COOKIE POLICY FOR BLOOMS AND BALLOONS
Last updated: 04 March 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Blooms and Balloons (website: www.bloomsandballoons.co.za). This Cookie Policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies on our website. It is designed to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.
When you first visit our website, we will ask you to consent to the use of non-essential cookies through our cookie consent banner. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time.
2. WHAT ARE COOKIES?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide useful information to the website owners.
Cookies help us:
Remember items in your shopping cart
Recognize you when you return to our site
Understand how visitors interact with our website
Improve your browsing experience
3. TYPES OF COOKIES WE USE
We categorize cookies as follows:
3.1 Essential/Functional Cookies
These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and shopping cart functionality. You cannot opt out of these cookies as the website would not work properly without them.
3.2 Statistics Cookies
We use statistics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting anonymous information. This helps us improve our website and your shopping experience. We will ask for your permission before placing these cookies.
3.3 Marketing/Tracking Cookies
These cookies track your browsing habits across websites to build a profile of your interests. This helps us show you relevant advertisements for Blooms and Balloons products that may interest you. We will ask for your explicit consent before placing these cookies.
4. SPECIFIC COOKIES WE USE
Below is a detailed list of cookies that may be set on our WooCommerce-powered store:
4.1 WooCommerce Cookies (Essential)
| Cookie Name | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
woocommerce_cart_hash | Session | Helps us know when cart contents change |
woocommerce_items_in_cart | Session | Helps us know when cart contents change |
wp_woocommerce_session_ | 2 days | Contains a unique code to find your cart data in our database |
woocommerce_recently_viewed | Session | Powers the “Recently Viewed Products” feature |
store_notice[notice id] | Session | Remembers if you’ve dismissed a store notice |
4.2 WordPress Cookies (Essential)
| Cookie Name | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
wordpress_logged_in_ | Session | Remembers you when you’re logged into your account |
wp-settings-{user_id} | 1 year | Preserves your user preferences |
4.3 Cookie Consent Cookie (Essential)
| Cookie Name | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
cookie_notice_accepted | 1 month | Remembers your cookie consent preferences so we don’t ask you every time |
4.4 Statistics Cookies (Optional – Consent Required)
If you consent, we may use tools like Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site:
| Cookie Name | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
_ga | 2 years | Used to distinguish users |
_gid | 1 day | Used to distinguish users |
_gat | 1 minute | Used to throttle request rate |
4.5 Marketing Cookies (Optional – Consent Required)
If you consent, we may use cookies for advertising and retargeting:
| Cookie Name | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
_fbp | 3 months | Used by Facebook to deliver advertisements |
fr | 3 months | Used by Facebook for ad delivery and retargeting |
5. THIRD-PARTY COOKIES
We use services from trusted third parties who may also set cookies on your device. These include:
Payment Gateways (e.g., PayFast, Yoco, Stripe) – for secure payment processing
Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Instagram) – for social sharing and advertising
Analytics Providers (Google Analytics) – for website statistics
Security Services (Wordfence, reCAPTCHA) – for fraud prevention and spam protection
These third parties have their own privacy and cookie policies. We recommend reviewing them for more information.
6. HOW TO MANAGE COOKIES
6.1 Withdrawing Consent
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:
Clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in our website footer
Adjusting your browser settings (see below)
6.2 Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can -5:
View cookies stored on your device
Delete all or individual cookies
Block cookies from specific websites
Block all cookies from being set
Set preferences for third-party cookies
Please note: If you disable essential cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly, and you may not be able to place orders.
6.3 Browser-Specific Instructions
7. SCRIPTS AND WEB BEACONS
In addition to cookies, we may use scripts and web beacons (also called pixel tags) on our website:
Scripts are pieces of code that make our website interactive and function properly
Web beacons are small invisible images used to monitor traffic and collect anonymous statistics
These technologies work alongside cookies and help us understand how visitors engage with our site.
8. UPDATES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legislation, or our data practices. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.
We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
9. CONTACT US
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this policy, please contact us at:
Blooms and Balloons
Email: admin@bloomsandballoons.co.za
Phone: +27 082 293 0432
Address: 19 Lucille str, Risiville, Meyerton, 1929, Gauteng
Information Officer: Sonja van Staden – Owner
Email: admin@bloomsandballoons.co.za