Cookie Privacy Notice

 

Effective Date: October 23, 2017

 

Affiliated Distributors ("AD," we," "us," or "our") developed this cookie privacy notice to describe (1) how cookies and similar technologies are used on our websites, portals, mobile apps (collectively, the "Website") and online advertisements ("ads"), (2) how we and some of the companies we work with use and share the information collected through cookies and similar technologies, and (3) your choices regarding the collection and use of information through cookies and similar technologies. This cookie privacy notice does not apply to or otherwise address our use of any other information collected through the Website, such as personally identifiable information you may choose to give us when interacting with the Website (for example, when submitting a membership application, contacting us, or applying for a job through the Website). 

 

This cookie privacy notice applies to any AD Website that displays or links to this cookie privacy notice and to all members, distributors, suppliers, partners, and other visitors who access the Website or ads from the United States ("users"). However, AD is a marketing/buying group for distributors (resellers) of construction and industrial supplies. The products, services, and information available on or through our Website and ads are intended for suppliers, distributors, and other partners—not individuals seeking to purchase products or services for personal, family, or household purposes.

 

Some of the concepts below are a bit technical, but we tried our best to explain things in a straightforward and transparent way. If you have any questions or comments about this cookie privacy notice, the ways in which we collect and use the information described below, or your choices and rights regarding such use, please do not hesitate to contact us:

  • Phone: 610-977-3100
  • Email: info@adhq.com
  • Address: 500 E Swedesford Rd, Wayne, PA 19087
  • Attn:  Corporate Marketing Department  

 

BY CONTINUING TO VISIT OR INTERACT WITH OUR WEBSITE, YOU CONSENT TO THE USE OF COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES AS DESCRIBED IN THIS COOKIE PRIVACY NOTICE.

 

Types of Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our Website and ads may use cookies, pixel tags, software development kits, statistical identifiers, and similar technologies (collectively, "cookies and similar technologies") that collect or store certain information automatically when you use or interact with our Website or ads. These technologies include the following:

  • Cookies.  Cookies are small text files that are sent to and stored by your browser (such as Apple's Safari, Google's Chrome, or Mozilla's Firefox) when you visit or interact with our Website and ads. These cookies are then sent back to the party that served the cookie unchanged each time you visit or interact with the Website or ads (which includes our ads on third-party sites) in order for the party that served the cookie to recognize your browser or device. Cookies are either first-party cookies or third-party cookies. "First-party cookies" are sent to your browser by the party that operates the site you are visiting (for example, cookies served by AD when you visit the Website). "Third-party cookies" are sent to your browser by any party other than the party that operates the site you are visiting (for example, cookies sent by our online partners, such as Google Analytics, when you visit the Website). Further, when we use cookies, we may use "session" cookies (that last until you close your browser) or "persistent" cookies (that last until you or your browser delete them).
  • Pixel Tags.  Pixel tags (also known as web beacons) are small blocks of code installed on our Website which enable our online partners to serve cookies when you visit our Website and are generally used in combination with cookies to track user activity on our Website, receive relevant log data and cookie data, and perform other activities relating to the monitoring and analysis of the use and performance of the Website and our ads.
  • Software Development Kits.  Software development kits (also called SDKs) function like third-party cookies and pixel tags, but operate in the mobile app environment where cookies and pixel tags cannot function as effectively. Instead of using cookies and pixels tags, we may install pieces of code (the SDK) provided by our online partners (such as advertising companies, ad networks, and analytics providers) in our mobile apps in order for these online partners to monitor and analyze the use and performance of our Website and ads.
  • Statistical Identifiers.  Statistical identifiers refers to identifiers created using certain device information and log data. Collectively, this information makes your browser or device sufficiently distinct for a server or similar system to reasonably determine that it is encountering the same browser or device over time. Statistical identifiers enable us and our partners to uniquely identify your browser or device for the same purposes as cookies.

 

Information We Collect

Our Website and ads use cookies and similar technologies to collect and store certain log data and cookie data when you visit or interact with our Website or ads, as described below.

