A Free Way To Explode Your eBay Business Customer Service

Often people selling at online auction sites like eBay completely forget about the customer service aspect of selling. It is easy as you grow your business and automate many of the daily tasks to develop a sense that you are only dealing with a computer and automated tasks. However it is through customer service that you truly grow your business. So take some time to think about it next time you use software to automatically post feedback or send out an automated email. There is someone on the other end of the deal that has taken a leap of faith in your company and sent you money.

If you think about it, running a profitable ebay business is really not that much different then a bricks and mortar type of store. At least it is not that different in terms of the importance of customer service. So take some time to really think about ways that you can improve your customer service. What are things you can do to build repeat customers, provide great customer service and develop a loyal following for your business? This is the absolute best way to build your business for next to nothing. Below are some ideas that can help in both branding and creating customer loyalty as well as provide outstanding quality customer service.

Start An eZine

Do you sell in a niche area that people would like to learn more about? For example if you were an antique toy collector and sold old toys made from tin you might have a bunch of customers that would like to learn more. The best way to build your business would be to build an ezine and provide them with quality content. This sets you up as the expert and as a friend more then just a faceless dude trying to pawn off the junk in his garage. Also the great thing about an ezine is you can always have a little commercial plug mixed into your content. You have to be carefully and do this only occasionally and subtle however it can really pay off. For example why not start a weekly ezine. You only need to write one quick article a week and then at the bottom you could insert a little line like This week for auction check out and then insert your current auctions. If you provide good quality articles along with the advertising the soft sell approach is much easier for your customers to digest.

Little Touches

Have you ever thought about including little special touches with the items you send out. If you havent you might want to think about it seriously. This can really increase customer loyalty. There is no hard and fast rule here or any one size fits all product that you can include. This is really dependent on the type of products you sell. However including a little thank you card or business card can be something to really build loyal customers. For a while I was including a fun post card with each shipment. I live very close to Los Angeles and the famous California beaches and I would often collect postcards when I was out on the town having fun. Well, the collection got to big and so I started throwing them in with the packages I was sending out. People just love to get something for free even if is a small gift. If you dont think you can afford anything like that then make a thank you card on your computer and send it. It really depends on the items that you sell and what you have available but if you think about it there is something that can be included in every package to easily increase customer loyalty and service.

Open Innovation In The Food Industry

The point of inception for any enterprise, big, small or
medium has been an idea. The thought of coming up with a product,
service or initiative that would be of use to the global consumer, has
resulted in the emergence of numerous brands globally. However, the
success of continuously developing new products and better services does
not only depend on market research and branding activities or new
business development strategies. What is needed is an environment that
is conducive to ideas and knowledge sharing that brings together
multiple views and feedbacks. This too is not just limited to the
organization’s employees, but rather is open to all. This process of
sourcing meaningful ideas is termed as open innovation.

Over the past few years several brands have been
resorting to open innovation and crowdsourcing techniques for new
product development. One of the industry vertical making active use of
this technique is the food industry. Let us look at the multinational
food manufacturing company Kellogg’s (United States). The company
launched a creative initiative that enabled it in creating a new product
variant of Cereal Straws. This initiative originally started in Spain
where children between nine to ten years shared their breakfast concerns
and probable ways to resolve them. The result of from these detailed
discussions was that one should not only drink milkshakes through straws
but eat the straw afterwards that is crunchy and tastes good. The final
outcome was a brand new product named Kellogg’s Cereal Straws with its
target audience defined way before the product released in the market.

Therefore we see that open innovation often helps food brand to have a
clear idea of their target consumer group prior to product release. This
gives the brand the assurance that the capital and other resources
invested in the product development will not go waste. More than that,
it allows the brands to actually come up with products that are a blend
of proper nutrition and taste. Furthermore, innovative ways of mass idea
capture and idea management tactics can not only be used for essential
foods. The same can be applied to fancy food and confectioneries as
well.

This is what the multinational confectionery company Kraft Foods,
United States did by setting up an Idea Cafe along with Insites
Consulting to welcome new ideas. The company was looking for
consolidated ideas that can be incorporated on a day to day process. For
this the company also invited 50 Belgian Kraft consumers to be a part
of this three week idea generation process and Concept Development
Community. The final outcome of this open innovation practice was that
the company gathered more than 60 creative food ideas both for short
term and long term development.

