Privacy, cookies, ads, and affiliate tracking.
This policy explains what Countertop Advisor collects, what Google and other partners may collect when ads or affiliate links are used, and how you can control advertising and privacy choices.
The short version
Countertop Advisor is an editorial website supported by affiliate commissions and display advertising. We collect basic analytics, newsletter signups if you choose to subscribe, and messages you send us. We use Google Analytics and Google AdSense. Google and other third-party ad vendors may use cookies, web beacons, IP addresses, and other identifiers to serve ads, measure ad performance, prevent fraud, limit ad frequency, and personalize ads where allowed.
We do not sell your email address or contact messages. We do not collect payment information. We do not ask for sensitive personal information. You can manage personalized Google ads through Google My Ad Center, manage many interest-based advertising cookies through AdChoices, and contact us about privacy requests through the contact page.
Information we collect directly
Analytics data
We use analytics to understand which pages are useful, which pages are slow, and how visitors move through the site. Analytics may include page URL, referrer, device type, browser, approximate location, and usage events. We do not use analytics to collect your name or payment details.
Newsletter email
If you subscribe, we store your email address so we can send the newsletter. You can unsubscribe from any email. We do not sell or rent the newsletter list.
Messages you send
If you contact us, we receive the information you include in the message, such as your name, email address, project question, photos, or correction request. We use it to reply and manage the request.
Google AdSense and advertising cookies
We use Google AdSense to display ads on this site. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website and/or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables Google and its partners to serve ads to visitors based on visits to this site and other sites on the internet.
Google and its partners may use cookies, web beacons, IP addresses, browser/device information, ad interaction data, and similar identifiers to serve ads, personalize ads where permitted, measure ad performance, prevent fraud and abuse, limit how often an ad is shown, and report aggregate statistics to advertisers and publishers.
You can opt out of personalized Google advertising through Google My Ad Center. You can also opt out of some third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising through aboutads.info choices. You can manage or block cookies in your browser settings, though some site features may work differently.
For more detail on how Google uses information from sites that use Google services, see How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps and Google's Advertising Privacy & Terms.
Amazon and affiliate tracking
Countertop Advisor participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may participate in other affiliate programs. When you click an affiliate link, the merchant or affiliate network may receive referral information and may set cookies or similar identifiers to track whether a purchase should be credited to us.
Affiliate tracking is handled by the merchant or network after you click away from Countertop Advisor. For Amazon links, Amazon's privacy notice governs what happens after the click. Our affiliate relationships are explained in more detail in our Affiliate Disclosure.
Cookies and similar technologies
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✓Site cookies
We may use cookies or local storage for site preferences, forms, security, and remembering basic choices.
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✓Analytics cookies
Analytics tools may use cookies or similar identifiers to distinguish visits, understand traffic, measure page performance, and improve the site.
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✓Advertising cookies
Google and other ad technology providers may place or read cookies or use web beacons, IP addresses, and other identifiers as a result of ad serving on this website.
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✓Affiliate cookies
Affiliate merchants and networks may use cookies after you click an outbound affiliate link so they can attribute a purchase.
Service providers and partners
We use Google Analytics and Google AdSense. Google may process cookies, IP addresses, device information, page views, ad requests, and ad interactions as described above.
Amazon and affiliate partners
Affiliate partners receive information when you click an outbound affiliate link and may use cookies or similar tracking to credit qualifying purchases.
Newsletter provider
Our email provider stores newsletter addresses and sends emails on our behalf. We use this provider only for the newsletter and related email operations.
Hosting, security, and fonts
Our hosting, security, and font delivery providers process standard technical information such as IP address, browser, URL, and request logs so the site can load securely.
How to control ads and data
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✓Personalized Google ads
Manage or turn off personalized Google ads in Google My Ad Center.
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✓Interest-based advertising choices
Use aboutads.info choices to opt out of some participating companies' personalized advertising cookies.
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✓Browser controls
Most browsers let you delete cookies, block third-party cookies, send privacy signals, or use private browsing. These controls are handled by your browser or privacy extension.
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✓Access, correction, or deletion
Contact us to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold directly, such as newsletter or contact-form information.
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✓Do not sell or share
We do not sell your email address or contact messages for money. Some privacy laws may treat personalized advertising as "sharing." Use the advertising choices above to opt out of personalized ads, and contact us if you need help with a privacy request.
Consent for European visitors
If you visit from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, Google requires publishers using AdSense to make certain disclosures and obtain consent where legally required for cookies, local storage, and the collection, sharing, and use of personal data for ads personalization. Google also requires use of a certified Consent Management Platform when serving ads to users in those regions.
We use Google AdSense privacy and messaging tools, Google ad settings, and/or other consent tools to support those requirements. If a consent prompt is shown, your choices in that prompt control how ads are served for that visit where applicable.
How long we keep information
Newsletter addresses. Kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them.
Contact messages. Kept as long as needed to respond, manage corrections, or keep business records, then deleted or archived.
Analytics and advertising data. Retained according to the settings and retention periods of the relevant analytics or advertising provider.
Security. We use HTTPS and limit direct access to site accounts and newsletter/contact information. No website can guarantee perfect security, but we use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards.
Children, changes, and contact
Children. This site is intended for adults and homeowners researching countertop projects. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes. We may update this policy when our practices, vendors, ad setup, or legal obligations change. The updated date at the top shows the latest revision.
Contact. For privacy questions or requests, use the contact form.
Have a privacy question?
Ask us. Privacy language should be readable enough that a normal person can understand what is happening.