From Phil Brandenberger purchasing Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales record album in 1994, e-Commerce has taken the world by storm. In less than three decades, it is now commonplace and irreplaceable within our daily lives.
This article will dissect what constitutes as e-commerce – tracing its history and relaying pertinent statistics along the way. Additionally, we'll explore various platforms and business models associated with this industry while forecasting future trends to look out for over the coming years; primarily concerning 2024 strategies that should be implemented into one’s existing practices or new endeavors altogether!
What is eCommerce?
E-commerce is an efficient and convenient way of trading goods and services using digital technology. This revolutionary model allows businesses to bridge borders quickly by connecting buyers and sellers from all over the world in a single marketplace via the internet.
The History of eCommerce
In 1994, history was made when Phil Brandenberger used his Mastercard to purchase Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales over the Internet for $12.48--the world’s first eCommerce transaction! Encryption technology had been utilized to enable an online purchasing experience, signaling the dawn of a new era in retail.
Fast forward 26 years and this industry has grown exponentially with the emergence of major players such as Amazon or Alibaba that have leveraged global connections on the internet alongside digitized financial systems leading to decreased sales at brick-and-mortar stores. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) even reveals that employment within eCommerce increased by 110% between 1997 and 2020 and is projected to reach 450 thousand jobs by 2026—a clear sign that competition will only increase within this highly dynamic market space! Thus, before anyone dives into online business ventures it is essential they learn these key fundamentals .
The Benefits of eCommerce
The COVID19 pandemic has expedited the digitization of businesses, while altering people's office, living and spending habits. Consequently, e-commerce experienced a surge in growth with Shopify doubling its stock price and revenue since the epidemic began. It is predicted that by 2025 e-commerce penetration will rise from 15% to 25%. E-commerce has revolutionized traditional selling models by providing merchants an easier way to start their business ventures. To highlight these advantages further here are four key benefits of operating an online store:
No longer restricted by geography
For stores to reach their highest potential, they must expand by setting up branches. Fortunately, merchants are now able to leverage the power of online sales platforms as a reliable marketing tool.
Year-round Availability
With the Internet and web platforms continuing to exist, customers have perpetual access to ordering on these sites whenever and wherever they may be; simultaneously granting vendors who specialize in e-commerce a great way of making money.
Less Startup Cost
For store owners, rent and labor costs are major expenses. Fortunately, eCommerce offers budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to start up a business with minimal capital investment. With goods stored in warehouses rather than on-site as is traditionally done for brick and mortar stores, overhead costs can be kept at an absolute minimum.
More Consumer Choices
As consumer confidence in eCommerce grows, a flurry of new online sellers has been established to meet the growing demand. An abundance of goods and an impressive variety have become available for purchase, granting customers more options than ever before.
Different Modes of eCommerce
B2B：Business to Business
Alibaba is a prime instance of B2B commerce: suppliers offer their products to other companies. What makes Alibaba stand out are the incredibly low prices, enabling buyers to make considerable profits from wholesale goods.
B2C：Business to Consumer
Business-to-Consumer (B2C) entities, such as Amazon, Walmart and Apple offer goods directly to individuals.
C2C：Consumer to Consumer
Shopping online has become a convenient and common way for consumers to buy goods directly from other individuals. Popular e-commerce sites such as eBay, Carousell, and Etsy are filled with people offering their previously owned items or even new products they have accumulated over time. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to assess the quality of these products without first looking at customer reviews and ratings.
C2B：Consumer to Business
Consumer-to-business (C2B) transactions refer to consumers offering their products or services to an enterprise. For instance, a photographer could easily market and sell their photography skillset to a company in need of visuals for promotional materials by putting their work on stock photo sites such as Unsplash and Freepik.
Different Types of eCommerce
Products Online Store
Online stores can be found all over, making it easy for customers to purchase products via smart devices and computers.
If you own a brick-and-mortar store with physical goods, then the responsibility of stocking and shipping those items falls upon you or someone else if hired. In contrast to this method is dropshipping--a business model which has been made popular from its successful examples.
However in today's age, such an endeavor does not work as well due to intense competition among sellers on ecommerce platforms that have incorporated dropshipping elements into their services; thus allowing more people access to open up virtual shops at ease This issue is compounded by long delivery times associated with cross border eCommerce endeavors leading shoppers waiting longer than desired for item arrival.