Thus the future of any company
in terms of coming up with better products and meaningful practices
depends on the way idea management tactics are harnessed. Furthermore,
this also helps in setting a deeper audience connect that boosts sales
and results in increased goodwill.

Why Choose a Food Franchise Business

The major reason why food cart franchising a very good idea for everyone happens because a more successful company will probably be helping you by using it. Getting a food franchise will not bring you down. Here are some explanations why more people are opting for food franchising as their business. You can use the Internet or contact different companies to be able to learn more about it and the business you are getting into. Another reason why food cart franchising can be easier clients is because you will not be spending a lot of cash just to start earning profits.

If you have a food cart, youve an income generating machine. All youve got to do is always to look for someone who is willing to operate on the cart and make money from it. Operation – the amount of hours that you just operate can also be an important factor, but you should consider the different factors before you increase the number of hours you operate. The key to building a passive income with food cart franchise is to ensure that you will be checking everything prior to deciding to hire someone. The reason why food cart franchising has to be successful business model happens because there are thousands of people who are promoting the item.

You have to make sure the cart is going to be able to generate more cash if you were to raise the hours of operation to make sure that you will get more money from your cart. The primary reason why food cart franchising is a great business opportunity is really because you dont have to glance at the guesswork only to be successful from it. An excellent issue which will assist you happen to be expecting the opportunity success of the franchise is that this length of your time the franchisor are in successful operation. The more carts of the brand are visible; the greater brand recognition could be expected from people.

Customers trusts the brand, which franchise businesses already done that to suit your needs, no need for you personally to try this because it will take a long time to earn trust out of your customers. The best part about this method is that you just can have numerous carts as you want, as well as it wont require anything from you, you can simply focus in reading good food cart franchise and build additional money streams. However, there exists a method that you can use which will help you make more cash without spending a lot of cash, and also this is by looking for any food cart franchise. .But additionally you have to remember that there will likely be some companies that are going to take advantage of this excellent success.

Location – this is probably the most crucial thing that you should consider if you want to succeed in food cart franchise. Food is something which we cant live without, and it is one from the largest industries that you can find into in order to have a strong source of greenbacks. But what are the results if you are going to combine MLM and food cart franchising? Do you think it will be a great opportunity for you personally? .There are lots of food cart franchising companies that you simply can contact if you wish to start earning profits with ecommerce.

Can Saving Energy Light Bulbs Really Make a Difference

Because of the need for energy conservation, a lot of folks have started looking for ways to change their lifestyles. In order to do this, people must often acquire new attitudes and outlooks toward how they conduct their daily tasks, as well as the various things they use in their daily living.

The switch from what’s conventional to something new can be difficult, especially if you are unsure about its benefits. To help you make the change to saving energy light bulbs, it’s important to know just how much of a difference they can make.

The various types of saving energy light bulbs on the market today have been developed specifically because of the high energy cost associated with the typical incandescent light bulb. However, you may still wonder if switching to low energy bulbs can actually make that big of a difference.

Well, according to statistics, 25 percent of your electricity bill can be attributed directly to the lighting of your home. Obviously, if you could manage to reduce this, it would definitely represent a sizable dent in your average home utility costs.

So how much can saving energy bulbs reduce your energy usage?

Well, fluorescent compact bulbs actually use up to 80% less electricity than the typical incandescent light bulbs. Think about how much energy light savings that represents over time. When you consider that energy-saving light bulbs actually produce better illumination at a much lower cost, you’ll realize these benefits are reason enough to switch.

However, the benefit of changing to saving energy bulbs does not end there. These energy-saving lights also have a very high useful life. This means you won’t have to replace them as often as you would incandescent bulbs. You not only get to save more money on bulb replacements, you will also be spared the effort and time of having to buy new bulbs and then installing them. Think about how much of difference that can make in your life.

Another good reason to start using saving energy lights is the fact that they don’t produce as much heat as incandescent lights do. Heat is actually a byproduct of a light bulb’s inefficiency. Heat is also an unwanted quality in lighting, as there are some areas, like small rooms, where the heat from lighting can cause discomfort.

On top of that, the heat generated from incandescent lighting can cause your air conditioner to use more electricity by forcing it to run more often to keep your house cool.

