1. Introduction: Understanding Cookies and Our Use

This Cookie Policy explains how Caratflair ("Caratflair," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies (such as pixels, web beacons, and local storage) when you visit our website, Caratflair.com (the "Site"). This policy is designed to provide clear, transparent information about these technologies, their purpose, and your choices regarding their use. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have control over your personal information.

It is important to note that this document constitutes the current and official Cookie Policy for Caratflair.com. Previous versions or pages may be outdated or inaccessible; users should rely solely on this policy for accurate information regarding our cookie practices. The accessibility of clear information regarding user privacy and choices is a priority, forming a foundational aspect of our user commitment.

What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. Cookies enable websites to recognize your device and remember certain information about your visit, such as your preferences or actions over time. Similar technologies, like pixels (tiny graphic files) or web beacons embedded in emails or web pages, and local storage (allowing data storage in your browser), perform comparable functions and are included when we refer to "cookies" in this policy.

Scope of this Policy

This Cookie Policy applies specifically to the use of cookies and similar technologies on Caratflair.com. It details how we manage these technologies and the choices available to you. This policy forms part of, and should be read in conjunction with, our main Privacy Policy, which provides more comprehensive details on how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal data, including data that may be collected through cookies. The systemic accessibility of policy documents is critical; therefore, ensuring both this Cookie Policy and the linked Privacy Policy are readily available is a key operational standard. Caratflair is a jewelry manufacturing enterprise specializing in Silver, Moissanite Diamond and Artificial Gemstone's customize jewelry operating internationally from Surat, India.

2. How and Why We Use Cookies

Caratflair uses cookies and similar technologies for several essential purposes related to operating our Site effectively, enhancing your browsing experience, analyzing how our Site is used, and delivering relevant marketing communications. These technologies are fundamental to providing the online services associated with our brand, which focuses on craftsmanship, quality, and customer satisfaction.

The key functions supported by cookies on Caratflair.com include:

  • Ensuring Basic Website Functionality: Enabling core features such as navigating between pages, maintaining secure user sessions (e.g., keeping you logged in), managing your shopping cart, and processing transactions securely. These are crucial for an e-commerce platform dealing with valuable jewelry items.
  • Remembering User Preferences: Storing information about choices you make on the Site, such as your preferred language, currency, or region, to provide a more personalized and convenient experience, particularly relevant for international customers.
  • Analyzing Website Performance: Collecting data on how visitors interact with our Site, including which pages are visited most often, how much time is spent on pages, and if any errors occur. This analysis helps us understand user behavior, identify areas for improvement, and optimize the Site's performance and content, such as information about our Silver-Moissanite Diamond and Artificial Gemstone sourcing, Crafting, and design processes.
  • Personalizing Content and Advertising: Tailoring the content and advertisements you see based on your browsing activity, interests, and interactions with our Site. This helps ensure that marketing messages are more relevant and engaging.
  • Maintaining Security: Assisting in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities and security threats, protecting both your data and our platform.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

To provide transparency and control, we categorize the cookies used on Caratflair.com based on their purpose. This classification aligns with standard industry practices and regulatory requirements, such as those applicable in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK). The main categories are: Strictly Necessary Cookies, Performance and Analytics Cookies, Functionality Cookies, and Targeting and Advertising Cookies.

a. Strictly Necessary Cookies

  • Purpose: These cookies are essential for the core operation of the Site. They enable fundamental functionalities like navigating the website, accessing secure areas (like your account), managing your shopping cart, adding items, and completing the checkout process. Without these cookies, the Site cannot function properly.
  • Consent: Because they are essential for the Site to work, applicable laws generally do not require your consent to place these cookies on your device. They cannot be disabled using our consent management tool.
  • Examples: Session ID cookies (to track your current session), shopping cart cookies (to remember items added), security cookies (to authenticate users and prevent fraud). These are vital for the secure transaction of high-value items like Silver, Moissanite Diamond and Artificial Gemstone.

b. Performance and Analytics Cookies

  • Purpose: These cookies collect information about how visitors use our Site, such as which pages are visited most frequently, the time spent on pages, the links clicked, and any error messages encountered. The data collected is typically aggregated and anonymized, helping us understand user behavior patterns, measure the effectiveness of our content, improve the Site's performance, and enhance the overall user experience.
  • Consent: Your explicit consent is required before these cookies are placed on your device, particularly if you are accessing the Site from the EEA, UK, or regions with similar privacy regulations.
  • Examples: Cookies set by Google Analytics (a widely used web analytics service provided by Google) to track and report website traffic. Caratflair uses these insights to optimize the presentation of its products and brand story.

c. Functionality Cookies

  • Purpose: These cookies allow the Site to remember choices you make and provide enhanced, more personalized features. This can include remembering your username (if you create an account), language preference, currency setting, region, or other customizable site elements. They may also be used to provide services you have requested, such as watching embedded videos or using interactive features.
  • Consent: Your explicit consent is generally required to use these cookies, especially in regions like the EEA and UK.
  • Examples: Cookies that remember your preferred language or currency, cookies that store layout preferences, or cookies that remember if you have already seen certain notifications. For an international business, these enhance usability significantly.

