Zero-party data refers to information that consumers deliberately volunteer to a brand or research team, including stated preferences, purchase intentions, personal values, and decision-making context. In consumer intelligence, it sits at the top of the data quality hierarchy precisely because it requires no inference or behavioral modeling. The consumer is the source, and the data reflects what they actually think rather than what an algorithm estimates they might think. As third-party cookies disappear and privacy regulations tighten across markets, zero-party data has become a strategic priority for enterprise insights teams seeking consumer understanding that is both accurate and compliant. Qualitative research methods, particularly in-depth interviews, are among the most effective ways to collect it at meaningful depth.