Cookie Policy
Last Review Date: August 2024
This notice explains to you the use of cookies and similar tracking technologies on heatmerchants.ie
What is a Cookie?
A cookie is a small text file stored on your computer or mobile device that contains data related to a website you visit. Cookies have a number of uses. They are used to ensure that a website functions properly as you might expect it to. Cookies also allow websites to ‘remember’ your browsing habits or preferences over a period of time. Cookies may be set by Heat Merchants as the website operator directly (“first-party cookies”) or in some cases, by another third-party service provider (“third-party cookies”). In the latter scenario, cookies are deployed for, preference, advertising or analytics purposes amongst others. Heat Merchants will only be able to directly recognise and read the information contained on first-party cookies.
Other Tracking Technologies
There are other technologies which we deploy which track behaviour on our website. ‘Tracker Pixels’ are a means of allowing us to check whether you have viewed our content. These “pixels” are essentially tiny, invisible images on our web pages that, once loaded, will communicate your interaction with our content. This allows Heat Merchants and our partners to gauge the validity of material being presented to you.
Third Parties
We avail of third-party technologies across our site. These technologies help us to understand how you use the site and the ways in which we can improve your user experience. These technologies may track certain information such as the pages you visit across our site as well as how long your visit lasts. This allows us to continue providing engaging content.
In order for these technologies to work, trusted third parties will set cookies and tracker pixels throughout our site. Once enabled, these technologies may be used to enhance your profile or to contribute to the data they hold for various purposes outlined in their respective privacy policies. For any third-party technology used on our site, we will provide a link to that third-party’s respective cookie/privacy policy for your information. We encourage our visitors to review these policies in advance of granting consent to deployment.
What Information Do We Obtain from You?
For each visitor to our site, we automatically gather certain potentially identifying information and store it. This information includes your Internet Protocol (IP) address, your browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, your operating system, date/time stamp, processor or device serial number, unique device identifier, and clickstream data. We collect this information on an individual basis and in aggregate, or combined form.
Our Use of Cookies and Similar Tracking Technologies
We use cookies to provide you with the best user experience on our website, this includes:
- Network Optimisation.
- Remembering you when you wish to log in to your account.
- Providing customer support.
- Maintaining site security.
- Analysing visitor traffic across our site.
- Providing you with more relevant advertising content.
- Remembering your cookie status
Categories of Tracking Technologies That We Set
We avail of both first and third-party technologies across our site. Heat Merchants takes our visitors’ right to privacy seriously in keeping with our obligations. Should you consent to the deployment of any category of optional technology, we will record your consent for a period of no longer than 6 months subject to interaction; at which point these technologies will be disabled. You will then be prompted to refresh you consent. You may change your settings at any time.
Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function. They are set for security purposes and in response to actions made by you which amount to a service request such as logging in to our platform or as you fill out forms on our site. You have the option to disable these cookies via your browser settings, but should you do so, certain aspects of our site will no longer function. For more information about the specific technologies we use for this purpose, please see below.
Should you wish to disable these cookies via your browser settings, please see the following links relating to your particular browser.
