1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains the cookies and similar storage technologies used on https://shopifybenchmark.com (the “Service”), why we use them, and how you can manage them. It complements our Privacy Policy, which describes more generally how we process personal data.
The Service is operated by Omniconvert SRL — see the Privacy Policy for full controller details.
2. What is a Cookie?
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website you visit. Cookies are widely used to make websites work or to work more efficiently, to remember preferences, and to provide information to the owners of the site or to third parties whose content the site loads.
Some technologies that are technically not cookies — such as the HTML5 localStorage and sessionStorage APIs, indexed databases, and tracking pixels — perform substantially similar functions and are subject to the same consent requirements under the European ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) and the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (“PECR”). In this Policy we use the word “cookie” loosely to include all such technologies, unless the context indicates otherwise.
First-party vs third-party. A first-party cookie is set by the domain you are visiting (shopifybenchmark.com). A third-party cookie is set by a different domain whose content is loaded by the site (for example, an embedded analytics script). The Service uses first-party cookies and a small number of third-party requests that may set cookies in your browser; the table in §5 indicates the storage scope for each.
3. Why We Use Cookies
We use cookies for the following purposes:
- To remember your display preferences (light/dark theme).
- To remember your cookie-consent choices so we do not ask you on every visit.
- Where you have given consent: to measure how visitors use the Service in aggregate, to detect technical problems, and to attribute the effectiveness of paid marketing campaigns driving traffic to the Service.
We do not use cookies for cross-site behavioural advertising on the Service itself, nor to build advertising profiles about you.
4. Consent
When you first visit the Service from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or another jurisdiction that requires prior consent for non-essential cookies, you are shown a consent banner. The banner presents three primary actions: Accept all, Reject all, or Manage preferences. You can change your choice at any time by clicking “Cookie preferences” in the site footer, which reopens the banner.
We implement consent management using Google Consent Mode v2 (paired with vanilla-cookieconsent (open-source) as the banner UI). Until you accept, the relevant consent signals are set to “denied” and we do not load analytics, marketing, or other non-essential scripts in their cookie-setting mode. Where Consent Mode v2 “modelled” conversions are technically supported (for marketing platforms), we rely only on the platform's own modelled signal without setting marketing cookies in your browser.
Where you visit the Service from a jurisdiction that does not require prior consent for cookies, we apply a “notice and continue” model and you may opt out by setting your browser controls or by clicking “Cookie preferences” in the footer.
Consent freshness. Your consent choices are stored in a first-party cookie/localStorage entry valid for 12 months. After 12 months, or earlier if we materially change the categories of cookies we use or the subprocessors that set them, we will re-prompt you for consent on your next visit.
5. Categories of Cookies
5.1 Strictly necessary
These cookies are required for the operation of the Service. They are exempt from prior consent under Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive because they are strictly necessary for the provision of the service explicitly requested by you. They cannot be disabled within the Service; you may block them at browser level, but doing so will prevent the Service from functioning properly.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| cookie-consent | Stores your consent preferences (analytics, marketing). | 1 year | ShopifyBenchmark.com (1st party) |
| sb-theme | Remembers your light/dark theme choice. | Indefinite (localStorage) | ShopifyBenchmark.com (1st party) |
| sb-dashboard / sb-users | Reserved for future dashboard and profile features. Currently not populated. | Indefinite (localStorage) | ShopifyBenchmark.com (1st party) |
5.2 Analytics (consent required)
These cookies help us understand which features people use and where the experience breaks. They are set only after you accept analytics cookies via the banner. Google Analytics 4 does not log or store full IP addresses (Google processes IP addresses only transiently for geo-resolution and then discards them); we further configure the platform with ads_data_redaction and url_passthrough enabled as defence-in-depth.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga / _ga_* | Google Analytics 4 — distinguishes users for anonymised usage analytics. | 2 years | Google (1st party storage) |
| _gid | Google Analytics 4 — session distinction. | 24 hours | Google (1st party storage) |
| _gat | Google Analytics 4 — request rate limiting. | 1 minute | Google (1st party storage) |
5.3 Marketing (consent required)
These cookies measure conversions from paid advertising campaigns we run on Meta and LinkedIn. They are set only after you accept marketing cookies via the banner.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp / fbclid | Meta pixel — measures conversions from Meta ad campaigns. | 90 days | Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. (1st party storage) |
| li_fat_id | LinkedIn Insight Tag — measures conversions from LinkedIn campaigns. | 30 days | LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Co. (1st party storage) |
| lidc | LinkedIn Insight Tag — load balancing. | 1 day | LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Co. (1st party storage) |
6. Tracking Pixels and Server Logs
In addition to cookies, the Service may include tracking pixels and clear-GIFs supplied by Meta and LinkedIn for the purpose of conversion attribution. These pixels operate by sending a request to the relevant platform when a designated event occurs on the Service. We deploy these pixels only after you accept marketing cookies via the banner. If you decline marketing cookies, the pixels are not loaded and no such request is made.
Our servers automatically record technical metadata for every request (IP address, user-agent, timestamp, requested URL, response code, response duration). These records are necessary for the operation and security of the Service, are retained for seven days, and are not used to build profiles about you.
7. Managing Cookies
- Via the banner. Use the “Cookie preferences” control in the site footer to reopen the consent banner at any time and change your choices.
- Via your browser. All major browsers allow you to view, manage, and delete cookies. Useful documentation: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge. Note that blocking strictly-necessary cookies at browser level will prevent your theme preference (light/dark) from being remembered.
- Via opt-out tools provided by analytics or advertising platforms. Google offers a browser opt-out add-on (tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout). Meta and LinkedIn allow ad-personalisation opt-outs via their own account settings.
- Via your operating system or device. On mobile, you can use the Limit Ad Tracking (iOS) or Opt out of Ads Personalization (Android) controls; these limit how downstream advertising platforms process identifiers we transmit to them after you have accepted marketing cookies.
8. International Transfers
Where cookies cause personal data to be transferred outside the European Economic Area, those transfers are protected by the safeguards described in our Privacy Policy (Section 8 — International Data Transfers).
9. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date above will be revised on each update. Material changes will be highlighted on the Service for at least 30 days and (for Account holders) notified by email.
10. Contact
Cookie questions: support@omniconvert.com.