1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how Websitting.co.uk (“we”, “us”, “our”) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website (websitting.co.uk) (the “Website”), and what your choices are regarding cookies.

By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this Cookie Policy. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we use personal information.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

Cookies can be:

• Session cookies: These are temporary and expire once you close your browser (or once your session ends).
• Persistent cookies: These remain on your device for a set period specified in the cookie or until you manually delete them. They are activated each time you visit the website that created that particular cookie.

Cookies can also be:

• First-party cookies: These are set by the website you are visiting directly.
• Third-party cookies: These are set by a domain other than the one you are visiting, for example, by advertisers or analytics providers.

3. How We Use Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies for a variety of purposes, including:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: These cookies are essential for you to browse the Website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the site. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided.
  • Example: Remembering items in a shopping basket (if applicable), managing your cookie consent preferences.
• Performance/Analytical Cookies: These cookies collect information about how visitors use our Website, for instance, which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. It is only used to improve how the Website works.
  • Example: Google Analytics cookies that help us understand website traffic and usage patterns.
• Functionality Cookies: These cookies allow the Website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language, or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing in a cookie the region in which you are currently located. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts, and other parts of web pages that you can customise.
  • Example: Remembering your preferences for language or region.
• Targeting/Advertising Cookies: These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator’s permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
  • Example: Cookies used by advertising platforms to show you targeted ads on other sites based on your browsing history on our website. (Please specify if you use these).

4. What Cookies Do We Use?

Below is a list of the types of cookies we may use on our website. (Please note: This is a general list. You will need to audit your website to identify the specific cookies in use and update this section accordingly, especially for third-party cookies.)

• Strictly Necessary Cookies:
  • cookie_consent_status: Remembers your cookie consent preferences. (First-party)
  • sessionid (or similar): Manages your session on the website. (First-party)
• Performance/Analytical Cookies:
  • _ga, _gid, _gat (Google Analytics): Used to distinguish users and throttle request rate. Helps us understand how visitors interact with the website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. (Third-party – Google)
• Functionality Cookies:
  • (List any functionality cookies you use, e.g., lang for language preference)
• Targeting/Advertising Cookies:
  • (List any advertising cookies if you use services like Google Ads remarketing, Facebook Pixel, etc. Be specific about the provider and purpose.)

5. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies may be set by third-party services that appear on our pages. These third parties (such as advertising networks and providers of external services like web traffic analysis services) may also use cookies, over which we have no direct control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies.

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how our customers use the Website. You can read more about how Google uses your Personal Information here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. You can also opt-out of Google Analytics here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

(If you use other third-party services that set cookies, list them here with links to their privacy/cookie policies, e.g., social media sharing buttons, embedded video players.)

6. Your Cookie Choices and How to Opt-Out

When you first visit our Website, you may be shown a cookie banner requesting your consent to set non-essential cookies.

You have the right to choose whether or not to accept cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time:

• Cookie Consent Tool: You can adjust your preferences through our cookie consent banner or a dedicated cookie settings link on our Website (if implemented).
• Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. You can set your browser to block cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you block cookies, you may not be able to use all the features on our Website. Find out how to manage cookies on popular browsers:
  • Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
  • Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/microsoft-edge-browsing-data-and-privacy-bb8174ba-9d73-dcf2-9b4a-c582b4e640dd
  • Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop?redirectslug=enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences&redirectlocale=en-US
  • Apple Safari: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac To find information relating to other browsers, visit the browser developer’s website.

Please note that if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our Website.

• Opting out of specific third-party cookies:
  • For Google Analytics, you can opt-out via their opt-out browser add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
  • For other third-party advertising cookies, you can often opt-out via the Digital Advertising Alliance’s consumer choice page (http://optout.aboutads.info) or the Network Advertising Initiative’s consumer opt-out page (http://optout.networkadvertising.org) in the US, or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance’s Your Online Choices page (http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/) in Europe.

7. Web Beacons and Other Tracking Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use other similar tracking technologies, such as web beacons (also known as “tracking pixels” or “clear gifs”). These are tiny graphics files that contain a unique identifier that enable us to recognise when someone has visited our website or opened an e-mail that we have sent them. This allows us, for example, to monitor the traffic patterns of users from one page within our website to another, to deliver or communicate with cookies, to understand whether you have come to our website from an online advertisement displayed on a third-party website, to improve site performance, and to measure the success of e-mail marketing campaigns. In many instances, these technologies are reliant on cookies to function properly, and so declining cookies will impair their functioning.

8. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please therefore re-visit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.

The date at the top of this Cookie Policy indicates when it was last updated.

9. Further Information and Contact Details

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please contact us:

• Full name of legal entity: Websitting.co.uk
• Website: websitting.co.uk
• Via our contact form or details available on our website. (Or provide specific contact details if preferred, consistent with your Privacy Policy approach).

For more general information about cookies, see the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-and-similar-technologie