Taking these concerns into account, I firmly advise against new entrepreneurs entering the market in this way. Instead, selling their own physical products online is still a preferred and practical choice when beginning with eCommerce.
Freelancing Platform
Taking advantage of the digital environment, services are becoming a more and more popular option for those looking to sell. Anyone could earn money by providing advertising support or graphic design online. Companies such as Upwork and Fiverr have created platforms specifically designed for freelancers to offer their talents in exchange for payment.
Digital Products
Are you looking to offer your customers more than physical products and services? Well, with e-commerce transactions processed over the Internet, there's a wide range of digital options that can be easily downloaded. These include online courses, software programs, website graphics; not to mention guides and e-books for downloading pleasure! Just take Netflix or Coursera as examples – they've made it big in no time by offering unique digital content which people have readily embraced.
eCommerce Strategies in 2023
Pick an eCommerce Platform
If you're wanting to know the various places and ways eCommerce takes place on the web, then keep reading! We'll explain some of the most common platforms used today. For additional information regarding these e-commerce programs, make sure to subscribe to our digital marketing blog. With this knowledge, your online selling experience will be easier than ever before!
1）Use a Third-Party Site Builder
Shopify
Shopify is the go-to choice of millions worldwide, having a 21% share in the global e-commerce market. Small and medium enterprises opt for this platform because it enables them to create efficient online stores without needing any technical expertise. Its user-friendly interface provides plenty of templates, shipping options, automatic taxes calculation and 100+ payment modes as well as social media integration. Additionally, SEO & Blog features make it even more attractive - all that hosted at no extra cost! In short - if you're looking for an easy yet economic way to expand your business then look no further than Shopify!
WooCommerce
Boasting 3,876,748 live websites and counting, WooCommerce stands out as one of the biggest open source e-commerce platforms available. By allowing for seamless WordPress integration with its comprehensive suite of templates (similar to Shopify) plus a wide variety of functions such as unlimited products/customization options & order/delivery management - all at zero cost! - it's no wonder why entrepreneurs flock towards this powerful platform. however if you're looking to take your business further and require more intricate tools; CodeCanyon offers over 1,773 plugins that are specifically tailored to provide more robust capabilities but may come with an additional fee. Perfect for small businesses using WordPress powered sites who want their online store running in no time!
Boutir
Established in 2015, Boutir is a versatile Hong Kong-based eCommerce platform spearheaded by entrepreneur Eric Ng. Through the boutique mobile app Boutir, merchants can set up their own online stores with ease and take advantage of its three solutions: Starter, Business, and Business Plus. The best part? All you need to do is get the hang of it—the application isn't complicated even for those who aren’t tech-savvy or design literate! Furthermore, your store will also be able to accept numerous payment methods (AlipayHK & Tap & Go included) that are most common among Hong Kong people while being connected to S.F Shipping locations as well - making it an ideal choice for SMEs seeking an all-inclusive eCommerce solution tailored perfectly just for them!
Magento
Magento is a powerful e-commerce solution that offers unmatched flexibility, scalability and customization to help medium or large businesses thrive. Equipped with over 5,900 extensions and modules as well as helpful templates and customizations options, this platform has already enabled more than 772k websites worldwide to succeed. Despite its complexity for newcomers who don't have the technical knowledge necessary yet, there's an entire community of developers at their disposal ready to provide guidance and support for those seeking it out. With two versions available - Open Source (free) & Commerce (starting at US$22,000/year), if you're looking for unrivalled features in an e-commerce website; Magento could be your best bet!
2）Develop the Website In-House
Establishing an e-commerce website requires performing a multitude of operations, including design, upkeep and software updates. Although developing a website is quite expensive initially, if you are willing to invest in it then brands have the liberty to add their own flair by going beyond technical limitations. IKEA and Casetify can be taken as prime examples of this approach - having your own site gives your business its digital home that truly reflects its brand identity!
However, establishing one's own platform also comes with risks since there is no guarantee for success or return on investment - refer to our article: How much does it cost to build a website for more information about setting up costs.
