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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query seller sites. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query seller sites. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
SELL YOUR ASS OFF: SELLER SITES FOR YOUR PRODUCTS

Most people have dreams of becoming rich off of Ebay or "Quitting their day job" off of Etsy, but the reality, though that dream is achievable it will take alot of hard work and sacrifice to come true, as well as a place to sell your items. So you believe that you have a great product and want to get it out, now what are some of the venues to sell your "crafty goodness"? Below are a couple of sites that a seller can set up a store for there items. Since most everyone of the planet is familiar with Ebay , "the mass market seller site" and Etsy, "the handmade & vintage site" those are not included on the list. These are alternative or additional ( depending on how you look at it) seller sites.


{Seller Sites}
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  • 1000 Markets-free to open and list Commission upon sale is 5.5% + 50 cents. This is a juried site


  • ArtFire-considered the etsy alternative since very similar to etsy in shop setup and site. Two shop levels, free and verified. Free has up to 12 listing and verified has unlimited listing with no fees, but it costs per month



  • ArtseFest-three price tiers, lowest price is $14/mo..


  • Big Cartel-three levels of membership, gold(free),platinum($10), diamond($20). build your own shop and up to 5 listing for free gold membership


  • Buy Sell Community-very similar to craigslist of other classified ad placement site.

  • Coriandr-free shop with 20p listing fee plus 2.5% commission on sales. It is Paypal compatible but there is no credit card on file to be a seller.


  • Crafter's Buzz-very similar to other classified ad placement site. bonus of having craft fair info on every state in continental usa


  • DaWanda-much like etsy in structure, but has No cost to list or setup, 5% commission of sale price


  • Ecrater-There is no final value fee or commission, also no listing fee and paypal compatible


  • Ehive-for the United Kingdom. free to list



  • Elsewares-really about the independent artist. pre-screening process and not really a shop set up, just pics and list of designers names


  • Erayo- wholesale marketplace for jewelry/accessories and fashion. pre-screening process , must contact and submit 5 images


  • Girl Shop Spot- more for paid advertising, but can set up shop there. membership is free


  • Go Zabo-juried site, create online gallery for free. Really caters to art/print media


  • Handmade Catalog-$4.95/mo or $40/yr for basic membership and up.5-15% commission on sales


  • Hyena Cart-specifically for earth friendly shops.$10 setup fee then $5/mo after than


  • Icraft-For Canadian Sellers, $25 registration fee, free monthly fee (5 item limit ) to $15 (150 item limit )20 cents each additional listing). There is pre-screening process.


  • Imagekind- A part of the cafepress community, geared towards art sellers. fast shop set up, monthly fee, no inventory to worry about and you can set your own markup


  • Lovli-it is free to list, with 3.5% commission on sales


  • Seeking Designers- for fashion and style.free to join, really about promotion & new things in market than selling.can submit your product for free but company will decide if they want to put on website


  • Shop Handmade-free listings (paid for by sponsors linked in your listing - or pay 25 cents), set your own commission (determines rewards and exposure)


  • Silk Fair-free listing, 3% commission on sales, (not just handmade)


  • Supermarket-strict pre screening process, alot of applicants so may have to contact again


  • U Shops-free listing, core based on linking to shop


  • Wink Elf-basic listing is free,unlimited listings with 2.5% sales commission, listing upgrades optional(highest fee $.25). featured store $5.00/month, or $50.00/year


  • Zibbet-free basic account with up to 25 listings. No Listing/Sales/Final Value Fees. Upgrade to premium accoutn at $7 /mo
*pls note that prices and info/polices are subject to change to please check site for cost/policy*

There are positives and negatives to every site and as with any online venue, its all about traffic. You can have the greatest product and shop in the world, but if no one sees you or knows where you are, then it doesn't matter. I suggest before committing to anything and taking the time to set up your shop in any of these venues, to really do your research. Some of these sites get more traffic than others and some of them are easier to setup and sell than others. Yes, one may be cheaper with lower or no fees , low commission and ease of use, but if it is not getting alot of traffic then what is the point?
No matter what site you are on , the key is to promote off the site, get the word out there about your product!