- Google Chrome Browser
- Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser
- Mozilla Firefox Browser
- Apple Safari Browser
- Opera Web Browser
| Host | Name | Description | Lifespan |
| heatmerchants.ie | _dc_gtm_UA-xxxxxxxx | This cookie is associated with sites using Google Tag Manager to load other scripts and code into a page. Where it is used it may be regarded as Strictly Necessary as without it, other scripts may not function correctly. The end of the name is a unique number which is also an identifier for an associated Google Analytics account. | 0 days |
| google.ie | AEC | ‘AEC’ cookies ensure that requests within a browsing session are made by the user, and not by other sites. These cookies prevent malicious sites from acting on behalf of a user without that user’s knowledge | 6 months |
| pubble.io | AWSALB | This HTTP cookie registers which server-cluster is serving the visitor. This is used in context with load balancing, in order to optimize user experience. | 6 days |
| pubblie.io | AWSALBCORS | This HTTP cookies registers which server-cluster is serving the visitor. This is used in context with load balancing, in order to optimize user experience. | 6 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | form_key | This HTTP cookie ensures visitor browsing-security by preventing cross-site request forgery. This cookie is essential for the security of the website and visitor. | 1 Day |
| pubblie.io | JSESSIONID | This HTTP cookies is used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server in Java™ 2 Platform Enterprise Edition web applications. It is a necessary cookie that expires at the end of a session. | Session |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_mage-banners-cache-storage, ls_mage-cache-storage, ls_mage-cache-timeout | Local storage for Banner functionality - This cookie is used to facilitate content caching on the browser to make pages load faster. | 399 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_mage-cache-storage-section-invalidation | Forces local storage of specific content sections that should be invalidated. | 399 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_monsoon-dynamiccatalogprice-cache-storage | This cookie is used to store pricing information. | 1 year |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_product_data_storage | Stores configuration for product data related to Recently Viewed / Compared Products. | 399 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_recently_compared_product, ls_recently_compared_product_previous | Stores product IDs of previously compared products for easy navigation. | 399 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | ls_recently_viewed_product, ls_recently_viewed_product_previous | Stores product IDs of recently previously viewed products for easy navigation. | 399 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-banners-cache-storage | This HTML cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-banners-cache-timeout, mach-cache-timeout | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-banners-cartDataId | Necessary for the shopping cart functionality on the website. | 0 Days |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-banners-storeId | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser | 0 Days |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-cache-sessid | This HTTP cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-cache-storage | This HTTP cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers.. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-cache-storage-section-invalidation | This HTTP cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | mage-messages | This HTTP cookie is necessary for the functionality of the website's chat-box function. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | monsoon-dynamiccatalogprice-cache-storage | This cookie is used to store pricing information. | 1 year |
| heatmerchants.ie | OptanonAlertBoxClosed | This cookie is set after visitors have seen a cookie information notice and in some cases only when they actively close the notice down. It enables the website not to show the message more than once to a user. The cookie has a one year lifespan and contains no personal information. | 6 Months |
| heatmerchants.ie | OptanonConsent | This cookie stores information about the categories of cookies the site uses and whether visitors have given or withdrawn consent for the use of each category. This enables site owners to prevent cookies in each category from being set in the users browser, when consent is not given. The cookie has a normal lifespan of one year , so that returning visitors to the site will have their preferences remembered. It contains no information that can identify the site visitor. | 6 Months |
| heatmerchants.ie | PHPSESSID | This HTTP cookie preserves user session state across page requests. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | product_data_storage | This HTML cookie is necessary for the recently viewed/compare-products function on the website. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | recently_compared_product | This HTTP cookie is necessary for the compare-products function on the website. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | recently_compared_product_previous | This HTTP cookie is necessary for the previously compare-products function on the website. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | recently_viewed_product | This HTTP cookie determines which products the user has viewed, allowing the website to promote related products. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | recently_viewed_product_previous | This HTTP cookie collects information on which products have been viewed by the visitor - This is used for optimizing the specific visitor's navigation on the website. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | section_data_ids | This cookie is used to facilitate content caching on the browser to make pages load faster. It stores customer-specific information related to shopper-initiated actions such as display wish list and checkout information. | 1 day |
| heatmerchants.ie | SID | This cookie contains digitally signed and encrypted records of a user’s Google Account ID and most recent sign-in time. Used to block many types of attack, such as attempts to steal the content of forms submitted in Google services. | 240 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | SIDCC | This cookie carries out information about how the end user uses the website and any advertising that the end user may have seen before visiting the said website. | 240 days |
Preference/Functional Cookies (optional)
These cookies enable our website to provide additional functionality and personalisation. The primary use of such cookies is to enable our support chat function and to enable cross-site comparison of products. If you disable this category of cookies our site will still work, however, certain content may not load as expected. For more information about the specific technologies we and our partners use for this purpose, please see below.
