Cookie Policy
Last updated: May 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to site owners. Similar technologies include web beacons, pixels, local storage, and session storage — this policy covers all such technologies collectively referred to as "cookies".
2. How Almiola Uses Cookies
Almiola uses cookies to:
- Keep you signed in to your account across pages.
- Remember items in your shopping cart.
- Remember your preferences (language, currency, notification settings).
- Analyse how visitors use our Platform so we can improve it.
- Deliver relevant advertisements and measure their effectiveness.
- Detect and prevent fraud and security threats.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
| Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Essential for the Platform to function — authentication, cart, security. | Session / up to 1 year |
| Functional | Remember your preferences and personalise your experience. | Up to 1 year |
| Analytics | Collect aggregated data on how visitors use the Platform (e.g., pages visited, time spent). | Up to 2 years |
| Marketing / Advertising | Track browsing to serve relevant ads on and off our Platform. | Up to 2 years |
4. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on our Platform are set by third-party services, including:
- Analytics providers — to help us understand usage patterns.
- Payment processors (M-Pesa, EcoCash, Stripe) — to facilitate secure transactions.
- Advertising networks — to deliver and measure targeted advertising.
- Social media platforms — if you interact with share/like buttons.
These third parties have their own privacy and cookie policies which we encourage you to review.
5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
5.1 Browser Settings
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically:
- View cookies stored on your device.
- Block all or certain cookies.
- Delete cookies when you close your browser.
Note: Disabling strictly necessary cookies will impair core Platform functionality such as login and the shopping cart.
5.2 Opt-Out Links
You can opt out of analytics and advertising cookies via your browser's "Do Not Track" setting or through industry opt-out tools. Opting out does not remove ads — it means ads will be less relevant to you.
5.3 Mobile Devices
On mobile devices, you can manage tracking preferences through your device's privacy settings (iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security; Android: Settings → Privacy).
6. Local Storage
In addition to cookies, Almiola uses browser local storage to persist user preferences (such as your selected category view or cart state) between sessions. This data is stored locally on your device and is not transmitted to our servers unless explicitly required by the feature.
7. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in technology, regulation, or our practices. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent changes were made. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance.
8. Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies, contact us: