Cookie Policy
Last updated: February 2026
1. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better user experience, and supply reporting information to site operators.
AuctionFlow uses cookies and similar technologies (including local storage and session storage) to operate the platform, remember your preferences, and improve our services. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can manage your cookie preferences.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for four primary purposes:
- Essential cookies — required for the platform to function. These enable core features like user authentication, session management, CSRF protection, and real-time bid state synchronization. Essential cookies cannot be disabled.
- Functional cookies — enable enhanced functionality and personalization. These remember your preferences such as display settings, currency selection, notification preferences, and recent search history.
- Analytics cookies — help us understand how users interact with the platform. These collect aggregated, anonymized information about page views, feature usage, error rates, and performance metrics.
- Marketing cookies — used to deliver relevant content and measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. You can opt out of marketing cookies at any time without affecting platform functionality.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
The following table details the specific cookies used on the AuctionFlow platform, organized by category:
Essential Cookies
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| af_session | Maintains user session state and authentication | Session |
| af_csrf | Cross-site request forgery protection token | Session |
| af_bid_state | Real-time bid synchronization and processing state | 24 hours |
| af_consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences | 12 months |
Functional Cookies
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| af_lang | Remembers your language and locale preference | 6 months |
| af_currency | Stores your preferred display currency | 6 months |
| af_display | Saves table layout, sort order, and display density settings | 6 months |
| af_recent | Tracks recently viewed lots and saved searches | 30 days |
Analytics Cookies
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| af_analytics | Collects anonymized page view and feature usage data | 12 months |
| af_perf | Measures page load times and platform performance metrics | 30 days |
| af_ab | Assigns users to A/B test groups for feature experiments | 90 days |
Marketing Cookies
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| af_campaign | Attributes signups and conversions to marketing campaigns | 12 months |
| af_ref | Tracks referral source for partnership attribution | 90 days |
| af_retarget | Enables display of relevant AuctionFlow ads on partner sites | 30 days |
4. Third-Party Cookies
In addition to our own cookies, certain third-party services integrated into the AuctionFlow platform may set their own cookies:
Analytics Providers
We use privacy-focused analytics tools to understand platform usage patterns, page performance, and feature adoption. These providers process data according to their own privacy policies and our data processing agreements. All analytics data is aggregated and anonymized before reporting.
Payment Processors
Our payment partners (such as Stripe) may set cookies necessary for secure transaction processing, fraud prevention, and PCI DSS compliance. These are classified as essential cookies and are required for payment functionality to operate correctly.
Content Delivery
Our CDN provider may set cookies for performance optimization, load balancing, and DDoS protection. These cookies help ensure fast and reliable delivery of platform assets to users worldwide.
We carefully vet all third-party cookie providers and require them to comply with applicable data protection regulations. We do not permit third-party advertising cookies on the AuctionFlow platform without your explicit consent.
5. Managing Cookies
You can control and manage cookies in several ways:
Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can typically find cookie controls in your browser's "Settings," "Preferences," or "Privacy" menu. Common options include blocking all cookies, blocking only third-party cookies, or deleting cookies when you close your browser. Please note that disabling essential cookies will prevent the AuctionFlow platform from functioning correctly.
Here are links to cookie management instructions for major browsers:
- Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies
- Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions
Cookie Preference Center
You can manage your cookie preferences for analytics, functional, and marketing cookies through our in-platform cookie preference center, accessible from your account settings or the cookie banner displayed on your first visit.
Industry Opt-Out Tools
For third-party marketing cookies, you can use industry opt-out tools such as the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out page or the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out page. These tools allow you to opt out of interest-based advertising across participating networks.
6. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our cookie practices, technology, legal requirements, or other operational factors. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
- Notify registered users via email or in-platform notification
- Re-prompt for consent where changes affect non-essential cookies
We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and similar technologies.
7. Contact
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
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