3）Social Commerce
Utilizing the power of Instagram, YouTube Live, and other digital platforms allows for a unique form of e-commerce. Through connecting with influencers, internet celebrities or live broadcasters who hold influence amongst their followers; these KOLs can advertise products to their fan base through various forms such as sharing posts or streaming videos. This method is incredibly popular due to its low cost and has been seen used in promoting items like handmade crafts, cosmetics & jewelry. Due to the love and trust that fans have towards these online stars they often help contribute greatly to sales success too!
4）eCommerce Platform/Marketplace
Amazon stands as the preeminent e-commerce platform, while Taobao, Lazada and HKTV Mall reign in China, Southeast Asia and Hong Kong respectively. All of these sites provide merchants with a method to build an online "store" on their platform for a monthly charge plus revenue share from sales. Yet this may be too demanding for start-ups or small businesses because of the intricate application process involved. This business model works best when used by established brands that have many products already lined up - enabling them to take advantage of the colossal traffic built into each respective website.
What's the difference?
If you opt for a self-managed website, it's likely that you'll look to hire an expert web development business to construct your official site according to the individualized requirements of your own. As well as needing a different server, host and URL provider, third-party software integration and custom functions must be introduced too; with the ultimate content crafted exclusively in line with what is needed.
In contrast, there are many reliable online shopping website builders, such as Shopify, WooCommerce and more. These platforms provide users with the ability to create their own custom URL while also supplying them with e-commerce features that come embedded in the system - like member login, discounts, buy X get Y free offers, installation of Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel capabilities HTTPS security and more! All you have to do is drag & drop a few tools or "plug-ins" for purchase. The level of functionality available will depend on your store opening platform choice as well as what fee you choose.