  • Log Data.  When you use or interact the Website or our ads, our servers record certain information that is automatically reported by your browser or device each time you make a request to access the Website or when Website content is downloaded to your browser or device ("log data"). This log data may include your Internet Protocol (IP) address (which may change each time you connect to the Internet—a "dynamic" IP address—or may remain the same—a "static" IP address), browser settings, device information, referring page and URL, the date and time of your request, Website features or pages viewed, app crash data and other system activity, and cookie data.
  • Cookie Data.  Cookie data may include log data or any other information included in the small text file (for example, a random, unique number assigned by the party serving the cookie) which is collected or stored when you visit or interact with our Website or ads in order to identify your browser or device and enable certain features and functionality.

This log data and cookie data is often used by us or our online partners in combination with other information that is created and recorded by our servers automatically when you use or interact with the Website or our ads. This information includes the following:

  • Device Information.  We may collect certain information about the device you're using to access the Website ("device information"), such as device type, operating system and version, device settings, unique device identifier, advertising identifiers, device motion information, mobile network information, and crash data. Whether we collect some or all of this device information often depends on what type of device you're using and its settings. For example, different types of information are available depending on whether you're using a Mac or a PC, or an iPhone or an Android phone. To learn more about what information your device makes available to us, please check the policies of your device manufacturer or software provider.
  • Location Information.  Depending on the Website or ad features and your computer or device permissions, the Website may collect information about your approximate or precise location ("location information"). Various technologies may be used to collect this location information, such as IP address, cookies, GPS, and other sensors that may provide information on nearby devices, Wi-Fi access points, and cell towers.

 

Use of Cookies and Information Collected

Cookies and similar technologies used on our Website and ads—and the information collected through these cookies or used in connection with them—fall into four categories:

Essential
Our Website and ads utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies that are necessary in order to operate our business and maintain our Website, including verifying and authenticating Website users; preventing fraud and securing our Website and databases; payment processing; enabling users to move around our Website and use its features; and complying with applicable laws and industry standards. These cookies and similar technologies don't gather information about you that could be used for marketing or tracking your browsing activity. This category of cookies generally cannot be disabled.

Performance
Our Website and ads may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies to provide enhanced features and remember user preferences, including identifying return users when visiting our Website (for example, to remember your login credentials); keeping track of user preferences, interests, and past items viewed or utilized (for example, preferred language or past purchases); and providing social features that allow users to interact with social media services through our Website (for example, Facebook or Twitter, as further described below).    

Analytics
Our Website and ads may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies for analytics, product development, and market research purposes, including analyzing how users arrive at and engage with our Website and ads; tracking and measuring the performance and effectiveness of our Website and ads; optimizing the location of ads, Website features, and other content on our Website; statistical reporting in connection with Website activity; analyzing user preferences and behaviors and market characteristics and trends in order to develop and improve our products and services, Website, and ads; segmenting audiences to test features of our Website and ads; and conducting research about our consumers, products, and online services.

Advertising
Our Website and ads may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies to deliver, track, and measure ads both on and off our Website, including ads relevant to your interests (for example, ads based on your past interaction with our Website or based on predictions about your interests derived from your browsing activities on different websites over time); and ads based on your location, demographics, or device characteristics. Cookies are also used for tracking and measuring the reach and frequency of ads and regulating the delivery of such ads (for example, capping the number of times you see a particular ad).        

 

Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies by Our Online Partners    

We may use vendors and other online partners to perform some of the Essential, Performance, Analytics, and Advertising activities described above, including to provide audience measurement and analytics services, to serve ads on our behalf on our Website and on third-party sites, and to track and report on the performance of such ads. These online partners may use third-party cookies and similar technologies to collect and store certain device information, log data, cookie data and other information when you visit or interact with our Website or ads and other unaffiliated sites in order to identify your browser or device and provide their respective services. Further, these online partners may combine data collected on our Website with information collected on unaffiliated sites or with any other data maintained by these online partners. Their use of data collected on our Website and third-party sites will be subject to their own terms of use and privacy policies.

