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Please Help - Wordpress VS Coding

by [Justin]
15 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
    • |
Hi, I'm new here and I can't find an answer on google for my specific issue.

First off I am not at all interested in using leadpages.com or anything like it. I would rather take the time to learn a new skill than spend a bunch of money every month for the rest of my life.

What I need: Basically what I need is the ability to create nice single page websites to sell info products. Basically I only need to know enough to make a nice sales page so I can start selling products on clickbank. Also, I want to make squeeze pages which will also be one single page with Aweber integrated onto it.

Please, if you know what is best for me to learn please let me know.

Should I learn wordpress, or should I learn html & css & whatever else I would need to know?

Please consider what would be the cheapest route also. I know wordpress would take less time to learn, but if I could learn how to make a nice single page website with coding I feel like that would be better, but I don't know anything about building a website so I don't know if it will take years of study, months, weeks, days, or hours.

If you are unsure please do not answer, but if you yourself knows how to make a simple sales page and squeeze page I would greatly appreciate it if you would let me know if I should go with wordpress, or learn how to build the site on my own. Please give me an estimate about what I will be spending with both options also.

Thanks in advance.

I've studied everything I could ten times over for the last few years, and I've played with some stuff and got some results with internet marketing, but I have never tried my big ideas. My ideas that I know will actually start making what's in my head a reality.

I realize I won't even try my ideas because of the whole web development issue.

For example I need something this simple, and I would like it to be around this quality. A little worse would be okay too, but I would be happy with this quality. Text That Girl by Race dePriest - OFFICIAL SITE that's not my niche, but it was the first site I could find that wasn't done incredibly well with video and great design and the whole 9 yards.

For my squeeze page I would be happy with something as simple as this here's the whole address The Motley Fool: Special FREE Report I would like to beable to make something a bit nicer, but at least I would be able to start taking action and learning the game of internet marketing, and I could always keep learning how to make my stuff nicer.

I do want my stuff to be nice enough though, I don't want to put out something so bad it's just ridiculous.

I would be okay with a worse sales page than the example I put, but for the squeeze page I wouldn't be happy with anything worse than the example I gave. Please keep that in mind.

All replies are greatly appreciated but I would like the most for someone who knows how to use wordpress and can code a site from scratch to respond because they know both sides and they will know what will be the best for me.

I'm leaning towards taking the extra time to learn how to code my own sites but if it's going to take years to learn how to make something as simple as the examples I gave I may have to look into wordpress and plugins and all that.

I'm completely inexperienced, and this is the last real hurdle I need to jump so I can get started with what I've been moving towards for the last 2 years.

Please let me know if I should focus all of my time on wordpress, or on coding. And if on coding what should I learn specifically like html, xhtml, css, html5, jquery, java script, idk what else there is, but please give me specifics on what to learn to be able to create what I need to create.

Again, any and all responses are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
#coding #css #html #web design #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author StefanCP
    If you do not know coding, use artisteer. It creates joomla, wordpress, css sites. The interface is rather easy to use, you do not have to be a coding guru. But after that, you will surely need to know a bit of css, html, wordpress, a bit of php maybe.
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    • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
      Originally Posted by StefanCP View Post

      If you do not know coding, use artisteer. It creates joomla, wordpress, css sites. The interface is rather easy to use, you do not have to be a coding guru. But after that, you will surely need to know a bit of css, html, wordpress, a bit of php maybe.
      Thanks for the reply. I checked out their site and it's really just not my style. I think I would much rather get optimizepress for $300 but want to know from a web developer if it would be better for me to do that, or to take the extra time to learn how to code my own sales, squeeze, and thank you pages. I know it could take years to learn how to code a nice website, but just a simple one page site that is mostly text, that might not take very long.

      I tried searching google for an answer to my specific question but everyone just says to use wordpress, but they're all talking about multi-page complex sites.

      Honestly I would rather take a little more time than using Artisteer. I went through their samples and they just don't have the right look. Not simple enough. I want very simple, very very simple, but still nice looking.

      I appreciate your reply though, I'll spend a little more time on their site and see if I change my mind.
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      • Profile picture of the author Zenoth
        To create basic website templates you will usually need to have some HTML knowledge and CSS (HTML5 is the up to date version of HTML, more semantic and more SEO friendly).