If you know of any other sites of venues, share it with us!
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Saturday, April 13, 2013
Sell Your Ass Off: Seller Sites For Your Products ...Part 2


Etsy is clearly the "go to" place where crafters can sell their handemade creations , from Apparel and Accessories to Home Goods and even Artisan Foods, but is it the only place? Though Etsy does try to adhere to their strict "Handmade Motto", some sellers as well as buyers are concerned that Etsy may end up similar to what Ebay has currently become.....a reseller haven.
 
Now, don't get me wrong, Etsy is trully a great place to go and find unique items , new designers as well as as giving an individual an oppportunity to start their own business who may have never had the means to do so, but there are some other sites similar to Etsy where a "Crafter" can expand their business as well.  Selling crafts online can be a legitimate online job, and profitable if you know where to sell your items.

 As you can see there are plenty of other options besides Etsy for selling your homemade products, Just remember that not everyone's business is the same, so it's really up to you to decide which will work best for your business (volume/ sales, brand needs and etc).
Which ones do you prefer?


  1. Bonanza: is a site like Etsy that used to be called 1000 Markets. In order to make money online selling crafts and handmade goods, you need to list your items for sale. Roll your mouse over "Sell" at the top of the screen and choose "add item for sale". On this page you will be able to name your booth, select your accepted payment options, promote your booth, and import your items for sale from eBay or Craigslist. After that you can list items for sale. Your item description includes a photo, a title, a description, a category, a price, shipping options, and item specifics. It is free to list on Bonanza and you only pay a commission to Bonanza when an item sells.
  2. UncommonGoods sells handmade and recycled items. The website doesn't say much about how to sell on the site, but I got on a live chat with a representative who said they are always looking for products to feature on their website and in their catalogs. To be considered you would need to send pictures attached to newgoods@uncommongoods.com.
  3. Silkfair is another site lthat allows you to create your own store, select a pricing plan, add products, and start selling. Silkfair offers a 14 day free trial. Stores are free to $7.99 a month up to $24.99 a month, depending on which features you want. It is not solely for handmade items, they do allow commercially made items to be sold as well.
  4. Supermarket is a trendy place to sell your creations. Here you are known as a designer. In order to start selling on this site you need to send your information (images, links, etc.) to the email address listed here: http://supermarkethq.com/signup/designer Send an email letting them know what you do with photos of what you do. If you are approved as a designer for Supermarket you will have a profile, logo, banner, and the ability to list items and collections for sale. When an item of yours sells the money goes directly into your own PayPal account. Supermarket then tallies up their commissions from your sales and charges your credit card every 30 days.
  5. MadeItMyself is quite self-explanatory. If you want to sell your items here you have to first become a member. After registering as a member you can list your items for sale. You will be charged fees when you list an item and again when the item sells. Commission is 3% of the sale price. The Terms and Conditions currently state that they are waiving the listing fees.
  6. DaWanda is a website like Etsy where you can sell clothing, jewelry, art, and supplies. Create your own shop on DaWanda. There are no current listing fees, but they are in the works. Commissions for products sold is 5%.
  7. iCraft is a little different as they charge no commissions when you sell your homemade creations on their website. The rules are that you must be the creator, it must be handmade, it cannot be food or beverages, you have to submit a quality photo of your work, it must be brand new (not used), and your work will be reviewed for quality. Your store is known as your Creator Exhibit and you have to have at least one item there. In other words, there are alot of policies you must adhere to.
  8. Folksy is a website that was created to showcase UK designers, artists and crafters. It doesn't say you have to be from the UK to sell. To start selling you would need to register, set up a shop, list your items, and promote your work. Unfortunately, didn't see anydetails on commissions. This site is the most like Etsy in it's appearance, application and ease of use.
  9. ArtFire offers you a place to sell your handmade goods, vintage items, fine art, and more. You can start selling with a free account or a pro account for $9.95 per month. You will get a customizable shop where you can list your items for sale, accept PayPal, Google Checkout and Amazon Payments, you can create coupon codes, and easily promote your items via social networks.
  10. eCreater  is a free online marketplace with the look of Etsy, but the selling style and selection of Ebay.This makes sense, since it allows you to import your Ebay items to their marketplace. This site allows unlimited categories, upload up to 10 photos per listing, has Paypal & Google Wallet Support, your own URL and various other options.
  11. Foodoro:  Like the popular Foodzie , which was bought out by Joyus, this is the site for artisan food vendors in the U.S only. Foodoro is also trying to engage the food blogging community by implementing an affiliate program (like Amazon’s) that lets food bloggers earn a percentage on traffic they refer to back to Foodoro (the bloggers can also embed a widget of a product they are writing about in their blogs). There are no upfront listing/setup fees and sellers who join Foodoro are small, independent food producers with a high standard of craftsmanship (produce small quantities, use only the best ingrediants and make their goods onsite).
  12. Zibbet:  is a marketplace  with no listing fees, no commission fees and a free level account with a 50 item limit. If you have more than 50 items in your store, you will need to upgrade to the Premium Level for $9.95/per month or $79 yearly. In addition, they have an Etsy importer.
  13. Meylah: is a new marketplace that allows you to upload and sell  goods instantly. Basic membership is free all you have to do is add your store name and you have an instant storefront.  Because they are the new kids on the block, they may not have everything that you need if you are thinking about leaving Etsy.
  14. Lillyshop: is so similiar to Etsy in look, design and interface. It allows unlimited free listings, a customizable shop , Google Analytics/Shop Statistics as well as a personal shop blog. It does not charge listing fees, re-listing fees or monthly fees. Lilyshop simply charges a 5% sales fee if you sell an item, but this percentage does not include the shipping price
  15. Luulla: is a newer marketplace that is free to sell but with two pricing options for sellers. You can choose the "Pay-As-You-Go" option that  the seller pays  $0.10 USD per item listing for a period of 4 months and 3.0% selling fee on the item's sale price. Or you can choose the "Monthly Plan" where the seller is charged a flat fee of $9.90 USD per month , unlimited product listing and 3.0% selling fee on the item's sale price. The option that you have of having a store front is uploading your company "web banner" and your listing will be beneath that.