 

For example, we may use third-party cookies to deliver our ads on third-party websites through a common form of online advertising known as "retargeting." Retargeting works by serving ads on one website based on an individual's activities on a different website or ad (for example, if you search for suppliers of lighting fixtures on our Website, you may later see ads for suppliers located near you when you visit a third-party website). To do this, we allow our online partners (such as Google or other ad network vendors) to serve their own third-party cookies when users visit our Website or ads, allowing these online partners to recognize users who have previously visited our Website or ads. When these users visit a third-party website that includes features provided by our online partners (for example, where our online partners have purchased ad space), our online partners can recognize the users' interest in our products and services and deliver one of our ads on the third-party website. 

 

Your Cookie Choices

Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, browsers typically allow individuals to remove or block browser cookies if they choose. For more information on blocking and removing browser cookies, please review your browser's Settings or Preferences tab.

In addition to removing and blocking browser cookies generally, the following opt-out mechanisms may be available if our Website or ads utilize the third-party cookies listed below:

  • Google Analytics. Our Website may use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google. Google Analytics utilizes cookies and similar technologies to collect and analyze information about the performance and use of our Website and ads. More information on Google Analytics can be found here. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please use the Google Analytics opt-out available here.
  • Google Retargeting. Our Website may use Google's Remarketing with Google Analytics to allow Google to use information about your visits to our Website and other unaffiliated websites in order to measure advertising effectiveness and serve ads about our products and services that may be of interest to you. As described above, Google places its own cookies when users visit our Website which enable Google to recognize users who have previously visited our Website when such users visit other unaffiliated sites that also use Google's services and cookies. More information on Google's Remarketing with Google Analytics can be found here. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please use the Google Analytics opt-out available here.
  • Interest Based Advertising. Our Website and ads may use first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies for targeted advertising based on user interests, demographics, and past browsing activity. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used by us for these purposes, please visit here or here.

The list above identifies some of the third-party cookies we may use on our Website and ads. However, we may use other third-party cookies and similar technologies on our Website and ads that are not listed here. This list is subject to change at any time and without notice.

 

Please note, disabling, removing or blocking cookies may turn off some of the features of our Website that make your experience more efficient, and some Website features may not function properly or be accessible. Further, if you opt-out of having your information collected and used by us and our online partners for interest based advertising purposes, you will continue to receive ads, but such ads will not be tailored to your specific interests based on your interests, demographics, and past browsing activity.

 

Social Plugins

This Website may use social plugins (for example, the Facebook "Like" button or "Share to Twitter" button) to enable you to easily share information with others. When you visit our Website, the operator of the social plugin may be able to place a cookie on your browser or device, enabling that operator to recognize users who have previously visited our Website. If you have previously logged into the associated social media website (for example, Facebook or Twitter) before visiting our Website, the social plugin allows that social media website to receive information about your visit to particular pages on our Website. The social plugin may collect this information for any such users who have logged into social networks, whether or not they specifically interact with the plugin on our Website (for example, by clicking "Like" or "Share"). The social plugin may also allow the social media website to share information about your activities on our Website with other users of their social media website. For further details about the information shared via a particular social media plugin, you should refer to that social media site's privacy policies and terms of use.

 

Do Not Track (DNT)

DNT is a concept that has been promoted by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the Internet industry to develop and implement a mechanism for allowing Internet users to control the tracking of their online activities across websites by using browser settings. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has been working with industry groups, Internet browsers, technology companies, and regulators to develop a DNT technology standard. While some progress has been made, it has been slow and no standard has been adopted to date. As such, AD does not generally respond to "do not track" signals.

 

Changes to Our Cookie Privacy Notice

AD reserves the right to amend this cookie privacy notice at our discretion and at any time. When changes are made to this cookie privacy notice, the updated notice will be posted on the Website and will be effective as of the date posted. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF OUR WEBSITE FOLLOWING THE POSTING OF CHANGES WILL CONSTITUTE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH CHANGES.