Legal
Cookie Policy
Effective date: 27 June 2025 · Last updated: 14 July 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Austin Vows (“we”, “us”, “our”) uses cookies and similar browser technologies on austinvows.com. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
We keep our use of cookies to the minimum required. Essential and functional cookies are placed on the basis of legitimate interest in providing a functioning website and secure member accounts; referral cookies are placed only where you have followed a referral link. Analytics and advertising cookies (Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Microsoft Clarity) are placed only with your consent, and are blocked by default until you accept them via the cookie banner.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website stores on your device when you visit. They allow the site to remember information about your visit (for example, that you are signed in) so you do not have to re-enter details on every page.
We also use sessionStorage, a browser feature similar to cookies. Unlike cookies, sessionStorage data is never sent to our server and is automatically deleted when you close the browser tab.
Cookies we use
The table below lists every first-party cookie set directly by austinvows.com itself. All are strictly necessary or functional. Analytics and advertising cookies, set by third-party services, are listed separately below.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| av_session | Essential | Keeps you signed in to your member account. Contains an HMAC-signed session token; no personal data is stored in the cookie itself. | 30 days (or until sign-out) |
| av_admin_session | Essential | Admin panel authentication. Set only when an admin user logs in to /admin. Never set for regular visitors. | Session (browser close) |
| av_ref | Functional | Records which referral link brought you to the site (e.g. /r/SARAH25) so that the correct Vow Circle loyalty points can be credited after sign-up. Only set when you follow a referral link. | 7 days |
Session storage
In addition to cookies, we use your browser’s sessionStorage for one purpose:
- Shop session ID: when you browse the shop, a temporary anonymous ID is stored in sessionStorage. This records which products you viewed and clicked during your visit for internal analytics only (we use this data solely to improve our shop layout and product selection). It is never linked to your name or email, never sent to third parties, and is automatically cleared when you close the tab.
sessionStorage data cannot be read by any other website and is not transmitted to our server unless you complete a shop order, at which point it is linked to your order record and retained for 12 months before being anonymised.
Third-party cookies
Stripe, our payment processor, may set a cookie when you proceed to checkout to help with fraud prevention and to remember your payment preferences. Stripe’s use of cookies is governed by the Stripe Cookie Settings and Stripe Privacy Policy. Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant. We never receive your card number. Stripe’s cookies are essential to completing a purchase and are not gated by the cookie consent banner.
We also use the following analytics and advertising services. These are blocked by default and only load if you click “Accept all” on the cookie banner; if you click “Essential only”, none of the cookies below are set.
| Service | Purpose | Typical cookies |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics (GA4) & Google Ads, via Google Tag Manager | Measures site traffic and how visitors use the site; tracks whether a visitor who clicked a Google ad went on to submit an enquiry, so we know which ads are worth running. | _ga, _ga_*, _gcl_au |
| Microsoft Clarity | Session recording and heatmaps, used to understand how visitors navigate the site and identify usability issues. | _clck, _clsk |
We do not set cross-site retargeting or remarketing cookies with these services; they are used for measurement and on-site conversion tracking only.
What we do not use
We do not set (and have never set) any of the following:
- Meta / Facebook Pixel or Conversions API
- Cross-site remarketing or retargeting tags of any kind
- Social media sharing buttons that track you (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, etc.)
- Hotjar, FullStory, or any session recording tool other than Microsoft Clarity (above)
- Any cookie-based A/B testing platform
If this changes in the future, we will update this page and notify registered members by email before the change takes effect.
Managing cookies
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Below are links to the relevant instructions for common browsers:
Please note that blocking or deleting the av_session cookie will sign you out of your member account and prevent you from signing back in until you allow essential cookies for this site.
Blocking the av_ref cookie will not affect your browsing experience, but referral loyalty points will not be credited if you sign up from a referral link.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy if we add new functionality or change how we use cookies. Material changes will be notified to registered members by email and the “Last updated” date at the top of this page will be revised. We will not add non-essential cookies without first providing a consent mechanism.
Contact
For questions about this Cookie Policy or to exercise any of your rights under GDPR or the UK PECR, please contact us:
Austin Vows
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commission or, for UK visitors, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).