        On the other hand, if you want to use WordPress for your websites, you can use it without any coding knowledge (if you use existing templates & plugins), but sometimes you will maybe need some tweaks to implement more advanced plugins, make some changes to your theme or anything like that (then, you will need again, some HTML, CSS and PHP ).

        If you need something done fast, than I recommend you to use WordPress, because mastering HTML and CSS will take some time.
        However, if you are "a fast learner", go ahead. HTML and CSS are not so hard to master.

        To create static basic templates (with content that you won't need to change), it's enough to use HTML (for page structure) and CSS (to position page elements and to style the content) and optional JavaScript or jQuery for effects.

        If you want to be able to create dynamic, more advanced pages, you should also learn some PHP.

        So, if you don't want to waste time learning, you can use WordPress, but you will be limited when it comes to customize themes / plugins without some programming languages (like HTML, CSS and for more complex things, PHP).
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        • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
          Originally Posted by Zenoth View Post

          To create basic website templates you will usually need to have some HTML knowledge and CSS (HTML5 is the up to date version of HTML, more semantic and more SEO friendly).

          On the other hand, if you want to use WordPress for your websites, you can use it without any coding knowledge (if you use existing templates & plugins), but sometimes you will maybe need some tweaks to implement more advanced plugins, make some changes to your theme or anything like that (then, you will need again, some HTML, CSS and PHP ).

          If you need something done fast, than I recommend you to use WordPress, because mastering HTML and CSS will take some time.
          However, if you are "a fast learner", go ahead. HTML and CSS are not so hard to master.

          To create static basic templates (with content that you won't need to change), it's enough to use HTML (for page structure) and CSS (to position page elements and to style the content) and optional JavaScript or jQuery for effects.

          If you want to be able to create dynamic, more advanced pages, you should also learn some PHP.

          So, if you don't want to waste time learning, you can use WordPress, but you will be limited when it comes to customize themes / plugins without some programming languages (like HTML, CSS and for more complex things, PHP).
          Thank you for replying.

          I was leaning more towards learning html and css, but now that I think about it, it could be a good idea to learn wordpress, and get a plugin that would allow me to create nice, simple sales pages and squeeze pages so I can get my stuff out there, and then I could start learning html and css so I can take my time learning it.

          Does anybody know a good wordpress plugin that would be easy to use and allow me to easily make nice sales pages, thank you pages, and squeeze pages?

          If you do please let me know and please give me an idea of what I will be spending, and maybe a link to an example sales page that was made with the plugin so I have an idea of how nice mine could be.

          I have about $400 dollars in my bank. I am saving for a car but maybe it would be smarter to get wordpress and a plugin because I have lots and lots and lots of ideas.

          I really just need the ability to make sales/thank you/and squeeze pages. As much as I want and whenever I want. Then all I'll need to learn is putting stuff on clickbank with the button working, and for smaller ideas having a paypal account and having the button set up to recieve payments through paypal, and I will also need to learn some aweber skills.

          Once I can easily make sales/thankyou/and squeeze pages though I will finally be able to move past this wall and try all sorts of ideas and start learning all the xtra small stuff I need to know like having people get access to a pdf when they sign up to my list, or having people get access to my products after they buy, how to deal with returns, all the little stuff.

          Right now I've been stuck at a giant road block for a year or two and I just need to move past it, and then I'll gladly deal with all the other little hurdles that are waiting for me on the other side of this mountain.

          So, if you have any advice on wordpress and what plugin I should get, and if it's a one time fee or monthly, and how to go about installing it all, price, and maybe a link to a site or two that was made with the plugin (keep in mind I'm just interested in sales/thank you and squeeze pages and it must be able to make all three) Then I would love to hear from you if you have the time to give me some advice.

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  • Profile picture of the author UMS
    For one page websites, I wouldn't recommend WordPress or other similar CMS's as it is overkill.

    You really need to learn HTML, CSS, Javascript and possibly PHP.
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    • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
      Originally Posted by UMS View Post

      For one page websites, I wouldn't recommend WordPress or other similar CMS's as it is overkill.

      You really need to learn HTML, CSS, Javascript and possibly PHP.

      Okay, thanks. Did you see the two examples I put in my first post, one is a sales page one is a squeeze page? If not could you check them out and let me know if I would be able to make stuff as good as that with what you mentioned?

      And about how long do you think it would take to learn html, css, javascript, and php just to be good enough to make something as good as those 2 examples I put?