Don't forget to take at look at Part 1 of the Sell Your Ass Off Post!
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Saturday, December 5, 2009
ETSY BUSINESS TOOLS: YOU MAY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF

It amazes me sometimes, when I talk to sellers and mention a new tool or some promotion going on , to only find out that they have no idea what I am talking about . Or they just haven't signed up for the company updates. As as seller you want to do everything you can to promote and make your business profitable. I don't know about you, but I am waiting for the day when my smiling mug is featured on teh "Quit Your Day Job".Also I already have my "FU" speech prepared for my boss, lol....no really, I am going out in a blaze of glory!
So there are several tools which I think are helpful , some you may have heard of or are using and some you maybe are on the fence about or don't know how to use.

ESellersAds: One of the newest on the block and very nice. The idea behind ESellerAds is that your customers should be able to shop anywhere and buy your products on Etsy.We actually use it (you can see our add in our blog side bar). They are touted as being a "step up from etsy minis", it links directly to your shop, comes in different sizes which is better than that standard etsy mini and doesn't carry the logo. Just go to site, put in your username/shop name and they generate the add for you. To keep it, just put in your email address and they send you the html code to put on any of your websites, social media or etc. No signup required.

Cr8tivity-is a very interesting site as it is a mixture of Google Analytics and Craft Cult and Etsy Mini. Once you put in your shop ID, your head appears at the top and you can choose between several buttons, from your own "company widget" (like the etsy mini) to hearts by item and also "Shop Statistics" that is broken down into easy to read pie charts. For those of you confused about how to use Google Analytics, this may be a way to "ease" yourself into it. Just remember it does not take the place of Google Analytics.
One button that is very good is the "Shop Helper". This tool makes either a single Product Flyer or a Multi Product Flyer. The flyer maker is a PDF download that contains your shop banner, images and information about of your product that you can print and use as a marketing material. All of the items in your shop are in the drop down menu, so all you have to do is select an Etsy Listing ID and click on the download button you can even put your own info in or just use what is in the ad. This nifty little tool is great for line sheets for your press kit or wholesale sheets. Go ahead and try it out!

