Blurb.co.uk cookie policy
Like most websites, Blurb (www.blurb.co.uk) uses ‘cookies’ and similar technologies to help us improve the performance of the site and provide the best possible user experience. Cookies allow Blurb to manage login sessions, store preferences, and recognise you when you come back to the Blurb website. They also allow us to understand how customers use Blurb’s site and services, so we can make the path to creating your books simpler and more intuitive.
This page explains what you need to know about the cookies used by Blurb’s website and online applications, how they are used, and how you can manage or disable cookies if you wish to do so, along with some useful links for more information.
By using Blurb’s website you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies for the purposes we describe in this policy.
What is a cookie?
Cookies are small text files that are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. The cookies are stored by the browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari) on your computer or mobile device. Each cookie is unique to your individual web browser.
A cookie is not used to identify you personally but it can remember the activities and preferences you choose as you use the site. When you come back to Blurb, the web server retrieves the cookie, recognises you as a returning user and responds appropriately. Your browser will only permit a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by any other websites.
Most websites use cookies, and many (including Blurb) require certain cookies to be enabled in order to work properly.
Kinds of cookies
Web cookies may be set by the site you are visiting and may only be read by that site (‘first party cookies’), or they may be set by other websites who run content on the page you are viewing (‘third party cookies’). On the Blurb website, first party cookies are created by Blurb itself or by its partners and are used for essential functions or site features. Third party cookies may be used to help Blurb measure site usage and performance, or may be set if Blurb embeds content from another site on one of our pages.
In addition, cookies may be temporary and used only during your time on the site (‘session cookies’), or stored by your browser between visits (‘persistent cookies’).
For example, a session cookie may be set to remember books you’ve added to your shopping cart until you’re ready to make a purchase. These cookies expire when you end your session on the site and are deleted when you close your browser. A persistent cookie might be set when you change your language, currency, or other user preferences so you don’t need to re-set them every time you come back to Blurb. Persistent cookies are deleted after a fixed number of days.
Cookies used by Blurb
1. Essential cookies
Some cookies are necessary in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features. Without these cookies, Blurb is not able to provide certain features, such as purchasing a book or managing your account. For example, after you register with Blurb, a cookie on our site records whether you are signed in.
2. Functionality cookies
Functionality cookies record information about your preferences so we can tailor the website to you. For example, we save your preferred language and currency so you don’t need to re-set them every time you visit blurb.co.uk. For example, Blurb uses functionality cookies to store your currency preference.
3. Performance cookies
Performance cookies are used by Blurb to help us to provide you with a better user experience. Information supplied by performance cookies helps us to understand how our visitors use the Blurb website and services so that we can improve how we present our content to you and improve the experience of creating, viewing, or purchasing a book. Performance cookies also allow us to test different design ideas for particular pages.
Blurb generally contracts with independent measurement and research companies to perform these services for us and when this is the case, these cookies may be set by a third party company (third party cookies).
These cookies do not collect information that personally identifies a visitor. However, if you wish to opt out of these cookies, see the ‘Managing cookies’ section of this document. For example, Blurb uses a Google Analytics cookie to keep track of the number of times a visitor has been to a site and when their last visit occurred.
Please see our privacy policy for more information about how information is collected and used.
Managing cookies
The following information is provided for those who would like to manage or delete cookies from Blurb or third-party services used by Blurb. Please be aware that if you disable cookies, the Blurb website and services may not function properly.
You can opt-out of receiving cookies from third-party companies which work with Blurb by clicking the following links:
33across:
http://33across.com/optout-status.php
AppNexus:
http://appnexus.com/platform-policy#choices
Doubleclick / Google:
https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/
Levexis:
http://www.tagman.com/opt-out-of-3rd-party-marketing/
MediaMath:
http://mathtag.com/
If you wish to manage cookies from Blurb and other sites, basic instructions for common browsers are given below. If you don’t see your browser or operating system here, please consult the Help function in your browser of choice or visit www.allaboutcookies.org for more information.
Managing cookies in Windows browsers
Internet Explorer 9.0+
To set preferences...
- Choose ‘Tools’ from the menu bar and then ‘Internet Options’
- Click the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Move the slider to choose your preferred settings.
- For more specialised cookie settings click on Advanced, check the 'Override cookie handling' button and modify the settings to suit your requirements.
To delete existing cookies...