There are plenty of benefits you can enjoy by switching to saving energy lights. When you take a closer look at these benefits, you will realize that just by changing to saving energy bulbs, you can reduce your lighting expenses by up to 90%. Clearly, saving energy light bulbs can make a difference and a big one at that.

Stainless Steel And Modern Architecture

For hundreds of years, all buildings were constructed primarily of wood and masonry. This began to change dramatically in the 18th century when wrought iron and cast iron were introduced as construction materials. Swiftly, a variety of metals took over as the preferred foundation for construction and architecture, a legacy which continues to this day. Iron initially supplanted both wood and masonry because of its superior strength and fire resistance, especially the latter. Several disastrous fires in the latter part of the 18th century led to the development of less combustible buildings which relied on cast iron as a major element of their construction.

Cast iron was also preferred for large public buildings due to the fact that a huge floor could be built with iron supports that prevented bouncing, or sagging in the middle, which was the case for flooring constructed with wooden supports.

Iron as a primary architectural material was in its turn overridden by the superior attributes of steel, for both sheet metal and supports. Steel is stronger than both cast iron and wrought iron and also has a greater resistance to corrosion.

The advent of the mass production of steel in the 19th century revolutionized architecture, leading to the ability to design and build enormously tall structures such as skyscrapers.

At the beginning of the 20th century, stainless steel was developed. Due to its aesthetic appeal and extremely high corrosion resistance, it became an external feature of much architecture. Buildings in marine environments often choose stainless steel sheeting for their exterior, since the building materials are exposed to corrosive elements. This is not only a concern for the surface area; many structures in such environments also use stainless steel material in their foundations, since the soil will be more corrosive than usual due to salt content.

By far the most well-known use of stainless steel in modern architecture though, is for its luster and visual appeal. The Chrysler Building in New York City is the chief early example of using stainless steel plate for its aesthetic attributes. The Chrysler Building was the first large scale use of stainless steel and was completed in 1930. It proves the superiority of stainless steel material used externally since today, almost one hundred years later, the stainless steel of this world famous building is in near pristine condition.

Another famous modern use of stainless steel material for construction is the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. The Arch was designed to last one thousand years, which is one of the primary reasons the architect chose stainless steel. Also, like the Chrysler Building, the steel used in the Arch is to this day still in excellent condition, effortlessly maintaining its striking visual appeal.

Currently, celebrated architect Frank Gehry often chooses stainless steel sheeting to clad his spectacular buildings; the most well known example in the U.S. being the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

Truly, steel has revolutionized architecture, from the steel used for interior supports and foundations, enabling buildings to rise toward the sky, to the dramatic use of stainless steel plate on buildings’ exteriors, commanding our attention.

Three Ways to Promote a Small Retail Flower Shop

A retail flower shop offers services for flower care and handling, flower arranging, merchandising, and flower delivery. A retail flower shop is profitable because people make use of flowers for many kinds of occasions and events. However, a small flower shop needs to promote and market its product to more potential clients for higher income.

Having promotional and marketing materials and strategies is essential for a small retail flower shop to grow. Here are the suggested ways to promote a retail flower shop:

Using the Internet

Flower shop owners can make use of the internet to promote their flower business. The very first thing to consider is to develop a website for a particular flower shop. This website must contain pertinent information about the products and services being offered by a certain shop. It is also important to include beautiful and colorful images of pre-made flower arrangements. This way, potential clients can have an idea of the kind and quality of service that a flower shop has to offer.

Creating Marketing Prints

A flower shop can also make use of posters to promote certain flower products. Flower shop owners can create poster prints online through a printing company’s website. Online printing services for posters allow people to create their own designs and upload personal images to be printed on the posters. Clients can also choose designs and templates for Poster Prints Online for faster production of marketing prints.

Sponsorship to Certain Events

Flower shop owners can engage in sponsorship programs to promote the business. Bouquets or basket of flowers can be given out for free during a special event like a simple community program in a certain locale. A flower shop can sponsor the bouquet of flowers to be used for a business opening near the shop’s physical location. With this, the flower shop and the start-up business can help each other in gaining more clients.

Introducing Promos and Discounts

Discounts can be offered for bulk orders like bouquets or baskets of flowers. Free flowers can also be given out for loyal customers as tokens of appreciation. These promos and discounts can be introduced during holidays and special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving Day and others.