      I'm going to learn that stuff no matter what, but if it will take months to years to learn I may want wordepress with a nice plugin so I have something in the meantime. I also don't know anything about wordpress and plugins either but it seems like I could maybe have a nice sales page and squeeze page in like a day if I do a little study and get the right plugin and figure out how to install and work everything.

      Anyways thanks for the reply, I may go to the book store in a little bit and get something to start learning html and css, I just have no clue what I'm getting myself into.

      I'm ready to get the ball rolling so I can start putting out products. I'm almost tempted to get leadpages, but with my budget I know it would be smarter to take a harder route.
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    There are many more options then coding and wordpress. There are at least a half a dozen drag and drop web building programs out there some are as low as 25 dollars on up to maybe 120 for one that works great but not as elite as something like Dreamweaver. I use a program called Serif it is a drag and drop if you want to build your own site as well as having many templates if all you want to do is put in your pictures and articles so look around you might find something out there you like better. Just because someone else likes something doesn't mean you will. Find something that works for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      There are many more options then coding and wordpress. There are at least a half a dozen drag and drop web building programs out there some are as low as 25 dollars on up to maybe 120 for one that works great but not as elite as something like Dreamweaver. I use a program called Serif it is a drag and drop if you want to build your own site as well as having many templates if all you want to do is put in your pictures and articles so look around you might find something out there you like better. Just because someone else likes something doesn't mean you will. Find something that works for you.
      True. I have my eye more on wordpress and coding though because then the only monthly cost will be hosting, which is like 4 bucks a month, so to me it's worth going the extra mile than to spend 40+ on something like Leadpages or Clickbank University. Drag and drop is tempting, really tempting, and I know a lot of big names do it like John Chow uses Leadpages but with that plus aweber I'm already at over 60 bucks a month and I don't make much, so if I do go with a drag and drop type thing I was thinking Optimizepress seems about as good as lead pages would be but it's just a one time fee of $300.00 which I would spend in 6 months using Leadpages.

      I don't know anything about dreamweaver, and I have no graphic design experience. I can use photoshop for very basic purposes like making an extremely simple ebook cover, but that's about as far as my photoshop skills go. I'll check out Serif because, well, no reason not to. I may be pleasantly surprised. But the more I think about it the more I'm thinking I should just drop $300 and get optimize press and get wordpress and sign up for a hosting company because if I had wordpress with a nice plugin I'm sure my monthly cost won't be much more than learning all of the coding from scratch, and then I could learn coding from scratch while I get real experience with being a clickbank vendor and having an aweber account and a squeeze page and learn what it takes to find affiliates, and also learn how to sell more simple, low end products completely on my own just with a paypal account.

      I still need a lot of real world experience and I still have a lot to learn, but I just need to get the ball rolling. Building websites is not a dream of mine, but it plays a part in my dream. A HUGE part.

      I appreciate all of your insights. Is there anyone who specifically deals with clickbank or selling info products that makes their own sales/thankyou/and squeeze pages that could really point me in the right direction with certainty?

      Any wordpress plugins specifically for sales/thank you/and squeeze pages? Would optimizepress be the best option? Is there a huge difference in how long it will take me to learn how to install wordpress, install a plugin, and learn how to use it all vs learning how to code from scratch? I'm completely lost with all of this stuff and I do not make a lot of money so it would really be a struggle to add a big monthly bill like leadpages would do. (big to me, especially since I will need 20 per month on top of that for aweber, and I think I will hit over 500 subscribers extremely fast so aweber is actually going to be pretty pricey for me and I have no clue what the return will be)

      I know I sound like a lost puppy, but I kind of am one on this subject so again I appreciate all of your replys, and I appreciate anyone else that feels like they could help nudge me in the right direction. I'm going to watch some youtube videos on wordpress right now and optimize press. I was looking at some html and css and I feel like it may take quite sometime to learn how to make something that I will think is good enough. here's another example of about the quality I would be happy with for a sales page - Covert Hypnosis to Change Minds & Control Behavior that's the absolute lowest quality I would be extremely happy with, if that makes sense . I would be really happy if I could make a site like that simply because I feel like it's good enough, and having it would be a huge milestone for me, but anything worse than that I don't think I could use. That's my absolute minimum that I would be happy with.

