records at registration offices or sweepstakes or customer loyalty cards add to that the data on web surfing behavior provided by trackers or online profiles this tells them a user's name their address their chops but it also reveals what they like for instance what kind of music a person enjoys which series they watch and who they're friends with. axiom is one of the largest data brokers it compiles up to $10000.00 characteristics and attributes for a single profile. these individualized profiles can help banks landlords or insurance companies determine how likely it is a customer will pay meanwhile the ad industry makes use of the profiles to micro target their hands. the basic rule is the more specific and current data is the more valuable and expensive it becomes and corporations are particularly interested