Last Revised: August 12, 2026
This Cookie and Interest-Based Advertising Policy (the “Cookie Policy”) supplements the Merchco Services, Inc. Privacy Policy and describes how Merchco Services, Inc. (“Merchco,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) uses cookies, pixel tags, web beacons, software development kits (SDKs), local storage, session storage, device identifiers, and other similar tracking technologies (collectively, “Cookies”) on https://merchcoservices.com and our related landing pages and online forms (collectively, the “Site” or the “Services”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Cookie Policy have the meanings given to them in our Privacy Policy. This Cookie Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use.
Consent Before Non-Essential Cookies. We do not set non-essential Cookies — including analytics, session-replay/behavioral, and advertising Cookies — until you have given affirmative, prior consent through our cookie-consent banner. Strictly necessary Cookies (including the Cookie that records your consent choices) operate without consent because the Site cannot function without them. You may grant, decline, change, or withdraw your consent at any time as described in Section 6.
1.1 A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your computer, phone, or other device when you visit the Site. Cookies allow the Site to recognize your device on subsequent visits and to store limited information about your preferences and activity.
1.2 We also use other tracking technologies that function like cookies, including:
1.2.1 Pixel tags / web beacons: tiny graphic files embedded in webpages and emails that let us count users who have visited the Site or opened an email.
1.2.2 Session-replay and behavioral scripts: code (such as Hotjar) that records interactions with the Site — for example, mouse movements, clicks, scrolling, and navigation — to help us understand and improve the user experience.
1.2.3 Software development kits (SDKs): small pieces of code that collect information about your device and how you interact with our online resources.
1.2.4 Local and session storage: browser-based storage that retains information locally on your device between visits (local storage) or only during a single browser session (session storage).
1.2.5 Device identifiers: persistent identifiers assigned to your device by its operating system or browser (for example, IP address, advertising ID, or hardware identifier).
1.2.6 For simplicity, this Cookie Policy uses the word “Cookies” to refer to all of these technologies unless we say otherwise.
We classify the Cookies used on the Site into four categories, consistent with the framework used by most privacy regulators and industry self-regulatory bodies. Except for strictly necessary Cookies, we set each category only after you consent (see Section 6).
These Cookies are essential to operate the Site and to provide features you request. They include the Cookie that stores your cookie-consent preferences and Cookies used for security and load balancing. Because these Cookies are strictly necessary, they are not subject to consent and cannot be disabled through our cookie-preference controls (though you may be able to block them at the browser level, in which case parts of the Site may not function).
Examples: consent-preference storage, security and fraud prevention, load balancing.
These Cookies allow the Site to remember choices you make (such as language or region) and to provide enhanced features. If you do not allow these Cookies, some features may not function properly. We set functional Cookies only after you consent.
Examples: remembered display preferences and form-completion conveniences.
These Cookies collect information about how visitors use the Site — for example, which pages are most and least visited, how users navigate between pages, and whether they encounter errors so that we can measure and improve the Site. On the Site, this category includes Google Analytics 4 (“GA4”) and Hotjar (behavioral analytics and session replay). We set analytics Cookies, and load GA4 and Hotjar, only after you consent.
Examples: Google Analytics 4, Hotjar heatmaps and session replay, error and performance reporting.
These Cookies are set on the Site by us and by advertising and social-media partners. They are used to build a profile of your interests and to show you advertisements, on the Site and on third-party sites, apps, and social-media platforms, that are more relevant to those interests; to limit how often you see the same ad; and to measure advertising effectiveness. We set advertising Cookies only after you consent.
Examples: Meta/Facebook pixel, Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform tags, LinkedIn Insight Tag, YouTube ad tags, and remarketing/retargeting pixels operated by other advertising networks.
3.1 Cookies are also classified based on who sets them:
First-party Cookies. are set by us directly through the Site and are used for the purposes described above.
Third-party Cookies. are set by service providers, analytics partners (such as Google and Hotjar), advertising networks, and social-media platforms that we allow to operate on the Site after you consent. These parties may combine information collected on the Site with information they collect elsewhere and may use it for their own purposes under their own privacy policies. We do not control third-party Cookies once they are set on your device. You should review the privacy and cookie policies of these third parties, and you may be able to opt out of them directly (see Section 6).
4.1 Cookies fall into two duration categories:
4.1.1 Session Cookies. are temporary and are deleted from your device when you close your browser.
4.1.2 Persistent Cookies. remain on your device for a set period (which may range from minutes to years) or until you delete them.
4.2 Advertising, targeting, and analytics Cookies are typically persistent.
5.1 Some of the Cookies used on the Site enable “interest-based advertising” — sometimes called “online behavioral advertising” or “cross-context behavioral advertising.” IBA means that we (or a third-party advertising partner) use information about your visits to the Site and to other websites and apps over time to select advertisements about goods and services that may be of interest to you.
