What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files which our websites 'set' by storing them on your computer or mobile device and then 'read' again to retrieve the information that has been stored. Each web domain can only access its own cookies but some web pages may contain elements (and therefore cookies) from multiple web domains.
Why do we use cookies?
Our websites use cookies in order to track multiple requests coming from the same computer. We do this to give each user a consistent browsing experience, maintain any preferences you may have set and keep you authenticated if you log into one of our systems.
What types of cookies do we use?
Analytics cookies
Every time a user visits most Sumer web pages, Google Analytics generates or updates an anonymous analytics cookie on your machine. When present, these cookies can tell us whether or not your computer has visited the site before and count the total number of views for each page over time. This allows us to track how many individual unique users we have, and how often they visit the site, which pages are most popular, etc. These cookies are used for statistical purposes only. This agregated data helps us know what people want, where in the world they are located and what material on the site is most interesting.
Authentication cookies
When you register for an online service with Sumer we need to generate cookies to check whether you are signed in or not. Sumer services that you might sign up for would include access any password-protected area of a website or administration system, intranet or private web page. Our sites use these cookies to work out which account you are signed in with, and to verify that you are allowed access to a particular page or service. In most cases these types of cookies get deleted when you either close your browser or shut down your computer. All cookies have an expiry time too.
Marketing
We set a 'web beacon' or 'pixel' cookie that allows Google or Facebook to recognise you have been on our websites when you visit their pages. Because we pay to advertise in these locations, this enables us to track the effectiveness of our marketing and control the display of adverts to people who have visited our sites. No personal information is sent to advertisers or stored in the cookie. If you are not comfortable with this arrangement, you can clear your cookies or disable cookies on your browser, or enable Private browsing mode on your web browser which enables you to browse normally without being tracked beyond the point when you close the window or quit your browser.
Site display cookies
We use cookies to store your preferences for functionality e.g. your page display settings such as font size or page contrast on some sites or to make sure we don't show you a message again that you have already dismissed.
Shopping cart or Wishlist
Some of our sites have shopping carts or wish lists and we need to set cookies to give your computer browser a temporary unique identity. Being able to check this means that we can keep a record of what items you have stored in a cart or list without forcing you to register first or give the website any personal information.
How do I turn cookies off?
Cookies help us improve the usability of our websites, enable you to register for services and just to keep the site working as it should. However, if you would like to turn them off you can do so by changing your internet browser options or preferences.
Turn cookies off using your Browser tool bar:
- Firefox - cookie settings in Firefox are managed in Tools: Options: Privacy. For more information please read the Cookie settings in Firefox help guide: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Cookies
- Internet Explorer - cookie settings in Internet Explorer are managed in Tools: Options: Security. For more information please read Cookie settings in Internet Explorer or select Help and then Cookies from your browser tool bar http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196955
- Chrome - cookie settings in Chrome are managed by selecting the wrench icon on the browser toolbar and then Settings: Advanced settings: Content settings in the Privacy section: Cookies. For more information please read Cookie settings in Chrome http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95647
- Safari -cookie settings in Safari are managed in Preferences: Security. For more information please read Cookie settings in Safari http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=search&src=support_site.home.search&locale=en_US&q=safari%20cookies
With cookies disabled, most information web pages will continue to work but you would not be able to use any of our administration systems, any private or restricted content, any shopping cart, nor could you set any preference for accessibility.
If this does not provide the information you were looking for, or you have any further questions about the use of cookies on Sumer’s website, please contact us.