| Host | Name | Description | Lifetime |
| accounts.google.com |
__Host-1PLSID, __Host-3PLSID, __Host-GAPS |
Used for user login via Google account. |
240 days, 240 days, 1 year |
| pubble.io | pubble_gen_uid | This HTTP cookie is used to identify the user across the session and return visits in the same browser. Used to identify activity, such a posting, with that user/session. | 1 Year |
| pubble.io | pubble_session_time | This HTTP cookie tracks how long the user has been on the site. It is used for any time based triggers. Like the Greeting messages. | Session |
| pubble.io | pubble_site_time | This HTTP cookie tracks how long the user has been on the site. | Session |
| cdn.pubble.io | pubble_trigger | This HTTP cookie tracks interaction with trigger messages (greeting rules). | 1 day |
| heatmerchants.ie | pubble_trigger | This HTTP cookie tracks interaction with trigger messages (greeting rules). | 0 days |
| tubstiles.ie | X-Magento-Vary | This cookie is used by Magento to highlight that the version of a page requested by a user has been changed. It allows having different versions of the same page stored in cache e.g. Varnish. | Session |
Analytics Cookies (optional)
These technologies allow us to determine the number of visits to our site as well as where that traffic originates. This helps us understand which pages are most popular as well as how it is that you come to view them. For example, when enabled, we use Google Analytics for aggregated, anonymized website traffic analysis. In order to track your session usage, Google drops a cookie with a randomly-generated ClientID in your browser. This ID is anonymized and contains no identifiable information like email, phone number, name, etc. We also send Google your IP Address. We use GA to track aggregated website behaviour, such as what pages you looked at, for how long, etc. This information is important to us for improving the user experience and determining site effectiveness.
This information will not be combined by Heat Merchants for profiling purposes, however, certain third parties such as Google may use this information in aggregate form for the purposes outlined in their respective privacy notices. If you disable this category of cookie our site will still work, though its improvement over time will be hampered.
For more information on Google Analytics as well as how you may opt-out of being tracked on this and other sites, please see the following links:
- Information for visitors of sites and apps using Google Analytics
- Google Analytics Opt-Out
- Google Privacy Policy
For more information on the specific technologies we and our partners use for this purpose, please see below.
| Host | Name | Description | Lifespan |
| heatmerchants.ie | __utma | This is one of the four main cookies set by the Google Analytics service which enables website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. This cookie lasts for 2 years by default and distinguishes between users and sessions. It it used to calculate new and returning visitor statistics. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. The lifespan of the cookie can be customised by website owners. | 2 Years |
| heatmerchants.ie | __utmb | This is one of the four main cookies set by the Google Analytics service which enables website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. This cookie determines new sessions and visits and expires after 30 minutes. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. Any activity by a user within the 30 minute life span will count as a single visit, even if the user leaves and then returns to the site. A return after 30 minutes will count as a new visit, but a returning visitor. | 1 Day |
| heatmerchants.ie | __utmc |
This is one of the four main cookies set by the Google Analytics service which enables website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. It is not used in most sites but is set to enable interoperability with the older version of Google Analytics code known as Urchin. In this older versions this was used in combination with the __utmb cookie to identify new sessions/visits for returning visitors. When used by Google Analytics this is always a Session cookie which is destroyed when the user closes their browser. Where it is seen as a Persistent cookie it is therefore likely to be a different technology setting the cookie. |
NA |
| heatmerchants.ie | __utmt | This cookie is set by Google Analytics. According to their documentation it is used to throttle the request rate for the service - limiting the collection of data on high traffic sites. It expires after 10 minutes | 0 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | __utmz | This is one of the four main cookies set by the Google Analytics service which enables website owners to track visitor behaviour measure of site performance. This cookie identifies the source of traffic to the site - so Google Analytics can tell site owners where visitors came from when arriving on the site. The cookie has a life span of 6 months and is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. | 6 Months |
| heatmerchants.ie | _ga | This cookie is used by Google Analytics to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. It is included in each page request in a site and used to calculate visitor, session and campaign data for the sites analytics reports. | 2 Years |
| heatmerchants.ie | _ga_xxxxxxxxxx | The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. | 1 year |
| heatmerchants.ie | _gclxxxx | This cookie is set by Google Analytics and is used to store and track conversions. Google conversion tracking cookie | 89 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | _gid | This cookie is used by Google Analytics to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. | 0 days |
| heatmerchants.ie | _utmv######### | This cookie is used by Google Analytics to understand how the site was reached (search, direct link, organic or a paid link). The number is randomly-generated. | 0 days |
Targeting/Marketing Cookies (optional)
These cookies may be set throughout our site with your consent. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on both our own and other sites. These technologies operate by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device such as your phone or desktop and monitor specific activity across our site.
