At Specsavers, we use cookies to make our website easier for you to use. By using the site you agree the use of cookies as described in our privacy policy.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files, downloaded from websites to your computer or smartphone as you browse and use the Internet.
There are two main types of cookie:
- A session cookie only exists for the duration of your visit to a website. They recognise your computer or smartphone as you move between pages. These cookies can be used, for example, to maintain secure logins.
- A persistent cookie stays on your device for a set period of time and can be used, for example, to remember you when you next visit the website.
The source of each cookie also varies. Some cookies are owned and created by Specsavers ('first-party' cookies), but others are supplied by independent companies ('third-party' cookies).
When referring to cookies, this also includes similar online tracking devices such as web beacons and flash cookies that we may use.
Cookies are NOT viruses, any kind of malware, programs or applications. Cookies can't see the files on your computer.
Specsavers, cookies and you
The cookies used on specsavers.ie fall into four categories:
- Strictly necessary
- Performance
- Functional
- Advertising
More information about each category of cookie can be found below, including a list of cookies from the Specsavers site for each category.
1. Strictly necessary cookies
Strictly necessary cookies let you move around the website and use essential features such as shopping baskets and secure areas.
We use strictly necessary cookies to
- Remember information that you have entered on web order forms when you visit different pages in a the same session
- Balance the overall volume of website visitors between our computer servers
These cookies will not be used to gather information that could be used for marketing or to remember visitor information outside of a single session.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| _dc_gtm_UA-78250785-16 | 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. |
| _dc_gtm_UA-78250785-1 | 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. |
| __cfduid | Cookie used by the content network: CloudFlare, in order to speed up page load times. According to CloudFlare it is used to override any security restrictions based on the IP address the visitor is coming from. It does not contain any user identification information. |
2. Performance cookies
Performance cookies collect aggregated information about how visitors use our website, eg which pages visitors go to most often, how long they stay, and whether they get error messages. This information is useful to Specsavers so that we understand how visitors experience our site and it is used to formulate improvements to the website.
Performance cookie information is aggregated and does not identify individuals.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| _vis_opt_test_cookie | This cookie name is associated with the product Visual Website Optimiser, by USA based Wingify. The tool helps site owners measure the performance of different versions of web pages. This cookie tests if the browser is set to allow cookies. |
| _ga | This cookie name is asssociated with Google Universal Analytics - which is a significant update to Google's more commonly used analytics service. It registers a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. |
| _gid | This cookie name is asssociated with Google Universal Analytics. It registers a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. |
| _vis_opt_s | This cookie name is associated with the product Visual Website Optimiser, by USA based Wingify. The tool helps site owners measure the performance of different versions of web pages. This cookie distinguishes between new and returning visitors. |
| _vwo_uuid_v2 | This cookie name is associated with the product Visual Website Optimiser, by USA based Wingify. The tool helps site owners measure the performance of different versions of web pages. This cookie ensures a visitor always sees the same version of a page and is used to track behaviour to measure the performance of different page versions. |
| _hjid | This is a hotjar cookie. Hotjar is a testing tool that tracks user activity and allows the heatmapping of webpages. |
| koitk | This cookie collects data on visitors' behaviour and interactions - This is used to optimise the website and make advertisements more relevant. |
| _gat_UA-78250785-1 _gat_t2 _gat_2011UKTracker _gat_2009UKTracker _gat_GlobalTracker | These are cookies set by Google Analytics, variations of the _gat cookie which is used to limit the amount of data recorded by Google on high traffic volume websites. They are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited. |
| _micpn _mibhv | Cookie used by the Movable Ink company to improve the performance of of marketing emails. |
_vwo_uuid | These cookies are associated with the product Visual Website Optimiser, by USA based Wingify. The tool helps site owners measure the performance of different versions of web pages. This cookie ensures a visitor always sees the same version of a page and is used to track behaviour to measure the performance of different page versions. |
| _qubitTracker qb_permanent qb_generic qb_session | Qubit is a personalisation software that uses cookies that are session-based and persistent-based. Session cookies exist only during one session. They disappear from your computer when you close your browser software or turn off your computer. They are used by Qubit to improve the user experience. |
3. Functional cookies
Functional cookies allow the website to remember choices you have made on the website. Examples include
- whether you have been asked to fill in a survey
- offering the ability to share content via social networks
