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| Art Guide to Advanced Selling | January 2004 |
Take a step back and critically examine your art business. eBay has just the guide to help you do it: eBay Advanced Selling Strategies.
Whether you're a beginner or veteran, this powerful guide will provide you best practices for developing and refining your eBay business. Identify new markets and opportunities, develop strategic and tactical goals, improve processes, leverage powerful tools, and much more.
These topics and more are covered:
- Strategy: Understand the Marketplace, Measure Success, Experiment & Improve.
- Customer Acquisition: Attract Buyers Who Search & Browse; Use eBay Merchandising
- Merchandising: Highlight Value, Cross-Merchandise, Try Merchandising Manager
- Winning the Business: Photos, Payment Information, Shipping Costs
- Product & Pricing: Manage Product Depth, Bundle, Maintain Product Flow
- Operations: Manage Item Closing Times, Provide Feedback, Deliver on Time
- Seller Tools: Preferred Solution Providers, eBay Turbo Lister, PowerSeller Program
- New Customers & Markets: Warranty Services, Sell International, Wholesale Categories
eBay's best and brightest don't stop evaluating their businesses. Take a second look at your operation now!
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Keywords on eBay Helps Sellers Rise to the Top
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December 2003 |
A buyer who entered "Andy Warhol" in eBay's basic search engine on a recent day would find over 800 items listed. So how can sellers make sure that buyers see their items first?
The launch of Keywords on eBay provides eBay sellers a powerful way to build awareness, increase revenues, and drive traffic to their item listings, About Me page or Store within the eBay marketplace.
"Many buyers looking to make a purchase on eBay start with a keyword search. Now it's even easier for sellers to target specific buyers through Keywords on eBay," said Jeff Jordan, senior vice president and general manager of eBay U.S. "This new service empowers our sellers with a robust marketing tool that can help them become even more successful, and strengthen their business within the eBay marketplace."
Online search engines have long used keyword advertising to help sellers rise to the top of a search. The new Keywords on eBay service allows sellers to create and target banner advertisements based on specific keyword terms. Keywords can be categories, types of items, brands, eBay Store names or eBay User Ids.
With more than 79 million item-related searches per day on the eBay site, Keywords on eBay can be an effective marketing tool since it displays banner ads that are contextually relevant to the items that buyers are searching for on eBay. In addition, it can be cost-effective since the fee for utilizing Keywords on eBay is based on a "bid-per-click" model, meaning sellers pay only when someone clicks on their banner ad.
Starting at 10 cents, sellers bid the maximum price that they are willing to pay for each click on their banner ad. If the bid is among the highest, the seller's banner ad will receive a premier placement in the ad rotation on eBay's search result pages.
To take advantage of the service, all sellers need to do is:
- Register with adMarketplace
- Create a campaign name
- Select your keywords
- Determine your best bid price per click
- Upload your ad or create one online with the free adMarketplace banner creator
The new service has been tested on the eBay site by a select number of eBay sellers. "We are celebrating our 30th anniversary as a restaurant equipment and supplies dealer. We began selling on eBay in 1999 and have become one of the top sellers in the restaurant equipment category," said John Stack, president of Peach Trader Inc., an Atlanta-based eBay seller. "When we were invited to test eBay's keywords program, we thought it made a lot of sense. What we didn't expect is the great results -- approximately a 35% increase in revenue and increased traffic to our eBay store."
Click here for more information or to register for the service.
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| Ten Tips Every Art Seller Should Know |
August 2003 |
Here they are-ten tips no serious eBay art seller can live with out.
#1. Guarantee Your Products and Services
Develop a sensible, well-articulated sales policy that covers all the bases and delivers real peace of mind. Then deliver on your promises. The result: you'll become a trusted favorite. Ideally, offer unconditional money-back guarantees. The risk-reward ratio is in your favor: increased business versus a few returns. Also, consider offering shipping rebates on multiple purchases. This incentive works.
#2. Automate Listing and Shipping
Upgrade to eBay's suite of auction management tools as soon as possible, including Selling Manager, Turbo Lister, and Seller's Assistant. These tools release your potential, enabling you to list, track, and complete your eBay sales more quickly and professionally. List items with ready-made templates, schedule your listings, bulk-upload inventory, automate buyer emails, and more.