For more information on the specific technologies we use for this purpose, including how your information may be further processed, please see below.
| Host | Name | Description | Lifespan |
| google.com |
__Secure-1PAPISID, __Secure-1PSID, __Secure-1PSIDCC, __Secure-3PAPISID, __Secure-3PSID |
This cookie is used for targeting purposes to build a profile of the website visitor's interests in order to show relevant and personalised Google advertising. | 240 days |
| google.com | __Secure-1PSIDTS | This cookie collects information about your interactions with Google services and ads. It contains a unique identifier. | 1 year |
| google.com | __Secure-3PSIDCC | This cookie is used by Google to build a profile of website visitor interests to show relevant and personalised ads through retargeting. | 205 days |
| myaccount.google.com | __Secure-OSID | This cookie is used by Google to build a profile of website visitor interests to show relevant and personalised ads through retargeting. | 240 days |
| accounts.google.com | ACCOUNT_CHOOSER | This cookie carries out information about how the end user uses the website and any advertising that the end user may have seen before visiting the said website. | 364 days |
| google.com | APISID | This DoubleClick cookie is generally set through the site by advertising partners, and used by them to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites. This cookie works by uniquely identifying your browser and device. | 240 days |
| cookiepro.com | apt.sid | This is a PX Cookie from Gainsight. It collects aggregated information of your session, such as your browsing time, access metrics (open, forwards, clicks), timestamp for your activity, and application usage history. It expires after each session. | Session |
| cookiepro.com | apt.uid | This is a PX Cookie from Gainsight. It aggregates the information collected from each session in a single reference based on your Tenant GUID. This information is used to provide customized services based in the experience you have using our application as well as to improve your usage of our product. | 1 year |
| doubleclick.net | ar_debug | This cookie is used by DoubleClick to debug ads. | 1 year |
| google.com | HSID | This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites. | 1 year |
| doubleclick.net | IDE | This domain is owned by Doubleclick (Google). The main business activity is: Doubleclick is Googles real time bidding advertising exchange | 1 year |
| accounts.google.com | LSID | This cookie carries out information about how the end user uses the website and any advertising that the end user may have seen before visiting the said website. | 240 days |
| google.com | NID | This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to help build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites. | 1 year |
| myaccount.google.com | OSID | This cookie is used by Google to build a profile of website visitor interests to show relevant and personalised ads through retargeting. | 240 days |
| accounts.google.com, myaccount.google.com | OTZ | Used by Google Analytics that provides an aggregate analysis of Website visitors. | 1 year |
| google.com | SAPISID | This DoubleClick cookie is generally set through the site by advertising partners, and used by them to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites. This cookie works by uniquely identifying your browser and device. | 240 days |
| google.com | SSID | This cookie carries out information about how the end user uses the website and any advertising that the end user may have seen before visiting the said website. | 240 days |
| doubleclick.net | test_cookie | This HTTP Cookie is used to check whether the user's browser supports cookies. | Session |
| youtube.com | TESTCOOKIESENABLED | Used by YouTube to track user’s interaction with embedded content. | 0 days |
| youtube.com | VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | This cookie is used as a unique identifier to track viewing of videos | 180 days |
| youtube.com | VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA | YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's cookie consent state for the current domain. | 179 days |
| youtube.com | YSC | YouTube is a Google owned platform for hosting and sharing videos. YouTube collects user data through videos embedded in websites, which is aggregated with profile data from other Google services in order to display targeted advertising to web visitors across a broad range of their own and other websites. | Session |
Further Information:
We regularly scan our website using a third-party tool to maintain a record of the tracking technologies we deploy. Heat Merchants only processes your personal information in accordance with this notice as well as our Privacy Notice.
Should you require additional information then you can contact our Data Protection Lead at the following email address: dataprotection@heatmerchants.ie
You may also contact our Data Protection Lead by writing in to:
Data Protection Lead,
Heat Merchants Group,
Moydrum Road,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath
Should you wish to make a complaint regarding the processing of your personal data or are unsatisfied with how we have handled your information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish Supervisory Authority. You may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner via their online form