Not only can you use a website architecture platform yourself, but there are also web design businesses that use such platforms as Shopify and Webflow to construct sites for their customers. The Media Studio site you're currently viewing utilizes Webflow development. Out of the four methods mentioned including social media e-commerce, this is by far the least risky and simplest choice; moreover with an e-commerce platform not only do you save on website construction costs, shipping concerns become obsolete while at the same time your chances of gaining visitors dramatically increase.
The Future of E-commerce
With the e-commerce industry flourishing and projected to comprise of 18.1% of global retail sales in 2021, it is a great time for those looking to enter this business as there are immense opportunities but also heightened competition. As technology progresses, shoppers will be delighted with virtual or augmented reality experiences that mimic trying on clothes without actually having to do so - from being able to "try on" cosmetics using their devices' cameras - thus creating an even more enjoyable shopping experience!
AI technology has also recently been introduced into e-commerce platforms as well, such as ChatGPT's plugin with Shopify and Instacart; such advances provide customers with tailored services enhancing the overall online shopping process.
If you’re considering opening your own store but can't decide what products/services would generate revenue – read our article: “Unlock Incredible Business Prospects with These 5 Product Ideas for an eCommerce Store," and if needing assistance constructing a website Media Studio offers professional customized packages fit just for you! Click here now learn more about how they could help get started today.
eCommerce源自于1994年，當時Phil Brandenberger在網上購買了第一個產品——Sting的Ten Summoner's Tales唱片專輯。在不到短短30年後，電子商務已經成為世界各地人們日常生活不可或缺的一部分。
在這篇文章中，我們將更深入地了解什麽是電子商務。我們將回顧電子商務的歷史，並分享一些重要的統計數據。此外，我們還將深入研究電子商務平台和商業模式， 電子商務未來趨勢以及2022年電子商務怎麼做。
什麼是電子商務？
簡稱電商，是透過電子方式（網絡或者移動程式）商品或者服務的過程。電子商務的本質是交易的平台，只不過交易平台轉移到了網絡上，比起傳統交易模式，更加快速容易甚至跨國界的連接買賣方。
eCommerce的歷史
第一筆eCommerce交易是在1994年進行的。一位叫Phil Brandenberger的人用他的Mastercard透過互聯網以12.48美元購買了Sting的《Ten Summoner's Tales》。這筆特殊的交易創造了歷史，並向世界發出信號："互聯網對eCommerce交易是開放的"。為什麽呢？因為這是第一次使用加密技術來實現互聯網商品的購買。
eCommerce從那時起就開始飛速發展。1990年代中期，Amazon和Alibaba等電子商務巨頭的崛起，改變了零售業的面貌。他們在很大程度上利用了全球互聯網的滲透和金融系統的數字化，這導致了許多實體企業的銷售額下降。
eCommerce的發展也改變了零售業的勞動力。美國勞工統計局（BLS）透露，從1997年到2020年，電商行業的就業人數增加了110%。BLS還預測，到2026年，美國eCommerce工作崗位數量將繼續增長，並達到45萬個。
明顯地，電子商務的高度競爭性將不斷改變零售業，影響大眾的購買方式。如今，對於許多精明的企業家來說，開辦網上業務似乎是一個有吸引力的想法，但在任何人想進入這個充滿活力的商業領域之前，他們首先需要學習eCommerce行業的基本法則。
電子商務的好處
