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Alex Cruz
CEO at PenPath - Ecommerce Analytics Platform enabling data automation, visibility, and interpretation
Alex Cruz is the founder and CEO of PenPath, a business intelligence platform focused on ecommerce analytics.12 He founded the company in 2013 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.15 Cruz has over 9 years of industry experience and is passionate about the intersection of marketing and data visualization.2
Prior to founding PenPath, Cruz held several positions in digital marketing:
- Director of Digital Marketing at Northrop Grumman - Cutting Edge Optronics (2014-2015)1
- Digital Marketing Strategist at Northrop Grumman - Cutting Edge Optronics (2012-2014)1
- Founder & Publisher of LTCL Magazine LLC (2010-2014)1
Cruz's educational background includes studying at the University of Missouri-Columbia.1 He is proficient in Spanish and has native or bilingual proficiency in English.1
Under Cruz's leadership, PenPath has developed into a platform that helps ecommerce brands aggregate data from various sources, clean it, and provide actionable insights to enhance revenue, reduce costs, and maximize customer satisfaction.23 The company aims to simplify budget planning and optimize return on ad spend for its clients.3
Cruz is known for his ability to turn complex data into compelling stories that drive business decisions.4 He emphasizes the importance of aligning data analytics with high-level business strategies across various industries.4
Highlights
I guess we can keep our hand in the cookie jar? 🍪
Yesterday, Google announced plans to continue supporting third-party cookies. Here’s what this means for Ecommerce businesses:
3rd-party cookie tracking will continue to be allowed for those who use Chrome (currently the most popular browser).
Cookies are small pieces of code that websites deliver to a visitor’s browser, allowing them to track users across multiple sites and target ads. This practice has been a cornerstone of digital advertising.
In 2020, Google announced it would end support for third-party cookies by early 2022, aiming to address the needs of users, publishers, and advertisers while developing new tools to replace cookies. To achieve this, Google launched the “Privacy Sandbox” initiative to find a privacy-protecting solution that keeps content freely available on the web.
💡 Key Update: Users will now have the choice to turn cookies off. This shifts Chrome from enforcing a default change to empowering individuals with control over their privacy.
🛍️ Impact on eCommerce Marketers: This decision means you can still access valuable user data to enhance your marketing strategies.
Third-party cookies allow you to: ✅ Track customer journeys across multiple websites ✅ Re-target potential customers who’ve shown interest in your products ✅ Create more tailored advertising campaigns
🍪 How to adapt: Google’s decision introduces new privacy controls for users. As a small business owner, balancing customization and respecting user privacy is important.
Consider: ✅ Clearly communicating your data collection practices ✅ Offering easy opt-out options for customers ✅ Using data responsibly to build trust with your audience
Next Steps: While the extension of third-party cookies is beneficial, focusing on first-party data remains crucial. This includes collecting information directly from your customers through:
✅ Website interactions ✅ Email sign-ups ✅ Purchase history ✅ Customer feedback
First-party data is more reliable and gives you direct control over the information you collect.
I’d love to hear how this news impacts your data collection strategy?
🔍 Follow for more or feel free to DM me if you still have questions about how this will impact your business.
#eCommerce #DigitalMarketing #DataPrivacy #MarketingStrategy #PenPath #Cookies #Google
