Glossary / Identity resolution
What is identity resolution?
Identity resolution is the process of connecting an anonymous website visitor to a known profile, such as an email or existing customer record, so a brand can recognize and follow up with that shopper.
Most shoppers arrive anonymously. Identity resolution links an anonymous session to a known identity when the signals allow it, for example a returning visitor who previously clicked an email, checked out, or subscribed.
Done responsibly, identity resolution runs internal checks first (existing cookies, prior links, known email and customer matches) before any external provider, and only for shoppers who show enough engagement to justify it.
Identity resolution is a capability, not a strategy on its own. Its value comes from what happens next: recognizing a ready-to-buy shopper and routing them into the right flow, rather than simply adding more names to a list.