Cookies

Cookies are created and designed to save user’s information so that the webserver can deliver a webpage to the specific user. Secure websites use cookies to validate a user’s identity as they go from one page to another. Without cookies, login credentials would have to be entered before every product is added to the cart.

Types of cookies

• First-party cookies - They are set by the website visited by the user. The data collected can be used for sessions, calculate pageviews, and numerous other stuff.
  

• Third-party cookies - They are set by the domains that are not visited directly by the user. This takes place when the publishers add third-party elements like social plugins, chatbots, or ads on their website.
  

• Session cookies are the ones that expire within few seconds when the user leaves the webpage. These cookies are mainly used by eCommerce to keep track of the products added to the cart, to calculate user sessions, and keep them logged in.
  

• Persistent cookies stay on the user’s browser for a long time. Persistent cookies come with an expiration date that can range anywhere from a few seconds to 10 years. These cookies are used to track a single user and his interaction with the website.
  

• Secure cookies are the cookies with encrypted data and can only be used by HTTPS websites. These cookies facilitate safer transactions and are therefore used by the eCommerce websites in their payment or checkout pages.
  

Importance of Cookies

• Helps to keep the user logged - With the help of cookies, you just have to log in once and browse from page to page without any discomfort. It uses the browsing history of the user to improve the customer experience.
  

• Seamless shopping experience - In the absence of cookies, any product added to the cart will be lost and the user will be asked to log in again. Session cookies keep track of the products added to the cart and the persistent cookies retrieve this data from the database on your next visit. This creates a personalized shopping experience for the customer.
  

• Cookies make the web pages more useful and interactive - They give the website the ability to improve and remember.