Tag: Fashion

Hey Poshmark, Let’s Talk

I have worked in software development and e-commerce for over 15 years. I have an acute understanding of the software development lifecycle and how companies should develop and test platform changes because it is my job to do these things. 

One of the rules that is not broken, ever, is to test out platform changes on live data. When I refer to “live data” I am referring to users closets and real time activity. You can imagine my surprise when, listening to the fireside chat, I hear them speak about testing being performed on Group A and Group B, live closets on the Poshmark platform. The logical assumption is that the platform changes were tested out in the live, production system that is the Poshmark platform. I’ve never seen a company do this. It’s just not done. It’s not only unethical, it’s completely against everything developers KNOW to do. 

How can Poshmark explain away using these groups as test subjects when answering a question about why sales drastically decreased, why the search algorithms were not working correctly, why users were not given the opportunity to opt in or opt out of being in a beta test group?

Is Poshmark really saying they’re the direct cause of sales decreases / lost revenue for these two groups of real time, live closets? Is there really to be no mention of reparations that need to be made to the sellers who lost a lot of money during this undisclosed testing phase? A testing phase that was neither communicated nor truthfully represented in the following months when users were begging for answers?

I’m really disturbed. 

We are the First Poshers, who have been here since the very beginning. This platform was built on our blood, sweat & tears. We have developed the SEO Method, educated people about how software algorithms work, navigated not just one, but two Ambassador programs, and learned how to create a sustainable business working within the vague and unknowns. We figured it out. Poshmark has learned from us and has gone public on our backs.

We deserve truthful answers from developers who know what they’re talking about. I am offering to speak directly with the developers and can translate the meaning to the Poshers I’ve educated for years. 

It’s time we had some real talk. Y’all know where to find me.

Poshmark Paige

4

Poshmark Rolls Out New Bulk Features

I’ve been thinking a lot about the new bulk features Poshmark has rolled out to most users. This is a real game-changer for everyone. The normal activity of sharing your closet seems a little lost now that the feed is flooded with listings from people bulk sharing their closets, doesn’t it? People are reporting slower sales, which normally happens in the summer months, but this year, it feels a lot slower all around. There are ways to combat the summer slow-down. With this new roll-out we have to strategize what we do on a day to day basis.

First, let’s review the changes:

If you look at the top of your closet you’ll see a gear/tool icon:

The bulk sharing feature is here:

To bulk share, select the listings, then click on “Share to Followers”:

Poshmark will start sharing from the bottom items up, retaining your closet order.

Sounds great, right? It really is and it combats the bots (huge!), however it does create a new problem: an insanely flooded, fast-moving sharing feed. What does this mean for us? TIME TO USE STRATEGY. It’s time to go back to some fundamentals that we know work:

1) SEO

I’ve been spending the last two weeks testing my theory. I already have SEO in my closet, and I’m still seeing the same amount of guest buyers so this hasn’t changed in the slightest and still remains the most important activity we can do! Some have pointed out that this is old info from a few years back. Yes, yes it is, but guess what? Everything on this blog is still relevant! Search engine optimization remains the gold standard for closet strategy, so if you haven’t implemented this into your listings, now is the time to do it.

2) Following

Many people don’t believe that following others makes a difference. Let me tell you – it does! I stopped following for about a month just to see what would happen. I wanted to test the theory. My closet came to a screeching halt, especially with these new features. It felt like someone had tied cement blocks to my closet and dropped it to the bottom of the ocean. Four days ago I started following again. On the first day, within an hour, I received a high offer on an item. Within the next two hours I had a full-ask purchase and two more offers.

Want to know why? Visibility!

If you think about your News feed you can see when someone shares your item and you can see when someone follows you (but not all the noise from shares in the feed). This is the activity that is going to become key right now. I have been following ~1000 to 3000 users per day and my News feed has blown up with shares and follows. It feels to me like people are going back to the basic fundamentals of the News feed. They are responding more to the direct activity in their closet and less about what they are seeing in the sharing feed so we have to act in kind.

Want to help research? I’d really love it if some of my followers would help me test this activity! If you follow this blog and are so inclined, spend a few days and do what I have and report back in the comments. I’d love to hear your findings!

