This website, www.winesoftheworld.ie (the "Site"), is operated by WOW LTD ("we", "us", or "our"). We use cookies and similar technologies to help optimize your experience, analyze our website traffic, and ensure our site runs securely.

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them on our Squarespace platform, how we integrate Google Analytics, and how you can manage your preferences in compliance with Irish Data Protection law and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. What Are Cookies?

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

• First-party cookies: Set directly by our Squarespace platform.

• Third-party cookies: Set by external services we use, such as Google Analytics.

• Session cookies: Deleted automatically when you close your browser.

• Persistent cookies: Remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them.

2. Types of Cookies We Use and Why

Under Irish law, we categorize our cookies into two main buckets: Strictly Necessary (which do not require your prior consent) and Non-Essential (such as Analytics, which legally require your explicit opt-in before they can be dropped on your device).

A. Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for our website to function properly. They handle security, user authentication, and core system stability. You cannot disable these through our cookie banner.

• Cookie Name: Crumb

  • Provider: Squarespace

  • Purpose: Prevents Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), a common security exploit.

  • Lifespan: Session

• Cookie Name: Locked

  • Provider: Squarespace

  • Purpose: Prevents the password-protected screen from showing if the site has a global password.

  • Lifespan: Session

B. Analytics and Performance Cookies (Non-Essential)

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our site by collecting and reporting information anonymously. We use these insights to improve our website speed, content, and design. These will only be deployed if you click "Accept" or "Accept All" on our banner.

• Cookie Name: ss_cvr

  • Provider: Squarespace

  • Purpose: Identifies unique visitors and tracks a visitor’s history on our site.

  • Lifespan: 2 years

• Cookie Name: ss_cvt

  • Provider: Squarespace

  • Purpose: Tracks a user's behavior within a single browsing session.

  • Lifespan: 30 minutes

• Cookie Name: _ga

  • Provider: Google Analytics

  • Purpose: Used to distinguish unique users and calculate visitor, session, and campaign data for site analytics.

  • Lifespan: 2 years

• Cookie Name: ga<container-id>

  • Provider: Google Analytics

  • Purpose: Used by Google Analytics to maintain session state and track activity.

  • Lifespan: 2 years

3. How to Manage and Control Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject non-essential cookies.

• Our Cookie Banner: When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. You can explicitly choose to click "Accept All" to enable tracking, or "Reject All" (or "Necessary Only") to completely block Squarespace Analytics and Google Analytics.

• Your Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings menu. You can configure your browser to delete existing cookies, notify you before a cookie is set, or block them entirely. Please note that blocking all cookies (including necessary ones) may prevent parts of our site from rendering correctly.

To change your browser settings, visit the official support pages for your browser:

• Google Chrome

• Apple Safari

• Mozilla Firefox

• Microsoft Edge

4. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please revisit this page regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies.

5. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or how we handle your data, please contact us at:

• Email: sales@winesoftheworld.ie