- Choose ‘Tools’ from the menu bar and then ‘Internet Options’
- Click the ‘General” tab under ‘Browsing History’
- Click ‘Delete’ to delete your stored cookies
Internet Explorer 8.0
To set preferences...
- Choose ‘Tools’ from the menu bar and then ‘Internet Options’
- Click the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Move the slider to choose your preferred settings.
- For more specialised cookie settings click on Advanced, check the 'Override cookie handling' button and modify the settings to suit your requirements.
To delete existing cookies...
- Choose ‘Tools’ from the menu bar and then ‘Internet Options’
- Click the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Click 'Sites' -- a new window should open called 'Per Site Privacy Actions'
- Under the "Managed websites' box should be a list of all the websites you have visited.
- To remove all cookies simply click on the "Remove all" button.
Firefox 14
To set preferences...
- At the top of the Firefox window, click on the ‘Firefox’ button (‘Tools’ menu in Windows XP) and then click ‘Options’
- Click the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Set ‘Firefox will:’ to ‘Use custom settings for history’.
- Uncheck ‘Accept cookies from sites’ to disable cookies, or check it to enable them.
To delete existing cookies...
- At the top of the Firefox window, click on the ‘Firefox’ button (‘Tools’ menu in Windows XP) and then click ‘Options’
- Click the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Set ‘Firefox will:’ to ‘Use custom settings for history’.
- Click the ‘Show cookies’ button
- Use the search box to enter the name of the site whose cookies you wish to delete, select the cookies from the list, and click ‘Remove cookie’
Google Chrome
To set preferences...
- Click on the ‘Tools’ menu and select ‘Options’
- Click the ‘Under the Bonnet’ tab, locate the ‘Privacy’ section, and choose the ‘Content settings’ button.
- Click the ‘Cookie settings’ tab and choose your preferred settings.
- Google Chrome allows all cookies by default, but you can restrict the behaviour of first-party and third-party cookies or even block them completely.
To delete existing cookies...
- Click on the ‘Tools’ menu and select ‘Options’
- Click the ‘Under the Bonnet’ tab, locate the ‘Privacy’ section, and choose ‘Show Cookies’
- A new window should open showing all the cookies stored by your browser
- Click on ‘Remove All’ to remove all traces of cookies, or search for the name of a specific site
- If you wish to only remove a certain cookie, simply highlight and click ‘Remove’
Managing cookies in Mac Browsers
Safari 5
To set preferences...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Safari’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Select the ‘Privacy’ tab
- You may choose to block all cookies, only third-party cookies, or none.
To delete existing cookies...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Safari’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Select the ‘Privacy’ tab
- If you want to delete all cookies, click ‘Remove All Website Data...’
- To delete specific cookies, click ‘Details,’ then use the search box to enter the name of the site whose cookies you wish to delete, select the cookies from the list, and click ‘Remove’
Firefox 14
To set preferences...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Firefox’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Select the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Set ‘Firefox will:’ to ‘Use custom settings for history’.
- Uncheck ‘Accept cookies from sites’ to disable cookies, or check it to enable them.
To delete existing cookies...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Firefox’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Select the ‘Privacy’ tab
- Set ‘Firefox will:’ to ‘Use custom settings for history’.
- Click the ‘Show cookies’ button
- Use the search box to enter the name of the site whose cookies you wish to delete, select the cookies from the list, and click ‘Remove cookie’
Google Chrome
To set preferences...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Chrome’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Click ‘Settings’, click the ‘Advanced settings’ link at the bottom of the list, and locate the ‘Privacy’ section.
- Click the ‘Content settings’ button.
- Google Chrome allows all cookies by default, but you can restrict the behaviour of first-party and third-party cookies or even block them completely.
To delete existing cookies...
- In the menu bar, click ‘Chrome’ and then ‘Preferences’
- Click ‘Settings’, click the ‘Advanced settings’ link at the bottom of the list, and locate the ‘Privacy’ section.
- Click the ‘Content settings’ button, then ‘All cookies and site data...’
- A new window should open showing all the cookies stored by your browser
- Click on ‘Remove All’ to remove all traces of cookies, or search for the name of a specific site.
- If you wish to only remove a certain cookie, simply highlight and click ‘Remove’
Resources for further information
The following websites offer more information about cookies, how they work, and how to manage them:
Google also provides a useful video explaining how cookies work at http://www.google.co.uk/goodtoknow/data-on-the-web/cookies/
This policy was last updated on 18 October 2012.