5.2 We may use IBA to promote Merchco’s services on platforms including, without limitation, Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), YouTube, LinkedIn, and other advertising networks. We do not sell your Personal Information for monetary consideration. However, some of our uses of advertising Cookies may constitute a “sale” or “sharing” of Personal Information under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (together, “CCPA/CPRA”), the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code ch. 541) (“TDPSA”), or comparable laws in Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and other states. You have the right to opt out of these uses as described in Section 6, and we deploy advertising Cookies only after you consent.
6.1 You have several ways to control Cookies used on the Site:
When you first visit the Site (and until you make a choice), non-essential Cookies are blocked. We present a cookie-consent banner that lets you accept all, reject all, or customize which categories of non-essential Cookies you allow, on a granular, category-by-category basis. Non-essential Cookies — including GA4, Hotjar, and advertising Cookies — are not set until you affirmatively opt in. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the “Cookie Preferences” (or similarly labeled) link in the footer of the Site. Withdrawing consent stops future non-essential Cookies; it does not undo processing that already occurred while your consent was in effect.
Most web browsers let you refuse or delete Cookies through their settings menu. Mobile operating systems also offer controls to reset or limit the use of advertising identifiers (for example, “Limit Ad Tracking” on iOS or “Opt out of Ads Personalization” on Android). Refer to your browser or device documentation for instructions. If you block strictly necessary Cookies at the browser level, parts of the Site may not work.
Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” (DNT) setting. There is no industry-standard interpretation of DNT signals, and, at this time, the Site does not respond to DNT signals from browsers. This may change if a common standard is adopted. We do honor the Global Privacy Control signal as described in Section 6.4.
We honor the Global Privacy Control (“GPC”) signal transmitted from a supported browser or extension as a request to opt out of the “sale” and “sharing” of Personal Information (as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA and comparable state laws) and of targeted advertising. Effective January 1, 2025, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act also requires businesses to honor universal opt-out mechanisms such as GPC (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 541.055(e)); we honor GPC signals from Texas residents on that basis, and from residents of other states whose laws require it.
Many advertising networks and technology providers participate in self-regulatory opt-out programs for interest-based advertising. Depending on your location, you can visit:
a) Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) — WebChoices: https://optout.aboutads.info
b) Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): https://optout.networkadvertising.org
6.1.5.1 For mobile in-app advertising, you can install the DAA’s AppChoices application from your device’s app store. Opting out through these tools disables interest-based advertising served through the participating companies; it does not delete Cookies already stored on your device, and you may still see advertising — it just will not be tailored to your interests.
a) Google (Ads, Analytics, YouTube): https://adssettings.google.com and https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
b) Meta (Facebook, Instagram): through your Meta account’s Ad Preferences settings
c) LinkedIn: through your LinkedIn account’s Advertising Preferences settings
6.3.1 California residents have the right to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of their Personal Information under the CCPA/CPRA. See the Notice to California Residents in our Privacy Policy for details.
6.3.2 Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Virginia, and residents of other states with comprehensive privacy laws may have the right to opt out of the use of their Personal Information for targeted advertising and/or the sale of their Personal Information under their respective state privacy laws.
6.3.3 To exercise any of these rights (including as a mechanism separate from browser-based signals), you may submit the contact form at https://merchcoservices.com/contact-us/, email us at privacy@merchcoservices.com [placeholder — to be confirmed by Merchco], or call us at 888.879.8813.
To align our advertising and analytics technologies with your consent choices, the Site implements Google Consent Mode v2. This means that Google tags (including GA4 and Google advertising tags) are configured to default all consent signals, including analytics storage, ad storage, ad user data, and ad personalization, to “denied” before you make a choice. Google tags therefore do not read or write advertising or analytics Cookies, and do not collect personal data through those Cookies, until you grant consent through our banner, at which point the relevant consent signals are updated to “granted.” If you decline or withdraw consent, the affected signals remain or return to “denied.”
Consistent with our Privacy Policy and applicable law (including the consent standards reflected in the California Invasion of Privacy Act and comparable laws), Merchco configures the Site so that no analytics, session-replay, advertising, or chat technology loads or transmits data on page load. These technologies are blocked by default and are enabled only after you provide affirmative consent. If a chat or messaging tool is offered, it will be disclosed and will load only after consent. Any prior chat tool that is no longer in use has been removed from the Site.
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use, changes in applicable law, or changes in our practices. When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on the Site and update the “Last Revised” date above. Your continued use of the Site after any such change constitutes your acceptance of the revised Cookie Policy.
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of Cookies, please contact:
MERCHCO SERVICES, INC.
PO Box 701605
San Antonio, Texas 78270
Phone: 888.879.8813
Fax: 800.807.0147
Contact form: https://merchcoservices.com/contact-us/
Privacy email: privacy@merchcoservices.com
Last Revised: August 12, 2026