COVID19疫情加速了慢慢進行中的企業數位化，而民眾的辦公、生活、飲食及消費習慣也已逐漸改變。電商的行業儼然成為疫情中最大的受益者，Shopify股價及收入在新冠疫情間翻倍。預期到2025年，電商的滲透率將由現今的15%上升到25%。電商改變了傳統的販售模式，讓商家能夠選擇以更輕鬆的形式開始創業。
以下將為你介紹電商的4大優勢，讓你參考：
不再受空間限制
實體商店需要受地域和空間的限制，即使再好的實體商店，也需要透過開分店的模式來擴大經營，而現在商家可以通過網路銷售平台來進行營銷。
全年皆可下單
只要有網路和網路平台的存在，消費者就可以在網路平台上隨時隨地下單，從事電商事業的賣家可以輕鬆賺錢。
開店成本降低
無論是店面租金，還是人力成本，對店家來說都是很大的消耗，eCommerce適合沒有雄厚資金的初創業者，因為門檻相對較低。賣家可以把商品的儲存轉到warehouse，這樣可以更加降低成本。
消費者有更多選擇
隨著消費者對eCommerce的信任度越來越高，網絡賣家隨之增長，無論是商品的種類或是商品的數量也是飛快增加，讓消費者有更多選擇。
eCommerce主要模式
B2B：Business to Business
指企業向其他企業銷售商品。Alibaba就是一個B2B的例子， 因為他們的供應商賣給其他企業。Alibaba的價格非常低，因為這些商品的價格批發價格，允許企業從其商品中獲得利潤。
B2C：Business to Consumer
指企業向消費者銷售商品。如果你決定開設自己的網上零售店，你很可能會向客戶而不是企業銷售。Amazon、Walmart和Apple是B2C企業的例子。
C2C：Consumer to Consumer
即消費者對消費者銷售商品。消費者通常通過eBay、Carousell和Etsy等在線銷售網站進行銷售。這些網站上的許多賣家不是企業，而是普通消費者，銷售他們擁有的商品，無論是二手的還是新的。在這種電子商務平台上，商品的質量很難保證，消費者在購買之前，一般要看下rating。
C2B：Consumer to Business
指消費者將自己的產品或服務賣給企業或組織。這可能是一個攝影師把他們的攝影作品賣給一個企業。
eCommerce主要類型
實體商店 / 跨境電商
這些是到處可見的典型網店。 購物者可以通過智能手機或電腦購買其產品。 如果您經營帶有實物商品的商店，則可以自己存儲和發送商品，也可以讓其他人為您處理商品。 如果您選擇其他實現方式，例如 dropshipping，其他人將負責物流配送。
這裡說下dropshipping, 你可能看到這種商業模式的許多成功例子。其實在當前環境來說，這種商業模式並不好做。
主要原因包括，競爭非常激烈，現在許多電商平台都包括了一些dropshipping功能，導致許多賣家可以很輕鬆的開店。另外一個原因就是物流配送問題，應為大多數的dropshipping賣家都集中在跨境電商，這產生了物流配送會非常慢，消費者需要等很長時間才能收到物品。
所以小編不建議新的賣家執行這種跨境電商的商業模式。
如果你想開始做eCommerce，在線售賣實體商品商店是門檻最低的網上銷售類型。
服務零售商
您還可以在線形式出售服務，從廣告支持到圖形設計。 由於數字環境的影響，服務已成為越來越受歡迎的銷售解決方案。看看Upwork和Fiverr等公司，它們為自由職業者提供服務的平台。
數字化產品
電子商務交易通過互聯網進行處理，這意味著除了向客戶提供實物產品和服務外，您還可以提供可以在線下載的數字產品。 這些類型的產品通常包括在線課程，軟件或可以在網站上使用的圖形之類的東西。 數字產品也可能以指南或電子書的形式出現。Netflix和Coursera就是好例子。
2023年做eCommerce的方法
選擇電商主要平台
我們已經談到了網絡上的e Commerce類型和模式。但是，這些交易是在哪裏和如何進行的呢？在本節中，我們將對一些最常見的電子商務平台進行說明。如果對以下電商平台的詳細比較有興趣的話，就記得訂閱我們的Blog了 網絡銷售平台。
1）使用第三方網站架構工具
Shopify
Shopify平台為全球超過1,700,000個網站提供服務及擁全球有21%的電子商務市場份額。
作為不少中小企業的熱門選擇，Shopify允許客戶建立有效的網上商店並擴大他們的業務。這個平台創建了一個用戶友好和直觀的界面，以及大量的Template模板，提供靈活的運費、自動稅收和超過100個支付方式。Shopify支持社交媒體整合，內置SEO及Blog功能，並且完全托管。
適合：正在尋找一個簡單易用、性價比高的電子商務解決方案的中小型企業。
WooCommerce
WooCommerce為超過3,876,748個實時網站提供動力。
CodeCanyon銷售超過1,773個插件，旨在與WooCommerce整合。
WooCommerce是最大的開源電子商務平台之一。專門為與WordPress整合而設計，WooCommerce和Shopify一樣，擁有大量的模板，可以幫助你建立一個獨特的網上商店。作為一個免費軟件，你會得到所有的eCommerce基本功能，包括無限製的產品、無限製的定製、訂單管理和免費送貨。如果需要在WooCommerce裡加插更全面的功能，WeDevs有不少比較全面但貴價的外掛。
適合：擁有由WordPress驅動的網站的小企業。
Boutir
Boutir於2015年推出，是由企業家吳家嘉（Eric Ng）創立的香港電子商務平台。 通過Boutir，商家可以通過他們的應用程序開設電子商務商店並獲得概述。Boutir具有三種解決方案，分別是Starter，Business和Business Plus。Boutir的月費計劃從每月港幣118元起，最高到每月港幣618元。
掌舖 Boutir 相對簡單易用，以手機應用程式操作，適合不熟識電腦及設計的店主。網店設計簡潔，亦支援多種為港人而設的付款方式（AlipayHK支付寶、Tap & Go拍住賞、八達通、WeChat Pay Hong Kong），及順豐集運點連接。
