This Cookie Policy explains how W9Vault uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website or use our services. We believe in transparency about how we collect and use data, so we've made this policy as clear and comprehensive as possible.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, which can make your next visit easier and the site more useful to you.
Types of Cookies:
- Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser
- Persistent Cookies: Cookies that remain on your device until they expire or you delete them
- First-Party Cookies: Set by W9Vault directly
- Third-Party Cookies: Set by our service providers (like Stripe for payments)
How We Use Cookies
Essential Cookies (Always Active):
These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and cannot be disabled:
- Authentication: Keep you logged in to your account
- Security: Protect against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks
- Session Management: Maintain your session state across pages
- Load Balancing: Ensure optimal server performance
Functional Cookies:
These cookies enhance your experience but are not strictly necessary:
- Preferences: Remember your dashboard settings and preferences
- Language: Store your preferred language settings
- Theme: Remember your display preferences
- Form Data: Temporarily store form inputs to prevent data loss
Analytics Cookies (Optional):
These cookies help us understand how our website is used:
- Usage Analytics: Track page views, session duration, and user flows
- Performance Monitoring: Identify slow-loading pages and technical issues
- Feature Usage: Understand which features are most valuable
- Error Tracking: Help us identify and fix bugs
Marketing Cookies (Optional):
These cookies are used for marketing and advertising purposes:
- Conversion Tracking: Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns
- Retargeting: Show relevant ads to visitors who have shown interest
- Social Media: Enable sharing and social media integration
Third-Party Cookies
We work with trusted third-party services that may set their own cookies:
Payment Processing (Stripe):
- Secure payment processing and fraud prevention
- PCI DSS compliant payment form functionality
- Subscription management and billing
Error Monitoring (Sentry):
- Application error tracking and performance monitoring
- User session replay for debugging (with privacy controls)
- Performance metrics and optimization
Hosting and CDN (Vercel):
- Content delivery and caching optimization
- Geographic load balancing
- DDoS protection and security monitoring
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Browser Settings:
You can control cookies through your browser settings:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Cookie Consent Banner:
When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent banner that allows you to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject non-essential cookies
- Customize your cookie preferences
- Learn more about each cookie category
Account Settings:
Logged-in users can manage cookie preferences in their account settings under Privacy Preferences.
Impact of Disabling Cookies
Essential Cookies:
Disabling essential cookies will significantly impact functionality:
- You won't be able to stay logged in
- Security features may not work properly
- Some pages may not load correctly
- Form submissions may fail
Non-Essential Cookies:
Disabling non-essential cookies will have minimal impact:
- You may need to reset preferences each visit
- We won't be able to remember your settings
- Analytics data won't be collected for your visits
- You may see less relevant content
Data Retention
Cookie Lifespan:
- Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
- Authentication cookies: 30 days (or when you log out)
- Preference cookies: 1 year
- Analytics cookies: 2 years (anonymized after 30 days)
Data Processing:
- Personal identifiers are removed from analytics data after 30 days
- Cookie data is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy
- Third-party cookies are governed by their respective privacy policies
Your Rights
Under GDPR and other privacy laws, you have rights regarding cookies:
- Right to Consent: Choose which cookies to accept
- Right to Withdraw: Change your mind about cookie consent at any time
- Right to Information: Understand what cookies we use and why
- Right to Access: Request information about cookies stored on your device
Exercising Your Rights:
- Email us at privacy@w9vault.com
- Use your browser's cookie management tools
- Update preferences in your account settings
- Contact us for assistance with cookie-related questions
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes:
- We'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top
- Significant changes will be communicated via email
- You may be asked to review and accept updated cookie preferences
- The updated policy will be posted on our website
Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy:
Our Commitment
We're committed to using cookies responsibly and transparently. We only collect data that helps us provide better service to our users while respecting your privacy choices.