Cookie Policy

Last updated: June 2024

This Cookie Policy explains how Thock Market ("we", "us", "our", accessible at thockmarket.com) uses cookies, localStorage, and similar tracking technologies when you visit our mechanical keyboard review site. By continuing to use our site, you acknowledge the practices described below.

What Are Cookies and localStorage?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. localStorage is a similar browser technology that allows a website to store small pieces of data directly in your browser, without an expiration date, until it is manually cleared. Thock Market uses both technologies sparingly and only for the purposes outlined in this policy.

How We Use Cookies and localStorage

• Consent Preference Storage (localStorage): When you first visit Thock Market, a cookie consent banner appears asking whether you accept or decline non-essential cookies. Your choice (accept or decline) is stored in your browser's localStorage under a key associated with our consent banner. This allows us to remember your preference so the banner does not reappear on every visit. No personal information is collected through this storage — only your accept/decline selection.
• Analytics Cookies (only if accepted): If you click "Accept" on our cookie banner, we load a third-party analytics script that sets cookies to help us understand how visitors use Thock Market — for example, which keyboard reviews are most popular, how long readers spend on switch comparison articles, and which pages lead people to leave the site. If you click "Decline," these analytics cookies are never loaded or set, and no analytics data is collected from your visit.
• Strictly Necessary Storage: Aside from the consent preference itself, Thock Market does not use strictly necessary cookies for core functionality beyond basic page delivery. We do not use cookies for shopping carts, logins, or payment processing, as we are a review and information site rather than an e-commerce platform.

Third-Party Analytics Cookies

When analytics cookies are enabled (because you accepted them), our analytics provider may set cookies that collect information such as:

• Your approximate geographic location (city or region level, derived from IP address)
• The type of device, browser, and operating system you are using
• Pages visited on Thock Market and time spent on each page
• The website or search engine that referred you to Thock Market
• Aggregate, anonymized usage patterns across our review categories (e.g., switches, keycaps, cases, full keyboard reviews)

This information is used solely to improve our content and site performance. We do not sell this data, and our analytics provider processes it under its own privacy and data protection terms. We do not control the cookies set by third-party analytics providers directly; they are governed by the provider's own cookie and privacy policies.

Cookies from Embedded Content

Some of our reviews may include embedded videos, images, or links to third-party platforms (such as video hosting services) referenced for demonstration purposes — for example, showing a keyboard's typing sound test. If you interact with such embedded content, the third-party platform may set its own cookies, which are subject to that platform's own cookie policy and outside our control.

How to Withdraw or Change Your Consent

You are always in control of your cookie preferences on Thock Market. You can withdraw or change your consent at any time using any of the following methods:

• Clear your browser storage: Go into your browser's settings and clear cookies and site data (including localStorage) specifically for thockmarket.com. This will remove your stored consent preference and any analytics cookies, and the consent banner will reappear on your next visit so you can make a new choice.
• Use private or incognito browsing: Browsing in a private or incognito window prevents cookies and localStorage entries from persisting after you close the window.
• Adjust browser-level cookie settings: Most browsers allow you to block all cookies or block third-party cookies specifically. Note that blocking all storage may prevent our consent banner from remembering your choice, causing it to reappear on each visit.
• Decline on the banner: Simply clicking "Decline" when the banner appears ensures analytics cookies are never set in the first place.

Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting. Because there is no industry-standard interpretation of DNT signals, Thock Market does not currently respond to them automatically. Instead, we rely on the explicit accept/decline choice you make through our consent banner to determine whether analytics cookies are loaded.

Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or how Thock Market handles cookies and localStorage, please reach out through the contact page at thockmarket.com. We're happy to clarify our practices for switch enthusiasts, keycap collectors, and anyone curious about how their data is (or isn't) being used while browsing our keyboard reviews.