The Best Shopify Apps for D2C Brands (Part 03): AI, Personalization & Customer Insights
· PART 03 OF 03 ·
Welcome to the final installment of this three-part series on must-have Shopify apps for D2C brands. While Part 01 focused on growth and conversion optimization, and Part 02 covered customer experience and retention, this final piece is all about data-driven decision-making and personalization.
From AI-powered marketing automation to product recommendation quizzes and post-purchase insights, these tools help you understand your customers better, personalize their shopping journey, and improve marketing efficiency. With zero- and first-party data becoming essential for success, these apps ensure you have the insights and automation necessary to drive smarter business decisions.
Missed Parts 01 or 02? Check them out here to complete the series.
3 Essential Shopify Apps for AI, Personalization & Customer Insights
1. Black Crow AI – Predictive Analytics for Smarter Marketing
Black Crow AI leverages machine learning models to optimize key marketing channels, including email, SMS, website, and paid ads. Their platform aggregates data across your entire eCommerce stack, using privacy-friendly, first-party cookies to maintain a persistent view of each customer. This allows brands to deploy AI-driven automations that convert shoppers at the right moments.
Why it’s a game-changer:
Predictive AI modeling optimizes marketing efforts across multiple channels.
First-party data tracking ensures long-term audience insights in a privacy-compliant way.
Automated personalization drives higher conversion rates with tailored messaging.
2. Octane – AI-Powered Quizzes for Personalization & Engagement
Octane makes it easy to build custom quizzes that help customers find the perfect products while increasing sales, AOV, and subscriber growth. Whether it’s a skincare routine quiz, a gift-finder, or a personalized product match, Octane strengthens customer relationships by delivering a tailored shopping experience.
Why you need it:
Boosts sales and AOV by guiding customers to the right products.
Enhances customer engagement with interactive and data-driven experiences.
Increases subscriber growth by capturing high-intent leads through quizzes.
3. Kno – Post-Purchase Surveys for Actionable Customer Insights
Kno provides easy-to-use post-purchase surveys that help brands understand customer motivations, channel attribution, and purchasing behavior. With targeted audience segmentation, pre-built templates, benchmarking, and advanced attribution models, brands can turn zero-party data into powerful insights that drive marketing strategies.
Why it’s essential:
Gathers direct customer feedback to refine marketing and product strategies.
Provides advanced attribution modeling to measure revenue impact by channel.
Uses zero-party data to improve customer experience and deepen engagement.
TL;DR – Here’s What To Do Next
Use Black Crow AI to optimize marketing with predictive AI.
Use Octane to drive sales and engagement with interactive quizzes.
Use Kno to gain valuable insights from post-purchase surveys.
Want A Warm Introduction?
If you're interested in testing any of these tools, I’d be happy to connect you with the teams behind them—no need to be a client to get VIP treatment.
Shoot me an email to let me know!
Check out Parts 01 & 02, where I cover even more high-impact Shopify apps for growth and retention.
This concludes the three-part Shopify App Series. If you’ve implemented any of these tools, I’d love to hear about your experience. Stay tuned for more insights on D2C growth, retention, and optimization.
With Gratitude & Gumption,
Kat, Founder @ No Matter Consulting
Let’s make some magic.*
WAYS TO WORK WITH ME
*and make your business some money
New here? I’m Kat, a strategist, growth marketer, creative, and toddler/dog mama living in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley. As the Founder of No Matter Consulting, I provide strategic guidance, content creation, and tech optimization to visionary founders and teams.