WebProNews

Third-party cookies get rejected at an alarming rate according to a study by a web analytics firm.

Global web analytics leader Webtrends notes in a study of Internet users that an increasing number have been rejecting third-party cookies from web sites.

Frequently, online businesses use third-party cookies to measure a site's unique visitors and the effectiveness of its marketing campaigns. By rejecting these cookies, users skew marketers' results.

Concerns over privacy, and the ease of rejecting third-party cookies built in to browsers and other software, including Windows XP, has driven this trend.

WebTrends research indicates the following industry verticals are experiencing third-party cookie rejection at the following rates:

Retail - 16.9%
Telecom - 15.4%
Healthcare - 14.7%
Manufacturing -13.3%
Transportation - 13.0%
Technology - 12.4%
Media - 12.1-%
Insurance - 12.0%
Services - 11.8%
Travel/Hospitality - 11.8%
Legal/Accounting - 10.6%

"The growth in Internet users rejecting third-party cookies is certainly not something that can be ignored by analytics providers or the organizations that rely on those numbers to manage their businesses," said Greg Drew, WebTrends CEO and president.

In response, Mr. Drew's company recommends switching to first-party cookies, which would be generated by the original server hosting a web site. Most users allow first-party cookies without issue, as they enable functionality on many commerce and other web sites.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.