d. Targeting and Advertising Cookies

  • Purpose: These cookies are used to track your browsing activity across websites to build a profile of your interests. This profile is then used to deliver advertisements that are more relevant to you, both on our Site and on other websites or platforms (like social media). They can also be used to limit the number of times you see a particular advertisement and to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. These cookies are often placed by third-party advertising networks with our permission.
  • Consent: Your explicit consent is required for these cookies, particularly under regulations like GDPR (applicable in the EEA/UK).
  • Examples: Cookies set by advertising platforms like Google Ads (for search and display advertising, including remarketing) and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Pixel (for tracking ad conversions, optimizing campaigns, and building custom audiences). As a direct-to-consumer brand, Caratflair utilizes such tools for marketing its unique jewelry.

Cookie Category Summary Table

The following table provides a summary of the cookie categories used on Caratflair.com:

Category Purpose Examples (Illustrative) Consent Required (EEA/UK & similar regions)
Strictly Necessary Essential for website operation (navigation, cart, security). Session ID, Cart Contents, Security Tokens No
Performance & Analytics Measure website usage and performance (anonymous, aggregated data). Google Analytics Yes
Functionality Remember user choices for enhanced personalization (language, region, preferences). Language Preference, Currency Setting Yes
Targeting & Advertising Track activity to build profiles for relevant advertising, measure ad effectiveness. Google Ads Remarketing, Meta Pixel Yes

4. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies placed on your device while visiting Caratflair.com may be set by third-party companies, not directly by Caratflair. These are known as third-party cookies. They are typically used to enable specific functionalities provided by third parties or for analytics and advertising purposes.

Caratflair utilizes services from various third-party providers who may set cookies through our Site. These include:

  • Google: We use Google services for multiple purposes. Google Analytics helps us understand website traffic and user engagement. Google Ads allows us to run advertising campaigns, including remarketing based on your previous visits to our Site. Google may use cookies like _ga, _gid (Analytics) and NID, IDE (Advertising).
  • Meta (Facebook/Instagram): We use the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram, to optimize ads, and to build targeted advertising audiences based on actions taken on our Site. Meta may set cookies like _fbp, fr.
  • E-commerce Platform Provider: Our online store operates on an e-commerce platform (e.g., Shopify, Magento, or similar). This platform provider may set cookies that are strictly necessary for the store's functionality (like managing the cart and checkout) or for performance and analytics related to the platform itself.
  • Payment Processors: When you make a purchase, our third-party payment gateways (e.g., PayPal, Razorpay, or local equivalents) may set cookies necessary to securely process your payment transaction.
  • Other Service Providers: We may integrate other third-party services, such as customer support chat tools, social media sharing buttons, or video hosting platforms, which might also set their own cookies.

Operating an international e-commerce business inherently involves integrating various third-party technologies. Managing the cookies set by these diverse services, particularly in compliance with stringent regulations like the GDPR (relevant for EEA/UK users), requires robust technical solutions and diligent oversight.

Please note that Caratflair does not control the placement or management of cookies set by these third parties. Their use of cookies is governed by their own respective privacy and cookie policies. We recommend you review these policies for detailed information. The specific third parties and cookies used may change over time as we update our services and technologies. For the most current and detailed list of third parties and the specific cookies they use on our Site, please refer to our Consent Management Platform (CMP), accessible via the cookie settings link typically found in the website footer.

5. Your Consent Choices and Rights (Focus on EEA/UK)

We respect your right to privacy and provide you with choices regarding the use of cookies on our Site. When you first visit Caratflair.com, particularly from regions like the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom (UK) which have specific data protection laws (like the GDPR), you will be presented with a cookie consent banner or pop-up. This is managed through our Consent Management Platform (CMP).

Consent Mechanism for EEA/UK & Similar Jurisdictions:

For users in these regions, our approach adheres to strict consent requirements:

  • Pre-consent Blocking: Non-essential cookies (Performance and Analytics, Functionality, Targeting and Advertising) will not be loaded onto your device before you provide your explicit consent through the CMP. Only Strictly Necessary cookies will be active by default.
  • Explicit Affirmative Action: Your consent must be given through a clear, positive action. This means actively clicking an "Accept All" button, or selecting specific cookie categories/purposes in the "Customize" or "Manage Preferences" section and then clicking a confirmation button (e.g., "Confirm My Choices" or "Save Preferences"). Simply continuing to browse the Site or closing the banner does not constitute valid consent for non-essential cookies.
  • Granular Control: The CMP provides you with granular control over your preferences. You will typically have options to:
    • Accept All: Consent to the use of all cookie categories.
    • Reject All: Reject all non-essential cookies (Strictly Necessary cookies will remain active).
    • Customize / Manage Preferences: Choose which specific categories of non-essential cookies (Performance, Functionality, Targeting/Advertising) you wish to accept or reject.
  • Clear Purpose Information: The CMP provides clear and understandable information about the purpose of each cookie category, the types of data collected, and potentially lists the specific cookies and third parties involved. This information is intended to help you make an informed decision.