Invest in a postage scale and print your postage online or pay for a pickup/delivery service, such as Fed Ex Ground. In short, there's no point wasting time at the post office. Acquire free shipping supplies from USPS (Priority Mail) or via arrangements with local businesses. Fast, professional shipping generates repeat business.
#3 Develop Discount Supply Relationships
Competition can be fierce in every category. Secure a resale license from your state and make volume purchases from wholesale dealers, suppliers, and manufactures. You'll garner crucial discounts you can pass along to your customers, making you more competitive. For wholesale deals, visit eBay's Wholesale category. Also, increase supply by becoming a Trading Assistant.
#4 Look Like a Pro: Photos, Listing Template
Don't underestimate the importance of high-quality photos in your listings. For many items, the better the photo, the more likely the sale. Consider building a photo stage and hiring a college student or local amateur, part-time or by the hour, to shoot your items.
Spend time developing a graphical (HTML) listing template, specific to your merchandise. Experiment with different layouts, colors, and text treatments. Look like an expert and a professional, not a lazy amateur. In a competitive marketplace, that makes all the difference. Looking good is easy with eBay's Seller's Assistant and Listing Designer.
#5 Include Keywords in Your Listing Titles & Descriptions
Most eBay buyers use eBay Search-80%, in fact. To capture these bidders and buyers, include the words they search with in your listing titles and descriptions. Bookmark your category's eBay Seller Newsflash and Hot Item list to keep abreast of popular search terms.
#6 Properly Positioning & Merchandising Your Listings
Consider your starting prices carefully. This will dramatically affect your item positioning. If possible, start auctions low in relation to their fair-market value. You'll increase bids and there's no better billing than that. Use reserves sparingly. Improperly applied, they can damage your credibility.
Also, discover the optimum times to start and end your auctions to increase bidding. Then, schedule and automate their launch with Seller's Assistant. Consider ten-day listings that cover two weekends. Time auctions to capture bidders in multiple time zones.
Each item you sell deserves the right listing format. Develop a strategy that leverage's eBay entire family of formats: Auction, Buy It Now, Fixed Price, Second Chance Offer, and more. Also, open an eBay Store to brand your eBay business, economically expand your inventory, and cross-merchandise your items.
Take advantage of eBay listing upgrades: Gallery, Bold, Featured Plus, List in 2 Categories, and more. Also, consider advertising on targeted eBay search result pages. If you qualify for eBay's PowerSeller program, take advantage!
#7 Make PayPal a Payment Option
Enable your customers to pay immediately online with PayPal. Buyers prefer it. Don't risk sales by not offering it. Faster payment also means greater cash flow and operating capital to handle the unforeseen.
#8 Track the Market with your my eBay Page
Your "my eBay" page is a powerful tool for tracking the market. With the Favorites tab, create Completed Item searches for the items you sell. This will give you a daily read on current prices for your inventory. Also, be sure to follow your category's Hot Items list.
#9 Make Positive Feedback a Priority
Live up to your promises and ensure positive feedback. This is your ticket to attracting new customers, which handled correctly, become regular customers. To encourage positive feedback, describe your items accurately (including damage), manage expectations, offer online payment (PayPal, preferably), package professionally, and ship ASAP.
#10. Listen to the Experts-Your eBay Community
Get involved in your eBay community. It'll make you a better eBay seller and citizen. Become active in eBay's discussion boards. You will find the answers you seek. Attend special eBay events, such as eBay Live. Consider attending an eBay University class.
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| Listing Tool Comparison for Art Sellers |
May 2003 |
eBay wants your Art business to thrive. That's why it has developed a cutting-edge suite of sales management tools to increase your efficiency and profitability.
It may be time to revisit how you currently list and manage your sales on eBay to make sure you are getting the most from your selling tool. For example, if you are currently using eBay's Sell Your Item form to list tens of items a day, you may be ready to upgrade to one of eBay's advanced selling platforms.
Big or small, eBay has the right solution for your seller profile! Review our listing tool overview below to determine which one is best for you.
| 1. | Turbo Lister | | FREE |
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Overview: Free downloadable bulk-listing application for Windows
Top Features:
Bulk upload hundreds of items instantly. Schedule listings in advance.
Design and save branded listing templates with the easy-to-use editor.
Create multiple user profiles and preferences. Save items in organized folders.