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| LMUID | Used widely by Microsoft as a unique user ID. The cookie enables user tracking by synchronising the ID across many Microsoft domains and stores a unique randomly assigned ID for a user’s session.It expires after 75 minutes. |
| has_js | Most commonly associated with the Drupal content management system. Drupal uses this cookie to indicate whether or not the user has activated JavaScript in the browser. |
| __SS | This is a session cookie that expires after 30 hours. It does not hold any personal user data. |
| SESS24125de6b936e56ab5f6d0dd66664b73 | This is a session cookie that doesn't hold any personal data. |
| JSESSIONID | This is a cookie generated by Servlet containers like Tomcat or Jetty and used for session management in J2EE web application for HTTP protocol. |
| LMSID | This cookie stores a unique randomly assigned ID for a user’s session. |
4. Advertising cookies
Advertising cookies are used to deliver adverts that are more relevant to you and your interests, and to reduce advertising that is not relevant. Examples include
- remembering a pattern of website behaviour so that adverts can be made more relevant
- limiting the number of times that advert is seen in order to reduce fatigue
- researching which adverts work best
Advertising cookies collect information anonymously and it is not linked to you as a person, even if you have logged in to our website.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| _cs_c | This is a session cookie. This is a pattern type cookie where a random 13-digit number is appended to the prefix _cs_. |
| _cs_s | This is a session cookie. This is a pattern type cookie where a random 13-digit number is appended to the prefix _cs_. |
| _gcl_au | Used by Google AdSense for experimenting with advertisement efficiency across websites using their services |
| _cs_id | This is a session cookie. This is a pattern type cookie where a random 13-digit number is appended to the prefix _cs_. |
| _fbp | Used by Facebook to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real time bidding from third party advertisers. |
| datr | This cookie is owned by Facebook. As a third party host provider, it mostly collects data on the interests of users via widgets such as the 'Like' button found on many websites. This is used to serve targeted advertising to its users when logged into its services. In 2014 it also started serving up behaviourally targeted advertising on other websites, similar to most dedicated online marketing companies. This cookie identifies the browser connecting to Facebook. It is not directly tied to individual Facebook the user. Facebook reports that it is used to help with security and suspicious login activity, especially around detection of bots trying to access the service. Facebook also say the behavioural profile associated with each datr cookie is deleted after 10 days. This cookie is also read via Like and other Facebook buttons and tags placed on many different websites. |
| SID | 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. This cookie is used by Google in combination with HSID to verify a Google user account and most recent login time. |
| TDID | This cookie is owned by TheTradeDesk. The ID is used for targeted ads. |
| HSID | 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. Used by Google in combination with SID to verify Google user account and most recent login time. |
| fr | This cookie is owned by Facebook. As a third party host provider, it mostly collects data on the interests of users via widgets such as the 'Like' button found on many websites. This is used to serve targeted advertising to its users when logged into its services. In 2014 it also started serving up behaviourally targeted advertising on other websites, similar to most dedicated online marketing companies. Contains browser and user unique ID combinaton, used for targeted advertising. |
| APISID | This cookie is owned by Google Inc. Although Google is primarily known as a search engine, the company provides a diverse range of products and services. Its main source of revenue however is advertising. Google tracks users extensively both through its own products and sites, and the numerous technologies embedded into many millions of websites around the world. It uses the data gathered from most of these services to profile the interests of web users and sell advertising space to organisations based on such interest profiles as well as aligning adverts to the content on the pages where its customer's adverts appear. |
| SSID | This cookie is owned by Google Inc. Although Google is primarily known as a search engine, the company provides a diverse range of products and services. Its main source of revenue however is advertising. Google tracks users extensively both through its own products and sites, and the numerous technologies embedded into many millions of websites around the world. It uses the data gathered from most of these services to profile the interests of web users and sell advertising space to organisations based on such interest profiles as well as aligning adverts to the content on the pages where its customer's adverts appear. |
| lu | This cookie is owned by Facebook. As a third party host provider, it mostly collects data on the interests of users via widgets such as the 'Like' button found on many websites. This is used to serve targeted advertising to its users when logged into its services. In 2014 it also started serving up behaviourally targeted advertising on other websites, similar to most dedicated online marketing companies. Used to manage the login process, remembers user on return visit if they choose to stay logged in. |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | 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. This cookie is used as a unique identifier to track viewing of videos. |
