First of all... what is a cookie?

A cookie is a small amount of text information stored on your computer's hard disk by your browser.

That sentence, or something very much like it, is used by a lot of websites when they talk about cookies. It makes sense to the webmaster and those who design websites, but for most of us, it's pure geekish.

In the real world, the closest thing to an Internet cookie is a name and phone number. Let's say you're having lunch with a friend and she tells you that her phone number has changed. You grab a napkin, borrow your friend's pen, and write down her new phone number.

Sam 555-1212 (You're not going to bother writing "Samantha.")

The note you just made is a small amount of text information. In fact, if we'd like to turn this note into a cookie that your browser would accept, we would write it like this:

Sam=555-1212

Your friend's name on the left side of the equal sign identifies the information located on the right side of the equal sign. This is called a name/value pair (name=value). All cookies follow this name=value format.(Okay, we're finished with geek-speak.)

As a security precaution, browsers set limits on the size of a cookie they will accept. That's why cookies can't take control of your computer or put a virus on it. Cookies are kept small so they won't create a lot of mischief... BUT that doesn't mean you should completely ignore cookies. If you'd like more info about cookies, we have another cookies info page that explains cookies in more detail. (WARNING: It's full of geekish tech details.)

How does Keepsakes use cookies?

Keepsakes Framing & Floral downloads cookies for just one purpose. They are used to identify orders on our webservers. That's all. We don't use cookies to track our customers as they move around the website. We don't use cookies to alter your browser's display. We don't use cookies to tell us what you've bought in the past. At the Online Stitchery Store, cookies are only used to identify your order on our webservers.

We download just one cookie to your computer.

That single cookie allows our webservers to identify your order from all the other orders on the webservers. It's called a session cookie. And further more, we don't download a session cookie until you select an item for your order. In fact, you can enter the Online Stitchery Store, browse around all you like and you won't get a single cookie from us, until you select an item. We only download a session cookie after you have indicated that you might place an order.