With these strategies, a small retail flower shop can grow and can gain more clients in the future. Furthermore, the kinds of promotions suggested for this type of business also help other companies to survive in the market arena.

How Caulks And Sealants Are Used In The Modern-day Construction Industry

A trip to your local home improvement store can be an overwhelming experience for the average person, especially if you’re trying to figure out which caulks and sealants to use for your exterior home improvement project. Unlike the interior, the exterior faces high UV exposure, extreme temperatures and the requirement to stay 100% waterproof.

When you’re dealing with silicone caulks, you have a non-paintable surface, with poor UV performance. Although water based and latex caulks have good paintability, they also have high shrinkage, poor elasticity and poor UV performance. Synthetic-rubber (polyurethane) sealants and tri-polymer sealants (silyl terminated polyether sealants) can do it all: paintable, great moisture sealing, no or low shrinkage, and very good UV resistance. Many are also pre-tinted in popular colors. These include the popular NP1 (polyurethane sealant), Sonolastic 150 VLM, and Novalink sealants.

All of these sealant and caulk materials are heavily advertised and marketed with super flashy packaging, labels and all kinds of fancy logos. If you’re looking for a high performance caulk or high performance sealant, you can literally be confronted with hundreds of brands and companies that claim to have the best product for your needs. So what can you do, when you are bombarded with all kinds of choices?

Each brand of caulk generally has its own special and unique qualities. Although, it is in your best interest to read all of the labels and also follow the company specifications, for the use of the caulk and sealant, the very thing you want to know may not be found on the labels of the containers at all! Many of the best products are architectural / commercial grade and not generally available to the public.

Sealant was originated through the needs for exterior finishing in the home building industry. Caulk was originally a term that was used to describe the sealant material used to build boats. Many companies and manufacturers these days are using caulk as an all-purpose word to describe paintable interior grade products. Sealants by definition have at least /-25% elongation capability over a long-term period and are UV resistant. Advanced sealants are 100% solids and offer up to 100% elongation.

Most of the general public use caulk and sealant interchangeably to serve the same basic purpose, which is to fill gaps between building materials and to shield materials from air and water.

Although sealants and caulk work the same basic manner, they both also fail for the same basic reasons. There are three major types of caulk failures that you will encounter. These are substrate, cohesive, and adhesive. The bond that is put between the substrate and the caulk can actually fail, making the caulk tear and break down. Caulked joint problems are also very common and are usually due to the substrate not being effectively prepared or using the wrong product all together.

So, before you choose a certain kind of product, you want to really think about how you will be using it and for what purpose. You will also want to consider the area or location you are going to apply the caulk or sealant.

For example, if your intent is to seal the area around the base of a toilet, sink, bathtub or shower, it will be imperative that you purchase a product that both mildew-resistant and durable enough to survive scrubbing and chemical cleaning. If your intent is going to be to use sealant or caulk between wood clapboards and vinyl windows, then you’ll need to purchase a product that is able to bond very well to both types of materials and is weather resistant.

You will also want to keep humidity, temperature and moisture in mind when you are shopping for caulk or sealant. Water-based caulks not recommended for outdoor projects, because these products do not withstand the hot-to-cold and cold-to-hot weather changes, as well as other harsh weather situations. If you are living in an area that is below 50F during the time you need to apply sealant, then you’ll probably want to use a silicone sealant, instead of polyurethanes, because polyurethanes are very difficult to apply in chilly conditions.

Other Applications: For sealing skylights, glass domes, greenhouses and such, Sonolastic Clear 25 is a popular product. For Kynar or siliconized paint finished metal roofs, a special sealant formulated to seal to these surfaces is a must. Products such as Duralink are popular. For repair of swimming pool tile grout lines, polyurethane sealants are excellent. Products like Ultra provide a very durable seal, which can survive in areas where grouts fail quickly. Ultra is also used as a pickproof sealant in security applications.

To the delight of many, who prefer the do-it-yourself project, certain caulks and sealants can be color-matched to paints, tiles, grout, wallpaper and even carpeting. The beauty of these products is that they can be color-matched while they are still in the product tube. NP1 is also available in many popular pre-formulated colors. Any good home building products store will be able to help you color-match your caulk and sealant to your desired color. Once the caulk has cured, then it will precisely match the color you were seeking to acquire.

