This page explains what cookies 73auto.com uses, why they are used, and how you can change your choice at any time. It supplements our Privacy Policy and is written to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK GDPR rules on consent.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your device. We also use functionally similar technologies such as localStorage, which we treat as equivalent to cookies for the purposes of this policy. Most of our storage is first-party; the only third-party technology is the optional analytics described below, which only loads if you accept it.
How we ask for your consent
When you first visit 73auto.com you will see a cookie banner with two clear, equally-weighted choices: "Accept all" or "Reject (essential only)". Both buttons take effect immediately. Until you make a choice, no optional cookies or scripts are loaded — this is the so-called "prior consent" requirement under PECR Regulation 6.
Your choice is stored locally under the key cookie_consent_v1 with the value accepted or rejected. You can change your mind at any time by clearing your browser storage for this site, which will cause the banner to reappear on your next visit.
Essential
Essential cookies are always on because without them the Service simply will not work. We do not ask for consent for these cookies because PECR Regulation 6(4) provides an exemption for storage that is strictly necessary to provide a service explicitly requested by the user.
| Cookie / key | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
auth_token | Keeps you signed in between page loads after you log in. | Session or up to 30 days when "remember me" is selected. |
theme | Stores your dark / light mode preference. | Persistent (until cleared by you). |
cookie_consent_v1 | Stores your response to this banner so we do not ask again. | Persistent (until cleared by you). |
cookie_consent_meta_v1 | Records the version and time of your analytics choice. | Persistent (until cleared by you). |
next-router-state and short-lived Next.js framework cookies | Required for routing, CSRF protection and form submission. | Session. |
Analytics
If you choose "Accept analytics" on the cookie banner, we load Google Tag Manager, which in turn loads Google Analytics 4, to help us understand how the Service is used (for example, which pages are visited and which of our own sign-up/checkout steps are completed). Nothing analytics-related loads before you make a choice, and choosing "Reject (essential only)" keeps it switched off. Browser events do not include your email address, vehicle registration mark, name, or account/payment identifiers — only usage signals (for example, "a free check was completed" with no details about which vehicle or user). Server purchase reports are described below.
| Cookie / key | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
_ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics — distinguishes visitors/sessions. Set only after you accept analytics. | Up to 2 years |
If you accept analytics, we also record a small amount of first-party attribution so we can understand which channel you arrived from (for example a social post or a search). We store marketing parameters in the page address (the utm_* tags and ad click identifiers such as gclid / fbclid / ttclid) and the address of the page that referred you in your browser's localStorage. The first source is sent to us when you create an account. At checkout, we may also save the latest non-direct source and short campaign, test and creative labels with that order, if the visit was within the preceding 30 days and your analytics choice is still accepted. Direct return visits do not replace that source. Rejecting analytics clears both stored attribution records. We do not send these campaign labels to Stripe or include them in the GA4 purchase payload.
| Cookie / key | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
tco_attribution_v1 | First-party first-touch source (UTM tags, ad click ids, referrer) — measures which channel you arrived from; sent to us only if you sign up. | Until cleared |
tco_last_non_direct_v1 | Latest non-direct marketing source; checked against a 30-day window before it can be linked to an order. | Until cleared or analytics is rejected |
Separately, once a purchase is confirmed by our payment provider (Stripe) on our server, we may send Google Analytics a purchase confirmation (amount, currency, product code and an order reference) directly from our backend, but only while your account has a recorded analytics opt-in. When available, we include the Analytics client and session IDs from the browser in which you started checkout, so the purchase can be connected to that visit. This never includes your email, name, card details or Stripe customer ID. Temporary network failures may be retried; withdrawing analytics consent prevents future attempts for purchases still in our delivery queue.
Marketing
We do not use marketing, advertising or remarketing cookies and we have no plans to do so. There is no third-party advertising network embedded on the site.
How to withdraw or change your consent
- Through the banner — use the "Cookie settings" link in the footer to change your choice. If you are signed in, the choice is also saved to your account. The banner stays open if that save fails so you can retry.
- By contacting us — email info@73auto.com and we will record your preference and confirm it has been applied.
- In your browser settings — modern browsers let you block or delete cookies for specific sites. Doing this for essential cookies will sign you out and may break parts of the Service.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
We honour the spirit of "Do Not Track" and the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal: where your browser sends GPC, we treat it as a signal to refuse all optional cookie categories. Essential cookies will still be set because they are required to deliver the Service you requested.
Changes to this policy
If we add a new cookie or change the purpose of an existing one, we will update this page and, where required by PECR, ask you again through the banner.
For any cookie-related question, contact info@73auto.com.