Best For: Sellers who list more than 10 items per month and already have a basic understanding of eBay.
TIP: Pair Turbo Lister with Selling Manager, eBay's post-sale tool, to efficiently manage the listing process from start to finish!
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Selling Manager |
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$4.99/month |
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Overview: Online post-sale management application integrated into my eBay.
Try it free for 30 days!
Top Features:
Use buyer email templates for increased post-sale efficiency.
Track payment and shipment effortlessly. Print shipping labels and invoices instantly.
Relist additional units or unsold items in bulk.
Best For: Sellers who list more than 10 items per month and who want an easy and affordable way to track the status of your sales online.
TIP: Use Selling Manager with your favorite listing tool, including the Sell Your Item form and Turbo Lister, to increase listing volume and sell more–faster.
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| 3. |
Seller's Assistant Pro |
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$15.99/month |
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Overview: Complete, professional-grade listing and sales management application for Windows desktops.
Try it free for 30 days!
Top Features:
Create and upload professional listings in bulk. Schedule listings in advance. Bulk relist.
Bulk process buyer email, payments, shipments, and feedback.
Sort and filter critical sales data. Create, print, and export sales reports. Manage inventory.
Best For: Higher volume sellers and small businesses that want an automated process throughout the sales cycle - from bulk listing through completing the transaction
TIP: With Seller's Assistant Pro, you can view and print Profit and Loss as well as Tax Collected reports – key to understanding your business!
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Manage your time and business more efficiently with eBay's family of sales management tools!
Have a suggestion for a future Art article -- let us know!
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| Pricing Strategies for Selling Art |
April 2003 |
Earning top dollar for your art -- that's the goal. Use these pricing strategies to make that goal a reality.
#1 Market Intelligence: Use eBay's Completed Items feature in Advanced Search to create your own market-pricing guide. Save up to 15 Competed Item searches to your my eBay page to track prices realized for your property daily. Receive email alerts as new completed items appear.
#2 Competitive Advantage: Leverage eBay's powerful set of my eBay search tools to track competing sellers and stores. Take a daily inventory of what competing sellers are listing, using the Favorites tab. Distinguish yourself by listingwhat they're not.
#3 Proper Positioning: Before listing,evaluate what type of item you are selling. Is it a truly exceptional, market-proven work of art, a mid-range estate item, or lower-priced print? Then, select the most appropriate listing format for your item. For example:
- List high-end items as auctions. If eBay prices are strong, list without a reserve and include "NR" in your listing title. Also, quote the appraised value and reference favorable completed auctions in your description.
- List mid-range pieces as auctions with a Buy It Now price but no reserve. Open at a median price to protect your investment. Earn a higher margin with the Buy It Now. The goal: quick turnover at an acceptable price. Include "NR" in your listing title.
- Liquidate lower-end objects or sell consignor inventory with the Fixed Price format. Include the appraised value in your listing title. Quote the appraised price in your description. Create a "Liquidation" category in your Store. Example: Art4Sale.com.
#4 Cost Analysis: Assess what your costs would be if you had a retail shop or gallery. Compare them to your online expenses to determine how much you should be investing in promotion and product discounts to drive increased sales.
Higher antique sales—they're easier than you think.
Have a suggestion for a future Art article -- let us know!
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| Strategies for Selling High-End Art |
March 2003 |
Provide your customers with the confidence they need to invest in your high-value art. Let eBay's tips on selling high-end items help you get the attention you deserve.
- Independent Verification: Verify the authenticity of your piece with the help of a professional appraiser. Include a scan of your appraisal report in your listing.
- Visual Proof: Include a gallery of images in your listing with different views and close-ups. Photograph the signature
- Provenance: Provide a detailed history of ownership for the item, which can increase its value. Also, consider listing reference texts in your description to validate your object and market. Help potential bidders conduct their own research.
- Guarantee: Stand behind your sales. Offer a money-back guarantee, minus shipping and third-party fees.Suggest an escrow service for the safe transfer of funds and property.
- Feedback: Maintain a high positive feedback rating. Offer PayPal and ship the day payment clears for increased feedback.
- Marketing: Toot your horn by listing degrees, accreditations, professional affiliations, and honors on your About Me page. Then, link to it from your listings.
- Promotion: Invest in promotion, particularly eBay listing upgrades such as Bold, Gallery and Featured Plus!