適合：正在尋找一個最最適合香港人使用的電商平台的香港中小型企業
Magento
Magento至今已經為全世界超過772,000個網站提供支持，並有超過5,900個擴展程序與Magento相容。
Magento是一個高度靈活的電子商務解決方案，適合準備擴大規模的中型企業使用。這個平台提供了強大的功能，使零售商能夠定製他們在線商店的所有方面，包括定製模板、擴展和模塊。
許多人認為Magento是一個復雜的電子商務平台。但是，Magento正維持一個由開發者和專家組成的運作社區來支持客戶，並隨時準備幫助新手維護他們的在線商店。
Magento為消費者提供了兩個版本：Magento Open Source（免費）和Magento Commerce（HKD$171,000/year）。要建立Magento網站，您或您的開發團隊需要具備所需的技術知識和經驗；否則，你必須尋找一個專業的Magento技術服務商。
適合：尋找一個高度可定製的電子商務解決方案的中型或大型企業。
2）自行開發及管理網站
品牌需要自己全權處理電商網站的一切營運，包含設計、維護，還要定期更新軟體，確保網頁的順暢。自行開發網站雖然整體經營的成本相對高昂，但只要品牌願意付出金錢和心力，可以在其中發揮很大的創意，為品牌的「門面」增加特色。另外，此方案自主性是所有選擇中最高的，品牌也可以跳出平台的技術規限，開發一些普通平台做不到的功能。因此，不少有資本的企業會選擇這個模式的電商。IKEA及Casetify就是成功例子之一。
擁有一個自己的網站就像租屋與建屋的差別，自行架構網站能讓您的公司在網路世界上擁有一個家，也塑造你的品牌專業性。當然，價格和爛尾的風險也跟自行建屋不相伯仲。
關於網站的架設費用，可以參考我們的文章：自己整一個網站要洗幾多錢。
3）社交媒體電商（Social Commerce）
例如IG、YouTube直播電商等。主要指擁有大量粉絲和廣泛影響力的網路KOL、網紅和直播主，通過分享的方式向粉絲群體推廣產品。他們的追隨者出於對這些網路名人的喜愛和信任，通常會貢獻十分亮眼的銷售額。這種電商的模式成本最低，比較適合一些低成本和預算的商品例如手工製品，化妝品和服飾等等。
4）電商平台/市集（eCommerce Platform/Marketplace）
Amazon現為電商平台的“一哥”，而Taobao、Lazada及HKTV Mall則分別稱霸了中國、東南亞及香港的電商平台市場。這些平台的運作模式都能夠讓商家在該平台上申請“開店”，支付月費及銷售額分成在該平台上售賣產品。
雖然如此，想在電商平台上售賣往往需要繁複的申請程序，對於初創及小型企業可能會比較困難。所以，這種電商模式較為適合已經建立好品牌並擁有大量貨品的商家。成功申請後便可以受惠於電商平台本身龐大的流量。
分別在哪裡？
簡單來說，自行管理型網站廠商通常請專門做網站的公司根據需求架自己的官方網站，自己要再另外找主機、伺服器和網址，第三方軟體整合，客製化功能開發等等。網站的整體內容是根據你的需求做全方位的客製化設計。
網購網站架構平台同樣的也能夠做自己的官方網站，不過就要使用供應商的指定工具及受其框架限制的前提下來建立網站。比較知名的自己開店電商平台包括Shopify、WooCommerce等。 這類型的產品已經將電商的功能內嵌在整個後台系統，想要開店的人基本上都能透過簡單的拖曳工具，或者是「外掛程式」加購，來打造自己的電商購物官網。通常，你可以直接在這樣的平台上擁有自訂網址，並且在後台找到相對應的基本電商服務，像是「會員登入」、「折扣優惠」、「買X送Y」、「安裝Google Analytics或Facebook Pixel」、「HTTPS」等。 但每種開店平台的功能不一樣，也會根據你所選擇不同的開店資費，而有不同的功能。
當然，使用網站架構平台不代表你必須要自己學會如何使用該工具。市面上也有網站設計公司使用Shopify、Webflow等平台為客戶架構網站。你現在看著的Media Studio官網便運用了Webflow開發。
以上兩種都能有自訂網址，也能有效打造成為官網並受惠於SEO。第三、四種方式則未能有上述優勢。社交媒體電商是四種方法中最低風險及容易的，而電商平台則能為你省卻網站開發的花費、運輸的煩惱，並有機會提供龐大的瀏覽量。
E-commerce未來趨勢
E-commerce行業將繼續快速增長。2021年e-commerce銷售額預計占全球零售額的18.1%。隨著時間的推移，e-commerce將繼續從實體零售商手中奪取市場份額。這對那些想從事電商事業的人來說是個好消息，因為銷售額只會繼續上升，不過該領域的競爭也會加劇。
E-commerce也將可能在幾年內發展，為購物者創造更多的虛擬或增強現實體驗。商店最終可能包括幫助顧客 "虛擬 "試穿衣服的功能。這將確保衣服適合顧客的體型，同時讓他們在購買前看到衣服的樣子。購物者可能能夠使用他們的筆記本電腦或手機的攝像頭 "試用 "化妝品。
另外，最近新興的AI科技將會把電商的極限推到小編也難以猜測的地步。ChatGPT最近也推出了Shopify的Plugin，讓客戶輕鬆在Shopify上使用ChatGPT技術優化網上購物的體驗。
E-commerce正在不斷發生變化，雖然成為下一個Amazon的機會近乎零，但可以成為電子營商社群的其中的一部分可以說是令人激動和興奮。
如果你有意開網店卻還未決定賣什麼，可以閱讀一下我們的另一篇文章：開網店諗唔到賣乜？5大熱門貨品讓你了解！
如果你想 Media Studio 協助你的業務建立一個專業美觀的電商網站，可以按此了解更多。
Ex Silicon Valley full-stack developer. Web designer, SEO expert, and co-founder of Media Studio Hong Kong.
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