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How One Little Word, “Authentic”, Can Be a Game-Changer For The SEO Method & Poshmark

I’ve written a few times about the SEO Method and how to use keywords to drive sales to your Poshmark closet. A couple of months ago I was talking with some Poshers about SEO & keywords for the Luxury market and I had a giant “AH HA!” moment. These Poshers were talking about having higher-end items in their closets and how tough it can be to sell them, both because of the high price tags but also fighting against serial listing reporters, aka The Posh Police. Their authentic Louis Vuitton, Gucci (especially belts!!) and Chanel bags (and similar items) were being reported as not authentic and removed due to other Poshers reporting them. They were also talking about the struggle to get sales on items such as these when there are soooo many on Posh – both authentic and replicas (sadly) – because, let’s face it, for every authentic bag there are an exponentially higher number of replicas that aren’t being caught.

If you carry luxury items this is a battle you’re always going to have to fight, and there’s always going to be someone out there who is reporting Neverfulls and Boy Bags like a mad-Posher who, lets be honest, may not know as much as they think they do and are reporting authentic bags.

So, I sat back and thought about it for a minute… and realized that one little word can not only solve some listing problems, but also have the benefit of driving outside sales to your closet via the SEO Method!

💡 “Authentic”! 💡

Let’s say I’m someone who is on Google searching for a new-to-me (used) Neverfull. I sit down to search and type in “Louis Vuitton Neverfull”. I’m going to get hits from the LV website, naturally, and other high-end department stores. I’ll see some Poshmark or The Real Real in the shopping section, but as I scroll I’m also going to see sites selling replicas. There are a LOT of them out there and they’re not going away. By adding one little word, I’m narrowing my search, because most of those replica sites will never use the word “authentic”. These are fly-by-night pages who rank fast & high but that also don’t stick around long due to Google taking them down with their own algorithm Gods.

By searching “Louis Vuitton Authentic Neverfull” a whole new search engine world opens! It’s going to show more listing hits than junk – and if you’re the one selling that bag you want to be high-up in that search result (ranked)!

How do you do it? Add the keyword “authentic” to your Poshmark listing in the:

  1. Title,
  2. First ten words,
  3. Last ten words
  • That’s it! (If you don’t understand this please read the SEO Method post, learn how to SEO your listings and this will make sense.)
  • Also, remember to share your listing to Pinterest and Tumblr, and add Instagram for good measure if you’re active there. This gets your images out there which is the second most important piece to getting a high SEO ranking for your listing. Original images rank the best! If you’re dead set on using a stock image make sure it’s not the first one but remember that there are thousands of them out there already. Using them doesn’t help you stand out. (Again, I talk about these items in much more detail on the other SEO posts so go check them out!)

    • One other piece of advice that goes along with this – if you’re going to start revamping existing listings consider a fresh re-listing of the item altogether. This will accomplish a few things; you’ll:

    • Hit Fresh Closets
    • Hit Just In for that brand and be at the top
    • Make the algorithm Gods happy by getting rid of a stale listing
    • Have a listing that is starting outside search engine optimization ranking fresh & clean
  • Sure, it’s tough to lose likers if you have a lot of them but, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realize that those buyers probably would have pulled the trigger a long time ago if they were really gonna. The benefits far outweigh the loss of some likers and you’ll gain a ton of new ones plus run a very high likelihood of getting a full-price sale from an online shopper new to Posh (isn’t that the BEST?!)!

    • The SEO Method continues to be one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal as sellers and by adding this one little tip, one little “Authentic” keyword, I am hoping Luxury Market sellers’ lives will become just a little bit easier and a whole lot more profitable!

    I will continue to improve the SEO Method as I learn more about Poshmark & keyword triggers but I think this new discovery is really going to be a Poshmark SEO social commerce game-changer!

    Happy Poshing, y’all!

    ♥️ Poshmark_Paige

    2

    Poshmark, VA’s & Bots: What to Know When Hiring a Closet Service

    We see them everywhere. VA’s tagging us on Insta. Website promising amazing closet bumps when using their services.

    If it sounds too good to be true – IT IS.