| PREF | 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. This is a common Google cookie, used across several of their services. Stores user preference, can be used to personalise ads on google searches. |
| APISID | 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. |
| MUIDB | This cookie is owned by Microsoft - it is the site for the search engine Bing. It registers data on visitors from multiple visits and on multiple websites. This information is used to measure the efficiency of advertisement on websites. |
| GPS | 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. |
| SSID | 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. |
| MUID | Used widely by Microsoft as a unique user ID. The cookie enables user tracking by synchronising the ID across many Microsoft domains. |
| IDE | Used by Google DoubleClick to register and report the website user's action s after viewing or clicking one of the advertiser's ads with the purpose of measuring the efficacy of an ad and to present targeted ads to the user. |
| TDCPM | This cookie is owned by TheTradeDesk. It registers a unique ID that identifies a returning user's device. The ID is used fo r targeted ads. |
| SID | This cookie is owned by Google Inc. Although Google is primarily known as a search engine, its main source of revenue however is advertising. Google tracks users extensively both through its own products and sites, and the numerous technologies embedded into many millions of websites around the world. It uses the data gathered from most of these services to profile the interests of web users and sell advertising space to organisations based on such interest profiles as well as aligning adverts to the content on the pages where its customer's adverts appear. This cookie is used by Google in combination with HSID to verify a Google user account and most recent login time. |
| SAPISID | This cookie is owned by Google Inc. Although Google is primarily known as a search engine, its main source of revenue however is advertising. Google tracks users extensively both through its own products and sites, and the numerous technologies embedded into many millions of websites around the world. It uses the data gathered from most of these services to profile the interests of web users and sell advertising space to organisations based on such interest profiles as well as aligning adverts to the content on the pages where its customer's adverts appear. This cookie is used by Google in combination with HSID to verify a Google user account and most recent login time. |
| 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. |
| id | This cookie is owned by Doubleclick (Google). The main business activity is: Doubleclick is Googles real time bidding advertising exchange |
| HSID | This cookie is owned by Google Inc. Although Google is primarily known as a search engine, the company provides a diverse range of products and services. Its main source of revenue however is advertising. Google tracks users extensively both through its own products and sites, and the numerous technologies embedded into many millions of websites around the world. It uses the data gathered from most of these services to profile the interests of web users and sell advertising space to organisations based on such interest profiles as well as aligning adverts to the content on the pages where its customer's adverts appear. |
| SAPISID | 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. |
| __ss_referrer | This cookie allows the tracking of users referred by 3rd parties. It stores the URL of the site that the user came from so we can make our content more relevant to you. - no personal data is stored. |
| hl | This cookie is owned by AdSense. AdSense uses cookies to improve advertising. Some common applications are to target advertising based on what's relevant to a user, to improve reporting on campaign performance and to avoid showing ads that the user has already seen. |
| adiErr | This is an error-tracking cookie. It is created when there is an error with cookies - It does not hold any personal user data. |
Online Behavioural Advertising
Some Specsavers advertising on 3rd party websites uses tracking cookies. Specsavers places such adverts only in networks that subscribe to the EU Self-Regulatory Framework for Online Behavioural Advertising (www.youronlinechoices.com) and the adverts are linked to further information about the cookies used.
Managing cookies
You can remove any cookies already stored on your computer and you can control how your web browser deals with cookies by changing your browser settings. However this may prevent you from using parts of our website.
Many browsers give a range of options for managing cookies, including obtaining consent for every cookie, blocking certain types of cookie and blocking cookies from unrecognised websites. Finally, you can set your browser to block all cookies however you should be aware that many sites will not work as smoothly as you are used to and some basic functionality that is dependent on cookies will not work at all.
The following links go to the relevant help sections for the major web browsers and explain how to manage your cookies:
Chrome
https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95647&p=cpn_cookies
Safari OS X
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Safari/5.0/en/9277.html
Safari iOS
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1677
Internet Explorer
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/How-to-manage-cookies-in-Internet-Explorer-9
Firefox
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Cookies?s=cookies&r=0&e=es&as=s
Android
http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=169022
Blackberry
http://help.blackberry.com/en/blackberry-q10/10.3.1/help/mwa1334238823957.html
Windows phone
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/howto/wp7/web/changing-privacy-and-other-browser-settings.aspx