Statsy: is another tracker similar to Craft Cult but has some other features such as "The Locator" which you put a listing # in (the 8 digit number above the "add to cart" button on the right side of your item) and it tells you on which page and what place it is. There is also the "Biggest Fan" where you can see who hearts your items the most (good if you want to offer your stalker a little private discount), The "Featurator" , which you put in your email address and anytime you are featured it will notify you, so no more searching and googling your shop name.

Craft Cult: Everyone is familar with, tracks your hearts, features and treasury mentions. Its a standard if you have a shop.

Where Am I: by EtsyHacks shows where your shop is ranked when a user types in a tag. Just put in the tag that you have labeled one of your items with and then put in your username and it will show you where you are ranked. The only downside is that it only searches the first 25 pages. So if you do not show up, then that means that you are not in the first 25 pages of search.

SoopSee: Turns your etsy site into a website. This is good for those who are web design challenged, and an easy cheaper alternative to the involvement and coding an actual website requires. The pros are that it is free, incorporates your existing blogs , etsy site and some photos sites together.The downside are the templates are not that extensive and that you have to manually update it, like you would a blog or website, no auto setting.

Craft Weasel: Is another common site, but there are a couple of things that are good with this site. If you are confused by Google Analytics and just need everything simplified, this is a good alternative. Under "Shop Stat" you can put your shop name and it breaks down, with a bar graph by day, the views and tags. Also, it gives you a list of most tags used and searched for in your shop by day. Another great feature is the "Tag Finder" , if you have ever had a problem finding the right tag for your item, just put in the main descriptive word like "knitted scarf" and it gives you all the tags associated with that...neat huh? No more guessing and pulling tags out of your backside. There are also other great features there as well.

Sellit: Is similar to EsellerAds, but you need to register. The Pro is that you can do this for more than just etsy, works with other selling sites. The downside is that there is only one large rectangular size for the ad

Yammi Handmade: Sounds crazy but is a cute little tool for not only states, but buttons to display your hearts , sales and other little things that you can place on your blog or other social media sites.....This is just one of them


Etsy Front Pagers: If you been on the front page and would like a nice screen shot to promote or for your press page, then this group pool from Flikr has every screen shot of the Etsy Front Page for you. You can also check to see if you have made front page or a treasury by typing in your shop name in the search bar.

Website Grader: Ever wondered how you stack up to the competition, this site gives you marketing info for your site , products and tags. It is free, you just put in the URL of the site you want and it gives you your grade out of 100 then goes into detail about your SEO. Also gives you a feature to put in your competitors url to see how you compare. Great tool to see where you may need improvement.

Etsy Tag Fractal: Lets you put in a tag and all shops that are tagged with that name come up.

Social Mention: is not an official etsy tool , but really is a great business tool. Like "Goggling " your company name , this site lets you input your website or company name and any place your name comes up in the world wide web appears with a link to view it. It is seperated by catagories, like Blogs, Network, News and more. But you should just check "All" to pick up everything.

There of course are other Etsy Developers, just go to link for a list of the Featured Etsy Developers

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT PART TWO OF THIS POST:
ETSY BUSINESS TOOLS YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF : PART 2
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Sunday, April 15, 2012
Whoring Your Business Out: 39 Sites To Advertise Your Products

Though by no means am I an expert in marketing , but since I started my business I am constantly looking for new ways to advertise or some might say "whore out " my business . Advertising is really "Trial and Error" and some of these methods work better than others. It is really up to you to decide what works best for your company, budget and structure...but of course that is the great thing about advertising, if something doesn't work, then you can easily change it.


The following are a list of ways and places to promote your business...
  1. Flikr: Online Photo Sharing Website ( great to store photos for your own website & share)


  2. Indie Public: Independent Art & Design community that is a place to share your items as well as speak with other artist in your field or elsewhere. You can sign up with your Google account and it includes options to "customize" your page.


  3. Kaboodle: is a social shopping community where people discover, recommend and share products. You can create groups and share your products or others and hit a wide audience.


  4. Craigslist: is not just for perverts and theives, it is actually a good place to advertise your products and for free under "services". You do not have to meet anyone, just direct them to your website or email.


