As the cost of acquiring customers rises and traditional performance metrics, such as ROAS, lose their effectiveness, brands are seeking smarter ways to grow profitably. Enter: AI and zero-party data. In episode nine of The Leaf Colectivo, Gilbert sat down with Ben Parr, co-founder of Octane AI, to explore how the smartest eCommerce brands are using AI to drive real, measurable revenue.
From guided shopping experiences to dynamic content personalisation, this conversation unpacks what’s working in 2025 and what operators should focus on if they want to scale profitably in a post-cookie world.
Zero-Party Data: The Missing Link in Your Tech Stack
With third-party cookies on their way out and ad costs only getting higher, brands need data they can rely on. That’s where zero-party data comes in. This is the data customers choose to give you, and it’s incredibly valuable when paired with AI.
Octane AI captures this data through high-converting quizzes and guided shopping tools. Customers get personalised recommendations. Brands get insights that fuel smarter email flows, better segmentation, and higher retention.
Why it works:
- Privacy-compliant and future-proof
- Helps reduce decision fatigue
- Informs email, SMS, and on-site experiences
Some brands are even finding that their Octane AI quiz pages are the highest converting pages on their sites.
AI That Drives Revenue (Not Just Engagement)
Ben Parr shared how Octane AI’s new features, like Smart Copy, use customer responses to dynamically update messaging and recommendations. And it’s working.
Brands are seeing:
- Increased conversion rates
- Better ROAS on ad spend
- Higher lifetime value from more tailored experiences
This is where AI moves from novelty to necessity.
We want to make building a quiz as easy as chatting with a friend
The goal? A CX so smart it feels human, but scales like software.
Quick Wins for eCommerce Teams
AI can feel overwhelming, but Ben shared simple starting points:
- Start small, pick one use case (like product discovery) and test.
- Build the habit and use tools like ChatGPT as a daily second brain.
- Focus on experience, don’t just collect data, use it to personalise.
It’s not about trying every tool. It’s about making AI a consistent part of your workflow.
What This Means for Profitability in 2025
The brands that will thrive in the next phase of eCommerce won’t just be data-rich, they’ll be data-smart. That means:
- Owning the customer journey
- Reducing reliance on paid channels alone
- Using AI to maximise margin, not just volume
Octane AI is a great example of a tool that meets this moment. It helps you learn about your customers and immediately puts that insight to work.