Consent Management Platform (CMP)

We utilize a specialized Consent Management Platform (CMP) tool to manage your cookie preferences in compliance with applicable regulations. This tool facilitates the consent banner interaction, records your choices, and communicates them to our systems and relevant third-party services.

Google Consent Mode v2

To ensure compliance and respect user choices when using Google services (like Google Analytics and Google Ads), especially for traffic from the EEA and UK, Caratflair aims to implement Google Consent Mode v2. This technical solution helps communicate your consent status for analytics and advertising cookies directly to Google's platforms. If you do not consent to certain cookie types, Google services receiving this signal will adjust their behavior accordingly (e.g., by using cookieless pings for basic, aggregated measurement instead of setting identifying cookies, or by restricting ad personalization features). Note: This functionality depends on correct technical implementation.

Approach for Other Regions

For users visiting from regions without specific opt-in consent laws equivalent to the GDPR, the handling of consent might differ based on local requirements. However, we strive to offer a high standard of transparency and control globally, and the CMP may still be presented to manage preferences.

6. Managing Your Preferences and Withdrawing Consent

Your initial cookie choices are not permanent. You have the right to change your mind and modify your preferences or withdraw your consent for non-essential cookies at any time. We are committed to making this process straightforward and easily accessible.

How to Change or Withdraw Consent:

You can access and update your cookie settings after your initial choice through one or both of the following methods:

  • Footer Link: Look for a dedicated link in the footer of our website, typically labeled "Cookie Settings," "Manage Consent," or "Cookie Preferences." Clicking this link will reopen the Consent Management Platform (CMP), allowing you to adjust your choices.
  • CMP Widget/Icon: A persistent icon or widget associated with the CMP might be visible on the Site (often in a corner), which you can click at any time to access your settings.

The availability and functionality of these mechanisms are crucial for users to exercise their rights effectively. Ensuring these access points are consistently present and operational is a key aspect of our compliance approach, particularly given the need to address previous accessibility challenges across site policies.

Withdrawing consent is designed to be as easy as giving it. When you withdraw consent for a specific cookie category, those cookies will no longer be set or read on your device from that point forward. Please note that withdrawing consent is prospective; it does not affect the lawfulness of any processing based on consent before its withdrawal. Withdrawing consent for certain cookies (e.g., Functionality cookies) may impact your experience on the Site, potentially disabling personalized features or requiring you to reset preferences on subsequent visits.

Browser Settings

In addition to our CMP, most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically configure your browser to block some or all cookies, alert you when cookies are being set, or delete cookies already stored on your device. The specific steps vary depending on your browser. You can usually find these controls in the "Options," "Settings," or "Preferences" menu.

However, please be aware that managing cookies solely through browser settings has limitations:

  • It is less granular than using our CMP; you typically block cookies by domain rather than by purpose.
  • Blocking all cookies, including Strictly Necessary ones, may cause parts of our Site (and other websites) to stop functioning correctly (e.g., login, shopping cart).
  • It may not effectively manage technologies other than standard HTTP cookies (like Flash cookies or local storage).

For more precise control over cookies used specifically on Caratflair.com, we recommend using the CMP provided on our Site.

7. Relationship to Our Privacy Policy

This Cookie Policy provides specific information about our use of cookies and similar technologies. It is an integral part of, and should be read in conjunction with, Caratflair's main Privacy Policy.

The Privacy Policy offers a broader overview of our data protection practices. It explains in more detail what personal data we collect (including data potentially gathered via cookies), why we collect it, how we use and share it, how we protect it, your data protection rights (such as access, rectification, erasure), and how you can exercise those rights.

A direct link to the Caratflair Privacy Policy can be found here:  Privacy Policy.

Ensuring that the Privacy Policy is comprehensive, up-to-date, and readily accessible is essential for providing users with a complete understanding of how their information is handled. Both this Cookie Policy and the Privacy Policy should be easily accessible, typically via links in the website footer.

8. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, technological advancements, legal or regulatory requirements, or our business practices. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.

If the changes are significant, we may provide a more prominent notice on our Site or inform you through other appropriate communication channels. We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and related technologies.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about this Cookie Policy or our practices regarding cookies and tracking technologies, please contact us using the details below:

Email: info@caratflair.com

Phone: +91 90999 60199

Postal Address:

Caratflair

3rd Floor, Plot no B-117

Govind Park Society

Surat Kamrej Road, Jakatnaka

Surat, 395006

Gujarat, India

Your inquiries regarding cookie usage and consent management are important to us, and we will endeavor to respond promptly and address your concerns effectively.