  5. Postaroo: is an online classifed ad community similar to Craigslist . Though currently it is "invite only" if you add your email to the list they will update you when it will be open.


  6. Stumbleupon: is site that members (free to join) can recommend or "Stumble Upon" web pages that interest them. You can then discover and review/rate web pages, photos, and videos,"like or dislike" pages so that they can tailor what they find for you.


  7. Bust.com: is an online as well as paper magazine that celebrates handmade. They sponser there own "Craftaculars" which are craft shows around the U.S and London but they also are a good place to advertise. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for it.


  8. Craft Juice: is basically a social networking site for all things handmade. You can submit any item that you would like and the item goes out to a community of 5, 000+ . The way that you become "popular" and seen by more people thru votes. The more the community votes for your item, the more its seen......it is essentially a giant popularity contest.


  9. Craft Stylish: is an online (free member only) community where you can create a public profile of your work, promote your blog, tutorials or share photos of your work.


  10. Crafty Tips: is similar to Craft Stylish where a person can share thier work or crafting tips/tricks with other members.


  11. Designs to Love: is similar to Kaboodle, where members (free to sign up) can share with others products that they love.


  12. Try Handmade: is great handmade blog that sellers can submit pics to the gallery and if picked a possible write up will ensue. Also great resource to chat and discover other artist.


  13. Cool Mom Picks: is a blog that is geared towards products for mothers and kids. There is a section to submit your picks for review as well.


  14. Craft Gawker: is a photo gallery that allows you to visually search and discover handmade arts and crafts to inspire your own projects. They publish photography submitted by craft bloggers from around the world and the editors review submissions daily and choose the highest quality, coolest images to showcase. Though you can submit any handmade item (within the rules) they do have other sites such as Food Gawker, Wedding Gawker and Dwelling Gawker that are obviously catagory specific. I have personally recieved alot of traffic from the site and any one can submit to them, even your customers.


  15. Etsy Lush: is a picture based advertising site similar to Craft Gawker , that only accepts handmade submits from Etsy stores. Any Etsy seller of handmade goods can submit an item ( url) and upon approval it will be placed on the site with the link to the product. There are a list of Do's and Don'ts , so make sure to read the FAQ's thoroughly. Also you are only allowed to submit 1 picture within a 24 hour period and if you "abuse" that rule you could be blocked from the site.


  16. Pintrest: is a website that you can essentially make online "pin" boards in a similar fashion like Etsy Treasuries from anything/picture found on the web. In addition , you can browse other "Pin" boards that other people have made so that you can discover new things. Because it encompasses the whole web, you can make a "pin board" about anything, but the most popular are pin boards about weddings, home decor and food.


  17. Squidoo: is basically webpages or "lens" about what ever you would like to say/promote similar to a Facebook Page. You can find a variety of "lens" about things such as cooking and technology to shopping and how-to's. The best thing is that you can create as many "len's" as you would like. You can also make money from the site when someone clicks on your page ad. This is a great site if you have a variety of interest that may not specifically pertain to your company, but you can link your products to.


  18. 100 Craft Links: is exactly as it sounds, a site where you can list your shop with a "text" link.


  19. tumblr.com : Join and add items from your shop. People can follow you and you can follow them. Also can act as an inexpensive web page


  20. Wanelo: Social store similar to Kaboodle, where users post, collect and organize products and follow people and stores they like. You can sign in with an existing facebook account or via email.


  21. We Heart It: is similar to Pintrest , where users share images and products from the web.


  22. Artchain.com : A free directory that list your shop. Just add your shope where it says "Submit Artist Listing"


  23. Thefind.com : is a site similar to Kaboodle, where a user can find and recommend sites to other users. You can sign in with your existing Facebook or email, just go to the bottom where it says "submit a site" and put your shop or website in.


  24. Ravelry : is a community based site specifically for crocheters,knitters or anything that has to do with fibers and yarn.


  25. things people make: Is a sight to upload and promote your products as well as tutorials or blog. You can sign in using Facebook.