    Posh has started cracking down HARD on anyone using bots. Accounts are getting suspended (as in, entire closets wiped out) and they’re flagged as bot users and Posh is requiring them to sign an acknowledgement that they will never use a bot again. They’re getting one shot and Posh restores their closets, but if caught again, they will be banned permanently. It’s a start, but is like putting one of those teeny 1″ band aids on a slashed artery.

    A “bot” is an application that will share, follow, etc. for you and is purchased from someone else. They’re all over Instagram and they’re targeting the community promising amazing results and increased sales/exposure. They’re also *strictly prohibited* by Poshmark, but they are everywhere and the providers of these bots are growing exponentially every day.

    The problem with bots is that they are random programmers who do not work for Poshmark and they’re developing software that is hitting Posh’s network without any knowledge of how Poshmark is actually coded.

    That’s a BIG PROBLEM. Posh has to put resources into combatting this problem when it could be using them to create new features!

    Posh’s network is set up to accommodate PEOPLE, not bots. The bots overload the servers, eat up all the memory and processors (the engine behind Posh) and essentially wreak havoc. Posh works hard to recover, but that is not an easy process and people are NOT obeying the anti-bot mandates. From a programming standpoint, it’s pretty hard to identify a bot but there are ways (and to protect Posh, I’m not going to tell y’all how they would discover it because I don’t want to give anyone the tools they need to find a bot that would be hard to detect. Love y’all, but mama didn’t raise no fool. 😊).

    “So, what does this mean for me?” you ask.

    Make good decisions. Use your brain. If we’re being honest it’s unlikely a VA or service is actually making a significant amount of money without using a bot themselves. That is not to say there are some who are successful but if it’s a challenge for everyone else, it’s a challenge for them. There’s a reason why bots were built – because people don’t want to put in the work themselves.

    If you’ve hired VA’s (virtual assistants) make sure you’ve done your due diligence. These have been *widely* known to use bots, so if you don’t *really* know your VA or their methods you run the risk of getting your account restricted if they don’t follow the rules. Not to mention, if Posh sees you logging into your account in the US and you’ve hired a company outside the US you are opening yourself up to a whole host of problems and risk that Posh will flag/restrict your account.

    And if your entire closet suddenly disappears and you’ve been using a bot – this is why. Email Posh, fess-up (because they already know), delete the sucker and don’t do it again! 😊

    ADDITIONAL NOTE. Remember – a plug in is also a “bot”! The bots run as plug ins in your browser and act like you. You have to direct it places. Just because something isn’t labeled specifically for Poshmark doesn’t mean it doesn’t fall under the category as against Poshmark policy. Food for thought.

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    Poshmark & Social Commerce – The New Way to Shop

    Manish Chandra just posted a blog that makes this geek girl’s heart SING! It’s just full of DATA and yummy tidbits we’ve been itching to get our manicured mitts upon. (I especially loved seeing what’s trending across the country but also cringed a bit that it seems like fanny packs are back in!)

    What I particularly love is this new e-commerce term: Social Commerce.

    Think about it.

    Social.

    Commerce.

    My mind is particularly blown a wee bit because, in retrospect, I realize that’s what we’ve been doing the whole time we’ve been Poshmark sellers, but did you ever really think that this is a benchmark moment, a new social construct in the making??

    Sure, online selling and buying is normal for us but the numbers! Seeing how Social Commerce evolves into being by mixing all the social media platforms, influencers, and online resale platforms all together has formed a new way of shopping and developing style is mind blowing. It’s no longer out of the realm of possibility for someone who sees an item on HRH Meghan Markle (Aquazurra heels & Everlane cashmere sweaters) and be able to purchase the same styles – and feel confident doing it because they can actually talk to the seller about how items fit & feel!!

    People are now becoming much more confident and daring in their purchases because introducing a social element to the shopping experience empowers them to make bolder choices, not second guessing themselves about price, fit, condition – because there’s a conversation involved! Poshmark was (and is) on the leading edge of this new wave of how we shop. Poshers are members of the Posh community which doesn’t just include Poshmark. It extends into Facebook where there are tons of groups dedicated to the platform, allll the social media platforms, but also when you’re out & about and someone mentions your fabulous new boots, “Where did you find them?” — “I bought them on Poshmark!”, to consignment stores when you knowingly lock eyes with and grin at a fellow thrifter.