Develop trust and credibility with your high-end art buyers from the start.
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| Get Serious with Private Auctions |
Feb. 2003 |
Market your premium property to serious art collectors -- take advantage of eBay's Private Auction format and Pre-approved Bidder service.
Private Auctions enable you to protect your collectors' identity during and after an auction. Bidder usernames are hidden, allowing discreet collectors to bid more confidently and freely on valuable lots.
eBay's Pre-approved Bidder service allows you to create a pre-qualified list of bidders in advance of a high-dollar sale, helping you protect your investment and achieve higher prices.
Develop a successful pre-approved, private auction program with these strategies:
- List standard auctions and private sales. Create a buzz for your business with weekly open sales, featuring a few high-profile lots, listed with a low opening and reserve. Also, consider increasing these listings' visibility with upgrades, such as Featured Plus.
- Market your gallery to build eBay credibility. Include your address, phone, and hours of operations in your listings and About Me page. Feature photos of your gallery in your listing template. Provide brief artist bios on your About Me page.
- Reserve your pre-approved, private auctions for premium lots. Be selective with your private auctions so they appear more special. Also, list them as 10-day auctions to provide a preview period. Pre-promote these special events in your regular listings.
- Contact your pre-approved bidders by email in advance of the sale. Remind important collectors about the event once before it begins.
Make it rare with eBay's Private Auction format and Pre-Approved Bidder service.
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| Create Your own Art Gallery with GTC Listings |
Jan. 2003 |
Recreate your art gallery on eBay. It's simple and economical with Good ‘Til Cancelled (GTC), eBay's newest Store listing format. With GTC, your art hangs in your Store until it sells.
GTC listings remain available in your Store until they are sold out or you decide to close them. You list just once and the item automatically renews every 30 days. There's no extra charge, either. A Store listing fee ($0.05) is simply charged to your account every 30 days.
With GTC, you can...
 | Transform your eBay store into a well-stocked gallery, at a nominal fee. GTC Store listings are less expensive than auctions and require no relisting. Expand your online presence and the credibility of your sales.
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| Continuously and inexpensively merchandise your best-selling artists' work, increasing their visibility. Create custom categories for your artists and populate them with GTC listings. Better represent your artists -- maximize the promotional power of your store.
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| Safely and economically test new artists and styles of work. Broaden your brand without added inventory management and auction costs. |
With GTC, it's easy to expand your eBay art business. Click here to learn more!
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| Help Buyers Find Your Art with Product Finder |
Dec. 2002 |
Get noticed! Take advantage of eBay's new Product Finder on the Art portal page to help prospective art buyers search for your items more quickly and easily.
Leverage Product Finder by completing the "Item Specifics" in the Sell Your Item pages. Item Specifics are attributes that more specifically categorize your items. As a result, buyers are able to search and find your items more easily!
How Product Finder/Item Specifics works:
| Complete the Item Specifics fields in your SYI 2.0 forms. You set the following attributes:
Type: Drawing, Mixed Media, Painting, Poster, Print...
Age: Pre-1900, 1900-1959, 1950-Now...
Subject: Abstract, Figures, Landscapes, Nudes, Still lifes...
Dominant Color: Blue/Purple, Grey/Black, Neutral/Earthtones...
Largest Dimension: Less than 6", 6-12", 12-24", 24-40"...
Region: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America...
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| Then, buyers specify the attributes they want with the Art Product Finder. If your attributes match theirs, your listings will appear in their search results.
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| Your Item Specifics also appear on your View Item page, allowing buyers to quickly learn about your item.
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Best of all, Product Finder/Item Specifics is free. There's nothing to lose and plenty to gain! For more details, click here.
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| Choose the Right Category for Your Art |
Nov. 2002 |
In eBay's Art category, how you list can be as important as what you list. eBay Art buyers are selective and miscataloging pieces can mean the difference between a big sale and no sale.
Know your product and categorize your items correctly to ensure top prices for your material. Time and effort is required, but you'll reach serious, qualified buyers, who bid more frequently and in higher amounts.
Consider the effects of carelessly or improperly categorizing art on eBay:
| Poor categorizing narrows your qualified audience. Selective collectors are experts; they search and browse the appropriate categories.