  26. My handmade Registry: Allows you to list items from your shop


  27. Craftcult: Though this is know to be have tools for Etsy users, they do have advertising options that can bring traffic


  28. Indiepublic: Is a community based site where you can create your own page with your products, share ideas and etc


  29. Pearl Trees : is similiar to We heart It or Pintrest , where you can collect ,organize and share interesting things on the web.


  30. Wist: is similiar to We heart It or Pintrest , where you can collect ,organize and share interesting things on the web as well as make a slideshow for your blog )


  31. Snipi: is also similiar to the above, but you can also share video as well, so if you have a video tutorial, it is easy to add.


  32. Crafters Buzz: will only link to your shop, but can advertise single items


  33. Unanimouscraft: is a directory for crafter to submit links to shop


  34. Etsy Shops Directory: Is a site specifically for Etsy Shop Owners that are allowed to add your shop to their directory.


  35. Etsy Love: Is similiar to Indipublic where users can set up a page for their Etsy Shop.


  36. Bloglovin': Is a central site for those of you who have a blog as a promotional tool. Just add it to Bloglovin' to get followers

  37. Indie Quarter: A site similar to Craft Gawker where you can submit your site to be featured.
  38. Indie Spotting: submit a find to get featured or you can just advertise with them.
  39. This Next: is similar to Kaboodle where users can recommend products.
Don't forget to check out our other post " Social Media For Your Business:Whoring Out Your Facebook and Twitter"
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Thursday, August 19, 2010
BYE BYE ESELLER ADS....WE'LL MISS YOU :(

UPDATE: We got a little message from Handmade Spark after they read our review below and they wanted to tell us that there is no need to "push people" to site as they are a " search engine optimization and social marketing service". The reality is that you do have to let people know you are there....the moniker states "find the people making great handmande things"....you can't find them there if no one knows you are listed. This is what we meant by "pushing people" to the site. You have to let people know where you are and this is just another site, like other social media sites ( facebook, twitter, etc) that you will have to advertise to others. We stick behind our review that the general purpose of this site is different than with the previous Eseller site. Its just up to the user to decide if it will work for their needs.


As some of you may already know, the lovely business tool ESeller Ads will be no more. Eseller Ads ( refer to mine in the lower left hand sidebar) was a way for sellers, whether it be Etsy, Artfire or Ebay, to promote their products with lovely rotating ads. Unfortunately they sent me and all the other users of these ads a notice that they will be shutting down the Eseller Ad site, so that means NO MORE ADS!.
Though this saddens me , the company will be putting all their effort behind there new venture Handmade Spark, this " is a search and seo marketing service that helps Etsy sellers free up time to design and create". Essentially what it is a place where you will get a "carousel ad" divided up by product catagory, that will then go to your "Mini Site" which is a one page site with all your product/company info and links. From there the buyer can then click on the link for your Etsy, Artfire , or what ever seller site you posted.

The up side with this is that for those of you who dont know anything about html and want one easy place to push your traffic, this may be an option....essentially it is an webpage. At the top you will have a little blurb "About Me" then below a mini product showcase that you scroll your mouse over to get the "big picture". Then on the side you have all your links (twitter, shop, facebook, contact me and etc). Also below, if you have a blog, it will post the updates for readers.
This makes it a good option for the "drag and drop" user who just wants something simple and professional.
NOW THE DOWNSIDE.....this is a paid service. It was $12/month, but they have now lowered that to $6/month. For that price you can really get your self a all encompassing website that you have more design control over. You will also need to push people to this site, so if you already have a website or even a domain name this will just be an added expense as well as work to get people to view this page, much like twitter, facebook and etc. You will no longer be able to have those lovely skyscraper ads for your blog either which is also a bummer.

I do love the concept and vision for Handmade Spark, but I wouldn't recommend this (at this stage) to anyone as a viable general business tool like Eseller ads was. I also don't know how many Eseller users actually have made the switch to Handmade Spark, since the overall concept is different than an Eseller user may need.

For more info on Handmade Spark :
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/today-we-lower-the-price-of-handmade-spark-from-12-per-month-to-6
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/handmade-spark-we-can-help-you-grow-your-etsy-business
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/top-ten-reasons-why-handmade-spark-is-good-for-your-etsy-business
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