide onboarding support? 

• Will I have a dedicated account manager? 

• How do I receive refreshed data—manual pulls, automatic feeds, or dashboards? 

• What’s the contract structure (one-time, annual, usage-based)? 

Look for partners invested in your success—those who offer performance reviews, match reports, or ongoing optimization. 

Conclusion 

Buying consumer data can strengthen your campaigns, but only if you know what you should be looking for. 

By vetting partners on source, compliance, accuracy, freshness, integration, use cases, and support, you’ll avoid wasted spend and build campaigns on a strong foundation. 

The bottom line: Don’t just buy data. Buy data you can trust.