    We are socially shopping online, moving and adapting what we’re doing based upon the platform we’re in but there’s still a non-screen phenomenon that happens when you’re bit by the Poshmark bug. You want to tell people about it. You want people to ask about your new boots because you want to crow about the deal you got! You want to empower the people who are Marie Kondo-ing their closets to signup and sell it on Poshmark instead! (Or, lets be real, you just want them to give you their trashbags instead of taking them to Goodwill, amiright??)

    Fashion is now accessible to any and all who want to discover it and we have a social network behind us that’s cheering us on all the way. I, for one, am thrilled that I joined up six years ago and I’m going to be barreling into 2019 full tilt, confident that, even if I don’t always know what I’m doing, I have lots of other people I can lean on, talk to (even at 2am), and am doing it on a platform that supports me socially, ethically and is on the front-edge of this new fashion era. “Social commerce” for the win!

    Happy Poshing!

    Poshmark_Paige

    Insta: Poshpaige661

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    What is “The Algorithm” & How Does it Affect Me on Poshmark?

    First of all, I want to say that it’s FANTASTIC that people are trying to learn more about the inner workings of Poshmark. Kudos! That’s what’s going to set you apart. Today, I want to focus specifically on what a software algorithm is and consider how the algorithms affect you in your everyday Poshmark business model.

    By its very definition, an algorithm is a formula that is coded to take a very specific action in a software program. Poshmark (the program) as a whole is a huuuuuuge, elaborate & beautiful puzzle of many, many algorithms all set to make Poshmark work. Every algorithm solves a problem, takes an action, triggers an action from another algorithm, helps gather data….it’s all quite complicated, really. You don’t have to be a software programmer to understand the basics of algorithms and why you should consider how your Poshmark closet actions are being affected by them.

    I get a lot of questions such as:

    “Did The Algorithm change? My closet slowed down a lot this week!”

    “If I block this person will The Algorithm see that as bad or slow me down?”

    “Everyone is always talking about ‘The Algorithm’ but I just don’t think it’s real. Is it real?” <—- my favorite question because it just makes me laugh. YEEEES, it’s real!! Algorithms are the very basis of software programming, ding dong!

    The answer to all these questions is, “Yes,” but it’s a lot more complicated than just….yes. If Poshmark rolls out a new feature, that’s both new algorithms and changes to existing ones. Sure, it affects you. It can cause a temporary rhythm change in your closet. That’s normal; that’s software programming and releases. Want new features & bug fixes? Posh will be rolling out new programming (algorithms) to do that.

    I’d like everyone, essentially, to stop obsessing about “the algorithm” and concentrate on how to leverage the Poshmark software platform to run your business.

    But, back to the blocking question because this is one I get a LOT and I’m constantly counseling Poshers to hold back on the block button.

    Blocking one person won’t hurt you – but blocking excessively will have a negative impact on your closet as its anti-community as well as unnecessary.

    Why isn’t blocking necessary?

    Because Posh has a ton of algorithms to handle the behaviors that make you want to block them in the first place!

    Is the person you want to block spamming your listings? Flag their comments as spam and the algorithms written to solve that problem will remove the comment(s).

    Are they a perv? Report them for harassment and flag their comments and let the software (algorithms) handle it. Even if you block them they can still see your closet so…what’s the point?

    Ever notice how the spam accounts/comments where people are asking you to call them or email them just magically disappear without you reporting it? Algorithm!

    Are they lowballing you? So what?? Counter with your lowest and let the Algorithm Gods get happy because you have positive activity happening in your closet (the act of receiving an offer and countering is “positive”). And I’ll reiterate what I always say – Always counter, never decline! Now, if you’ve countered them several times and they just seem to want to play games it’s completely fine to let a counter expire. That’s not negative.

    I’m not saying there’s never a reason to block. Sometimes you just have to – and that’s ok! Just don’t be a block-happy person who automatically blocks every person that someone else has had a problem with because it’s completely unnecessary.

    Everything we do has cause and effect and is monitored by the algorithms. We’ve talked about positive and negative behaviors before:

    Positive

    • Following
    • Sharing (both self-shares & from the Feed)
    • Listing
    • Re-listing stale listings
    • Welcoming/sharing new Poshers
    • Purchasing & leaving Love Notes
    • Reviewing reported listings when Posh asks (in your Comments feed)
    • Fast ship time
    • Sharing to social media
    • Responding to offers (even at full ask!)

