Why Gaiabis Chose Matomo Instead of Google Analytics

Measuring Without Creating an Advertising Profile

A website cannot be meaningfully improved without understanding how it is used. Certain information helps identify technical issues, simplify navigation or assess the relevance of a page. The central question, however, remains how this measurement is carried out and what happens to the data collected afterwards.

Gaiabis does not use Google Analytics. We chose Matomo, an open-source hosted solution which, in our configuration, is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak. This approach enables us to obtain the information necessary for our website to function while limiting the number of parties involved.

An analytics tool can be very useful for a website. It provides concrete indications of what works and which areas need improvement. This measurement does not necessarily have to be used to create a detailed profile of each person.

The information used by Gaiabis should in particular help us to:

• improve navigation on the website;
• identify technical difficulties and performance issues;
• better understand the general use of the pages;
• prioritise improvements according to actual needs.

This information is not intended to feed advertising profiles. We do not resell your data and we do not track your browsing in order to offer you targeted advertising.

Why We Did Not Integrate Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a widely used and effective tool. The decision not to use it is not a general judgement on all websites that rely on it. It reflects a specific choice regarding data governance at Gaiabis.

Google Analytics belongs to a vast digital ecosystem closely linked to advertising and audience measurement. We prefer a solution that allows us to retain more direct control over the information collected for our own website.

Our decision is based on four principles:

• limit the number of companies involved in data processing;
• not use analytics for targeted advertising;
• favour a clear and understandable technical solution;
• keep data hosted as close as possible to our Swiss legal and professional environment.

Choosing not to use Google Analytics therefore does not mean abandoning all measurement. It means choosing another model, better suited to our needs and values.

Why We Chose Matomo

Matomo is an open-source audience analytics solution. It can be operated in an environment chosen and controlled by the company using it. For Gaiabis, this possibility is decisive: it allows us to analyse useful data without placing our website within an extended advertising model.

What We Want to Understand

We are interested in information that helps us make the website more functional and enjoyable. This includes general browsing trends, the use of certain pages and indications relating to technical performance.

The objective is practical. When a page is difficult to reach, a journey seems unclear or usage reveals a technical issue, we need reliable indicators to correct the situation.

What We Do Not Want to Do

We do not want to track your browsing from one website to another for advertising purposes. Nor do we wish to create a detailed consumer profile or sell data concerning the people who visit us.

Using an analytics platform nevertheless involves processing certain information. A responsible approach therefore does not consist in denying all collection, but in limiting its scope, clearly defining its purpose and retaining control over it.

Hosting in Switzerland by Infomaniak

In the configuration selected by Gaiabis, Matomo is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak. This location reflects our desire to manage data within an infrastructure that is clear and as local as possible.

This choice provides us with a more transparent framework for the website's technical operation. It limits unnecessary dependencies and facilitates consistent management between our company, our hosting provider and our analytics tool.

Hosting in Switzerland does not, however, replace rigorous configuration or ongoing security work. Data protection also depends on access rights, technical updates and the careful selection of the information that is genuinely necessary.

What This Changes During Your Visit

When you visit a website, certain technical information necessarily has to be processed to display pages, respond to requests and detect errors. In addition, we use limited audience measurement to improve the operation of the Gaiabis website.

Our approach can be summarised simply:

• Gaiabis does not use Google Analytics;
• audience measurement is carried out with Matomo;
• the chosen solution is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak;
• the information collected is not resold;
• it is not used for targeted advertising.

These principles apply to the entire Gaiabis website. They do not depend on any particular product category, but reflect our overall vision of responsible online retail.

Maintaining Digital Consistency

Respect for privacy is not a statement that remains sufficient once and for all. Tools evolve, technical needs change and a website must be checked regularly. Our responsibility is to verify that the solutions used continue to comply with the stated objective.

By choosing Matomo and hosting with Infomaniak, we favour an approach based on control, proportionality and transparency. We measure what helps us improve the website, without turning our visitors' data into a commodity.