In summary, let’s review your options again:

1. Water-based caulks are the easiest to work with. They have a smooth, thin and consistent flow, and they are easy to apply with almost any tool. These products cure quickly, have very little odor, and the clean up is easy with water.

2. Silicone caulks and sealants are good for interior or exterior areas, which will not be painted and are good for areas that will be exposed to extremely cold weather, certain metals, and glass. Silicone materials do not repair well (nothing wants to stick to cured silicone material, not even more silicone)

3. Synthetic rubber sealant is best used for areas with high movement and dissimilar materials. These materials can be painted and are designed for long-term exterior exposure. There is also less chance that the synthetic rubber bond will break during movement. Common applications are roof tile repairs, roof moldings, and roof to wall sealing, window frame sealants, and doorsill sealant.

4. Self Leveling Expansion Joint Sealant, such as SL1 and SL2, are used to fill and seal the expansion joint gaps in concrete and driveways.

5. Tri-Polyimer sealants, such as Sonolastic 150VLM are the next generation. Although somewhat more expensive, they offer superior exterior performance.

6. New Hybrid products are available that defy all classifications. Using these kinds of sealants can yield a lot of surprises, so be sure to read the instructions carefully. Some of these products tend to expand upon drying, so it is best to test them out in an inconspicuous location before actually using them on your project.

Print this article and take it with you when you are shopping for caulk and sealant. Review it and then follow any instructions on the containers of the products you buy. It is our hope that this quick tutorial will help provide some clarity on exactly what products you should buy for your home improvement or home construction project.

Agriculture Business Emerged as One of the Most Demanded Career Option

The economy of India has been agriculture based for ages. With most of the regions being farmlands and the majority of the population living in villages, agriculture is the major source of livelihood. Earlier agriculture products were mainly used as final food products. Only a few food products were used as raw materials as agriculture based industries existed in very less numbers. But gradually with liberalization and urbanization the influence of the western world increased. Food outlets of branded companies and food chain restaurants came up and -fast food’, -instant food’ and -food supplements’ gradually emerged as the most demanded food options. So, Agriculture Business emerged as one of the most demanded career option.

To cater to the ever increasing food industry, well trained management graduates are required to manage all the aspects required for its development and smooth functioning. Fields such as marketing, sales, product management, and customer care are looked after by professionals with innovative ideas and planning. So, top management institute is the latest career option for young minds having the desire to explore the agriculture sector. The management graduates enrolled in these courses is well trained and educated to bring in new agricultural innovations and replace the traditional unproductive practices of this sector. Agriculture Business College in India has thus come up in large numbers to cater to the ever increasing demand for management graduates who would contribute immensely to the growth of the agriculture based industries.

The Management Colleges thus provide the ever expanding agriculture business sector of India with qualified graduates who have the capability to think differently. It is a win-win situation for both the management trainees as well as the industries as the trainees are highly paid for their services and the industries in return earn high profits using the innovative ideas of their employees. In this way both the industries and the management employees are benefited.

So, the contributions of Management Institute in India Business cannot be ignored. Also with the increasing demand for skilled man power many Management Institutes came up in various parts of the country and the competition among them to produce the best graduates increased. The Top Business Management College with the best of faculties and facilities emerged providing the best man power. The graduates produced here are the best who posses new innovative ideas and strategies. The institutes have 100% placement records and are the centers of excellence in the field of management. The doyens of management sector are hired from leading companies who prepare the course curriculum. It is beneficial for both the management institutes and the industries as support provided by the management experts help in updating the course curriculum leading to development of the education imparted. The education provided here develops the hidden talents of the management graduates who after passing out are absorbed by the industries.

Jessica Olivia is management adviser for management institute. click on the links to agriculture business, management institute in India, agri business management course and Agriculture marketing institute now more about the information you can visit management institute in india.

Baby Appleseed Crib Collections

Baby Appleseed is a new baby furniture company that is rapidly making a name for itself with their high end baby cribs and case pieces. Founded in 2004, Baby Appleseed has already expanded to a larger factory to try to keep up with the demand for their widely popular baby cribs. Baby Appleseed cribs feature solid hardwood construction and no moving parts for a safe and sturdy baby crib. Baby Appleseed cribs are also JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) Certified so parents can be secure that they are purchasing a product designed with safety in mind.

