Cookies make websites work better
Cookies are small text files placed on your computer by websites or sometimes by e-mails. They provide useful information to companies. For you the user, it means you can use the site more efficiently, for example you don't need to re-enter details each time you visit. Cookies also make sure you receive relevant information from us.
We use two types of cookies on our websites:
- Session cookies, which are deleted after each visit.
- Persistent cookies, which remain in place throughout multiple visits to our sites.
All of these cookies are essential for using our websites successfully.
Session cookies are used by a server to store information about activities on our sites so that users can easily pick up where they left off on those sites. As a rule, websites don't have a "memory". Cookies tell the server what pages to show the user so the user doesn't have to remember or start navigating the site all over again. Cookies act as a sort of “bookmark” within our sites.
Persistent or tracking cookies are used to store user preferences. You can restrict, delete or disable cookies via your browser's settings if you wish, but this will restrict the functions that you're able to carry out on our sites. For more information about how to disable cookies, please go to the About cookies website.
Here’s a list of our cookies plus a brief description:
- ROUTEID, SERVERID: These cookies are set to always direct the user to the same server.
- XSRF TOKEN: Used to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF). CSRF is an attack on a computer system where the attacker makes a transaction in a web application.
- JSESSIONID: This cookie identifies you as a visitor between different pages and stores specific properties and settings regarding the display of teasers and the like. This cookie will be deleted automatically after leaving the website.
- notepad: In this cookie we remember the items of the watch list.
- productComparison: In this cookie we remember the articles in the product comparison.
- hansgrohe-cookie-seen: This cookie is set when the user has seen the cookie hint.
- cb-enabled: This cookie stores the user's decision as to whether he has consented to the cookie policy or not.
- inspiration-tool-like: This cookie stores the likes in the inspirational tool section.
Third party cookies:
- Google Analytics: _ga, _dc_gtm_UA-xxxx-y (specific country codes): These cookies are used to collect statistical information about user behavior in order to improve the websites. These cookies collect information in anonymous form, e.g. the number of visitors, from which side the visitor found us and which pages were visited. This information will be stored beyond the end of the visit and provided on the next visit.
- Surveymonkey: When participating in the survey on the website, it comes to the use of cookies by SurveyMonkey. Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
- Youtube: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
- NewRelic: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
- Yellowmap: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
- Google reCAPTCHA: This website uses the “reCAPTCHA” service by Google Inc. (“Google”) so that it can differentiate between cases when the forms provided on this website are completed by a natural person or misused by automated machine processing. This involves sending the IP address and possibly other data required by Google for reCAPTCHA to Google. The data privacy regulations set out by Google, which may differ from our own, apply here. You can find them here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy. By using the website, you consent to these data privacy regulations by implication. Please do not use the website if you object to these data privacy regulations.
- Hotjar: We use Hotjar in order to better understand our users’ needs and to optimize this service and experience. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users experience (e.g. how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior and their devices (in particular device's IP address (captured and stored only in anonymized form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), preferred language used to display our website). Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymized user profile. Neither Hotjar nor we will ever use this information to identify individual users or to match it with further data on an individual user. For further details, please see Hotjar’s privacy policy by clicking on this link. You can opt-out to the creation of a user profile, Hotjar’s storing of data about your usage of our site and Hotjar’s use of tracking cookies on other websites by following this opt-out link.
- Qualtrics: This website uses cookies provided by Qualtrics LLC (2250 N. University Pkwy, 48-C, Provo, Utah 84604) to provide you with surveys about our services and promotions of our products and services. In doing so, data will generally be processed anonymously.
Surveys that appear on your screen can be accepted or declined by you at the click of a mouse. Participation in the survey is voluntary and is also basically anonymous.
We would like to inform you that we use tracking pixels to collect certain information that allows us to evaluate the results of our campaigns and the interactions of users with our content. Tracking pixels are invisible graphics that are activated as soon as a user comes to our website. They enable us to recognize browsers or devices. No personal data is stored. With the help of these technologies, we can analyse visits to our website and user behaviour in order to display personalised advertising, for example on social media networks. You can block these technologies by installing free plug-ins for your browser.
- Facebook: Information about user behavior is collected to optimize advertising messages. You can find more information under the following links:
- Google Ads: We use advertising platforms such as Google to analyse usage behaviour. This enables us to play out advertising media that are tailored to the personal needs of our users. You can find more information here:
- LinkedIn Ads: The LinkedIn Insight tag enables the collection of usage data. This data is encrypted. LinkedIn does not share any personally identifiable information with the website owner, only summary reports about audience and ad performance. More information:
If a computer is shared by multiple users, accepting or rejecting cookies will affect all users of that computer.