    Negative

    • Excessive blocking
    • Using bots
    • Spamming listings
    • Making harassing comments
    • Non-compliant listings
    • Stale or old listings
    • Canceling orders
    • Slow ship time
    • Multiple cases opened against you
    • Excessive opening of cases against others
    • Outright declining of offers (always counter!)

    The moral of this story is that you don’t really need to obsess too much about the elusive Algorithm (duh duh duhnnnnn!). Posh has this; it’s what they do. But you do need to focus on what is seen as positive and negative and making sure you’re doing those things.

    I’ve recommended before to research how to optimize your closet activity such as using Lyn McLaughlin Cromar’s “30 Minute Method”, using my SEO method, finding what works for you. If listing and sharing in the wee hours of the morning is working for you – keep doing it! If you see a drop in activity that seems to have no explanation, ask yourself why – and be honest. Did you get into it with another Posher? Did you have a case opened against you? Did you drastically change what you normally do? Did you start using a bot?

    The great thing is – you’ll bounce back. If you got throttled (closet slowed down) because you were being a Bad Little Posher, concentrate on doing all the positive activities and things will get back to normal. The algorithms don’t hold a grudge y’all. They’re a few million steps down the road by the time you’ve figured out anything even happened.

    Remember: Posh is all about #PoshLove. If you succeed, Posh succeeds. They don’t want to intentionally slow down your business but they aren’t going to give you a boost if you’re not a positive member of the community either! Now, get back to work. That death pile isn’t going to list itself! 😊

    Happy Poshing!

    Poshmark_Paige

    2

    SEO & Poshmark: How Search Engines Within & Outside of Poshmark Actually Work

    Many seem a bit…confused…about how search engines, both inside of and outside of Poshmark actually work, so I wanted to explain in a little more detail how searching brings shoppers to your closets.

    Searching Within Poshmark

    As you know, when you list items you tag lots of things: brand, size, condition. When you’re searching inside Poshmark you have the ability to filter on these tags. For example, if I want to find a Womens Black Ralph Lauren Oxford Tote I will use Poshmark’s search feature under the Women’s category, filter on the brand & color and just use the search words “Oxford Tote”.

    Notice how the search engine brought me exactly what I was looking for? I’m using an example from my own closet to show how the keywording of “Oxford Tote” and the combination of the filters can work within the app.

    Searching Outside Poshmark

    Lets say we want to find the same tote online. In my post I’ve used my SEO keyword rules to give myself optimal search engine optimization. If I want to find a “Ralph Lauren Oxford Black Leather Studded Tote” that’s exactly what I’m going to search for in Google. Here’s what happens when I do that…notice a couple of cool things.

    First, my listing comes up as the first image.

    Secondly, I’m in the top 10 of search results but it’s coming from Pinterest!

    That’s right. Linking my account to Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook and sharing to those sites when I list and ENL increases the odds of hitting the top ten! It’s tough to beat out the heavy hitters like large department stores (Macy’s, Nordstrom, etc.) and eBay, but I managed to make the top ten by following the rules and linking social media.

    Here’s the thing about searching outside of Poshmark though… those tags you use within the app? When you’re setting the size, brand, etc.? They don’t count in the outside search engines! Your keywords in the title and description are equally as important in this regard. If I had only put “leather studded tote” in my listing title I wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades to make it to the top of the search results. Being specific to what buyers are searching for is the key to hitting the market outside of Poshmark.

    Using a combination of targeted style keywords and generic keywords doubles your chances of hitting your customer’s search. It’s really as simple as that.

    Remember that the search rules inside the app aren’t the same outside the app and keep up with the SEO methods and you’ll do great!

    Happy Poshing!

    Kim aka @poshmark_paige

    12

    Poshmark Product Spotlight: Neiman Marcus Exclusive Collection Teal Moto Leather Biker Jacket

    Neiman Marcus softest teal leather biker Moto jacket. Is this incredible, or what?! Like new, no spot or flaws, smoke free home. Grab your favorite boots & scarf & rock this gorgeous leather jacket! Buttery soft leather and amazing zipper detail with quilted detail on shoulders and elbows. Fully lined. Truly an investment piece and VERY on trend for fall/winter! This leather jacket from Neiman Marcus Exclusive Collection so it is super high dollar and it shows!