Example: List your Travel poster in Collectibles > Transportation, and fewer poster enthusiasts will view it and bid on it.
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| Miscataloging diminishes credibility with collectors and dealer resellers.
Example: List your Civil War-era Tintype as an Ambrotype, or your engraving as an etching, and knowledgeable buyers will dismiss your listings.
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| Careless listing can lead to unsatisfactory transactions, negative feedback, and worse.
Example: Mistakenly sell your open-edition print as a limited-edition example and you could become the target of a fraud inquiry. |
Finally, use eBay's Item Specifics to help prospective art buyers find your items more quickly and easily. Item Specifics are standard attributes that art sellers use to describe their items. To learn more about this valuable feature, click here.
Learn more tips and tactics on selling Art by reading eBay's Simple Guide to Selling Art.
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| New! 'Your Simple Guide to Selling Art on eBay' |
Oct. 2002 |
Master the art of selling art with eBay's new Art education page. It's packed with tips and strategies to help dealers increase their profits.
Here are a few of the topics and tips covered:
| Listing Titles: Include "Art" in your title
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| Item Specifics: Listings with Item Specifics increase in price by 10%*, on average.
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| Photographs: Picture important details, such as the work's signature, date, and frame.
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| Description: Don't forget the basics -- Dimensions, weight, material, medium, etc.
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| Optional Features: Featured Plus listings increase in price by 62%*, on average.
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| Payment: Offer a fixed price for shipping and handling.
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Don't delay -- glean moneymaking tips and strategies from our Guide to Selling Art on eBay.
* This represents an average based on data from February 2002 transactions. No representation is made that your final price will increase by the average percentage points.
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| Accessorize -- Sell Frames with your Art |
Sept. 2002 |
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Selling more isn't the only way to make more money. You can also increase your revenue by increasing your profit on each sale.
How can you make that happen? Accessorize your art! Sell frames and mattes with your fine art, prints, and photographs. You'll make a profit on the materials, bought at wholesale, and the additional service.
Try these tips and strategies:
| Open an eBay Store. List your frames in a custom category, separate from your prints, where buyers can browse and do-it-yourselfers can purchase. |
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| Offer frames with each applicable listing. Make it an option, like insurance. Offer the frame installed or uninstalled, with a flat rate for each. Provide a selection of colors, materials, and styles, without adding unnecessary overhead to your operation. |
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| If possible, quote a package price that includes the frame and installation, so it's easy for customers to apply the charge to the cost of their art. |
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| Hire a part-time framer, who works once or twice a week, or invest in a frame molding operation to reduce long-term costs. |
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| Sell the print already framed as a Fixed Price listing or an Auction with Buy It Now, and mark it up accordingly to cover the cost of materials and installation. |
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| Use eBay's Merchandising Manager to merchandise your frames on your Bid Confirmation, Checkout Confirmation, and View Item page. |
Remember, If you don't sell your customers the frame, someone else will.
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| Increase Your Art Sales with Item Specifics |
Aug. 2002 |
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Get noticed! Use Item Specifics in the Sell Your Item 2.0 form to help prospective art buyers find your items more quickly and easily. Your business will directly benefit from Item Specifcs -- eBay research indicates Item Specifics increases conversion rates and closing prices by more than 10%*.
Item Specifics are standard attributes that art sellers use to describe their items. By utilizing this feature, sellers make it easier for buyers to find the exact piece of art they want.
Here's how Item Specifics works:
 | 1. | Complete the Item Specifics fields in the Art category SYI 2.0 form. You set the following attributes:
Type: Drawing, Mixed Media, Painting, Poster, Print...
Age: Pre-1900, 1900-1959, 1950-Now...
Subject: Abstract, Figures, Landscapes, Nudes, Still lifes...
Dominant Color: Blue/Purple, Grey/Black, Neutral/Earthtones, Red/Pink...
Largest Dimension: Less than 6", 6-12", 12-24", 24-40"...
Region: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America...
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 | 2. | When buyers search using the Art category's Product Finder, your listings are included in the search results. You have successfully increased your item's exposure. |
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| 3. | The item specifics you defined also are included in your View Item page, allowing buyers to quickly learn about your item. |
Best of all, Item Specifics is free. There's nothing to lose!
* This represents an average based on data from February 2002 transactions. No representation is made that your final price will increase by the average percentage points.
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