How we use cookies

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

Blackwell’s uses cookies for a number of purposes, for instance to enable us to simplify the logging on process for registered users, to help ensure the security and authenticity of registered users, to provide the mechanisms for online shopping and to enable traffic monitoring. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Specifically we use the following cookies:

A session cookie [JSESSIONID, PHPSESSID]

This cookie remembers the currency you have selected, which page to return to when you log on etc. The site could deliver a poor experience without it.

Cookie acceptance cookie [acceptCookies]

This cookie shows whether you have read and closed the cookie message we display. By closing the cookie we record you have clicked so we don't show it to you again.
Not required to use the site but will show the cookie message until you close it.

Checkout cookie [ak_bmsc]

This cookie is set by our payment provider (MasterCard) and is part of the order process.

Chat cookie [__zlcmid]

This cookie is used by our chat provider. Helps with displaying the chat message option. Required if you are chatting with customer services.

Analytics cookies [_ga, _gid, _gat_UA-391783-1]

These cookies stem from Google Analytics and are used to track user behaviour on the site, we look at visitor numbers, page views etc., but they won't identify you as an individual. Not required to use the site.

Affiliate cookie [PAPVisitorId]

This cookie belongs to the affiliates system. It keeps track of the origin of a visit and applies the appropriate commission in case of a sale. Not required to use the site.

We use cookies to recognise your device and provide you with a personalised experience on our websites and services.

We use cookies to serve targeted ads from Google, Facebook, Bing, and other third-party vendors. We also use cookies, and other information from your browser and/or device to provide you with personalised advertising, ad delivery, and reporting across multiple sessions and devices. The Google cookies are called IDE and NID. The Facebook Pixel’s are Facebook Custom Audience and Facebook Connect.

Facebook Custom Audiences	We use Facebook Custom Audiences to deliver targeted advertisements to individuals who visit our websites.	https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
Facebook Connect	We use Facebook Connect to allow visitors to our website to interact with and share content via Facebook’s social media platform.	https://www.facebook.com/policy.php

Our third-party advertising partners use cookies to track your prior visits to our websites and elsewhere on the Internet in order to serve you targeted ads.

Opting out: The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance website Your Online Choices allows you to install opt-out cookies across different advertising networks http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk  or opt out via Google Directly Google Marketing Platform opt-out page 

We may also use web beacons, software development kits, and other automated tracking methods on our websites, in communications with you, and in our products and services, to measure performance and engagement

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

While you do not need to allow your browser to accept cookies in order to browse much of our web site or to access many of our services, you must have cookies enabled if you wish to shop online or access any areas reserved for registered users.

You can find out more about the way cookies work on http://www.cookiecentral.com