    Kim aka @poshmark_paige

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    PoshmarkTurns6 & What We’ve Learned about SEO, Algorithms & the Poshmark Styling Feature

    From the mouth of Manish Chandra himself, we are on the right track with SEO methods and working the algorithms. Many people I know were fortunate enough to attend the #PoshmarkTurns6 party in San Francisco last week and one of the best things that came out of that event is validation from Manish of exactly what’s been discussed in previous posts.

    1. Algorithms run the platform & bring people to our closets
    2. Data and keywording are vital
    3. Closet activity will make or break you
    4. Poshmark is consistently working on improving the algorithms & how they interact with our closets
    5. New features are headed our way soon!

    I’ve been seeing lots of positive feedback about how using these methods are making closets come back to normal & increased sales, which is fantastic! The platform is starting to settle back into itself. I’ve given the working-out analogy before and it still holds true. If you stay active most days and follow the activity guidelines, even if you have to take a day or two off, the work you put in prior to those break days is still going to work for you and your closet.

    Confession time: I’ve been completely slacking off for over a week. Guess what? My sales have plummeted! It’s my own fault and I’ll take it. The thing is…I’m also confident that, when I get off my butt, it’s going to rebound right back up because what I’ve been talking about in my posts works!!

    There is another new feature that has been rolled out for Poshmark Ambassadors – the styling feature – where Poshmark matches you with people who have brands and sizes similar to your closet and you style them by direct sharing some items to their closets. (No word yet on exactly when it’s going to be at 100% for all people, unfortunately.)

    Admittedly, this is a feature that still needs some work. Some are complaining they’re getting styling requests from people who have nothing listed in their style card or that the style card doesn’t match anything in their closet. That’s ok! They’re working on it and it will get better. The most important thing to remember is to not ignore these in your feed and, for goodness sake, don’t turn it off! This is another activity type that really makes the algorithms happy. Here are some tips for making the styling feature work for you:

    • Always check the style card for the potential buyer’s listed sizes & brands. If there is nothing listed…
    • Check their Love Notes for items they have purchased. This will give you an idea of their style and sizes. If there are no love notes…
    • Do your best! If you have nothing to go on, just share a few things that could work for everyone.

    The key is in the direct shares** and not ignoring the styling requests. I know these feel overwhelming at times but work through them as you can. It’s activity.

    Activity = Happy algorithms

    Ignoring requests/decreased activity = Unhappy algorithms

    Unhappy algorithms mean you’re getting skipped over while Betty Sue who is working her little fingers off styling people will “trend” and get the sales you’re not.

    **Side note: Do not direct share your whole closet to people! Four or five items is plenty; anything over that is just downright obnoxious. (Direct sharing is when you take an item from your closet and share it to a specific user’s closet. If you’re unsure how to do this, ask me or check out Poshmark FAQs.)

    Make sure what you’re sharing makes sense. Put an outfit together. Provide an accessory if you have one. Make it affordable as a bundle. If a professional stylist was trying to get Jennifer Lawrence ready for an event do you think they’re going to throw three tops and a well-worn pair of Uggs at her? UmmmmNO. They’re going to put together a well-thought-out group of items that make sense together. This is what being a stylist is all about. If you’re fortunate enough to have your buyer bundle some items – send them a bundle offer! This is more happy algorithm activity!

    The jury is still out if these styling requests lead to sales. So far, some have said they’re getting some sales but for the most part, a lot of these direct shares will be ignored. That’s fine! You’re still making happy little algorithms work for your closet and that is the benefit.

    Now is not the time to get complacent! This is the busy season. People are buying gifts and spending money so keep at it! Follow as many people per day as you can. Share back all activity (and more), and don’t forget direct sharing! Share your closet multiple times/day. Keep adding new listings every day. Make Poshmark work for you by using the Poshmark SEO method, giving Posh great data to work with and staying active every day!

    Happy Poshing!

    Kim aka @poshmark_paige

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