Baby Appleseeds most popular furniture collection is the Davenport Collection. An elegant, majestic crib, the Davenport is a definite statement piece. A gently arched headboard and a front rail that dips subtly in the center provide grace, and the heavier paneling and side columns imbue the Davenport with grandeur. The Davenport convertible crib features 3 level mattress adjustment and includes a trundle storage drawer and a toddler rail.

The Millbury Collection features a convertible crib with a more structured look. Still magnificent, the Millbury crib features straight side columns and a front rail with a definitive center dip. A beautifully carved headboard with gentle curves softens the Millburys squared off edges. The Millbury crib features 4 level mattress adjustment and includes toddler rail.
The Davenport and Millbury collections are available in four finishes, Colonial White, Antique Chestnut, Heritage Cherry and Espresso. The collections includes 4 case pieces, an Armoire, a 5 drawer Dresser, a Combo (long dresser with cabinet) and a Hutch. Included toddler rail easily converts the crib into a toddler or day bed, and full size rails can be purchased to convert your beautiful lifetime baby crib into a full sized bed! A lifetime crib is a wise investment that will allow you to keep your quality furniture through the school years.

Baby Appleseed manufacturers high end, safe, and beautiful baby cribs and case pieces, and with every crib purchase, 10 trees are planted on your childs behalf through one of their 4 reforestation projects and their partnership with American Forests, the nations oldest nonprofit conservation organization. Baby Appleseed also supports 3 childrens charities; First Candle, a nonprofit working in the fight against SIDS; MOM (Military Outreach Ministry) at Camp Pendleton, CA, to support young military families; and K.I.D.S., Kids In Distressed Situations, to bring new merchandise to almost 5 million children in distressed conditions. Choose a well-constructed and safe convertible baby crib from Baby Appleseed and be confident that youve chosen one of the best.

ACN Marketing Tips- Build Your ACN Business Fast , Even If You’re On A Budget

When marketing your ACN business, it can get very expensive. Regardless, if you’re buying opportunity-seeking leads or other marketing material, at some point, you’ll start spending more money than you’re making. So, what should you do? Well, what I’m going to do is share with you some marketing tips that will help you build your ACN business fast, even if you’re on a budget.

ACN Marketing Tips #1: The internet is an extremely powerful business growth tool. It will take the average network marketer adding 1 or 2 people a month, and increase that to 12, maybe 13 people a week. Can you experience this kind of growth in your ACN business? You betcha!

One way to get that type of growth in your business is to use video marketing (example: YouTube.com). It’s easy to use. And it’s free. Having a video up and running with help you add dozens of people into your business just as soon as people begin viewing it.

Let me break down how this work. Remember when you saw the “top dogs” in your company give a presentation. People put 100% of their trust in them. And the “top dogs” were able to demonstrate leadership. They, somehow, seemed to attract people to them. Well, when you have your videos up, that’s exactly what will happen to you.

And when you do this, from time to time, you’ll be able to attract some “heavy hitters” into your ACN business. They will bring hundreds of people into your business, which will result in a massive growth in your organization.

ACN Marketing Tips #2: Another free and cool way to build your ACN business fast, even if you’re on a budget is to use blogs. You can pick up a free blog at blogger.com. Its simple and easy to set up. When you get ready to set up your blog, there are a few things you can discuss.

One topic you can talk about is ACN’s telecommunication service. You can talk about how much you’ve saved and the benefits of being with ACN. You can also mention the business information. This will help people make a decision based on what they want. Oh, and don’t forget to include your phone number or email. That way, you’re only dealing with people who are serious about joining your business.

This will have you building your business fast. And make it more exciting for you and everyone who joins you.

ACN Marketing Tips #3: If you’ve added at least 1 person into your ACN business, you know the struggle it takes to get your downline growing their business. Well, now you can show your downline what to do and how to do it. This will eliminate the struggle it takes to grow your business. You can even get your new consultants started easy, that way they’ll have a chance to start adding people into their business the very first week.

Use these tools and techniques to grow your ACN business fast, even if you’re on a budget. These marketing tips will have you growing your ACN business, starting today.