      Anybody know about how long it would take an average person to learn how to code something like that, or know of a good wordpress plugin that is a one-time buy where I could make as many sites like that as I want and only have to pay hosting and price of domain once I have the plugin?

      P.S. This is my new favorite website. I didn't think anybody would actually read my posts, or take the time to help me. Thank you guys for responding to me and giving me your insights. I appreciate it.
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  • Profile picture of the author hatchcrane
    Hi Justin. Personally I think you should learn to use WordPress. The main reason is because you can do so much with WordPress - mostly for FREE - using plugins and free themes - But if and when you begin making more money - you can buy awesome software that makes WordPress KING of the Webmaster business. Proof of that is demonstrated by the awesome number of Gurus and others who use WordPress to build almost all of their sites.

    Building a one (or two or three), page "static" site is easy enough... But where do you go from there? Is what you're selling digital? Will it be a Membership Site? You obviously will need more than one page - in my estimation.

    There is a Plugin called Instabuilder that can help you build the pages you want, (need), to build. I looked at the demo page you linked to, btw... Instabuilder can help you build a page like that - but you still will have to know how to use WordPress.

    Learning HOW to use WordPress will open up a whole new world for you. Gurus who make tens of thousands of dollars per "launch" use WordPress almost exclusively. There are good reasons for this - too many to innumerate here.

    I feel absolutely certain that learning to use WordPress will enable you to build the site you need to build to get your dream off the ground.

    Just my .02 cents worth Justin. Good luck with whatever you choose to do!
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    • Profile picture of the author James Toomer
      Hi Justin,
      I would listen to hatchcrane's advice.
      A lot of the points that you make in your replies are valid, and that said - it's true you could go several different ways, all of which will require learning some new tricks. Some more affordable than others.

      I remember when I started building my first WordPress site - seemed like I was trying to learn a new foreign language or something - well it was new, and it was foreign - but with a few free videos online you can get a great start and then it starts going smoother.

      Sales pages and HTML/CSS will become easier with each one you do. You build them yourself, or find templates, and then all you have to do is upload them and tweak them as you deem necessary. A few more searches and a few more free video lessons - and your on your way and you're thinking "I can do this!" And you're actually seeing the results of your efforts.

      WordPress is an awesome tool and platform for building your dream into a reality.
      Stay positive and follow your instincts...it will never do you wrong.

      Good luck, and here's to you and a successful 2015!
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      • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
        Originally Posted by James Toomer View Post

        Hi Justin,
        I would listen to hatchcrane's advice.
        A lot of the points that you make in your replies are valid, and that said - it's true you could go several different ways, all of which will require learning some new tricks. Some more affordable than others.

        I remember when I started building my first WordPress site - seemed like I was trying to learn a new foreign language or something - well it was new, and it was foreign - but with a few free videos online you can get a great start and then it starts going smoother.

        Sales pages and HTML/CSS will become easier with each one you do. You build them yourself, or find templates, and then all you have to do is upload them and tweak them as you deem necessary. A few more searches and a few more free video lessons - and your on your way and you're thinking "I can do this!" And you're actually seeing the results of your efforts.

        WordPress is an awesome tool and platform for building your dream into a reality.
        Stay positive and follow your instincts...it will never do you wrong.

        Good luck, and here's to you and a successful 2015!
        Thanks for the reply, and the encouragement. I am going to go with his and your advice and use wordpress. I can't believe I let needing a sales page/ thankyou page/ and squeeze page stop me dead in my tracks for over a year. I did learn some cool stuff, and try out a lot of different ideas in that time, so it's kind of a good thing that I was oblivious to the fact that everything I needed was right under my nose this whole time. I've been procrastinating this stuff because I thought I was most likely going to have to spend a few years learning web design, maybe even have to go back to school for it, so I've just been putting it off.

        With everything I've learned putting it off though, and now knowing I can get wordpress and a cool plugin and start testing out ideas, it just almost feels like I wasn't meant to know about this stuff until now. It's like everything just worked out perfect and now I can start moving forwards again. I was stuck at a plateau for a long time and I didn't see myself moving forwards until I learned coding, and I thought that would take so long so it was very discouraging, so I just put it off and kept learning more and more and more until finally I was like screw it. No matter how long it takes it's time to just learn how to make websites, and then all of a sudden I find out this whole time all I needed was wordpress and a plugin, lol.

        It's funny how things work out, but I am thankful that I didn't realize this until now because I learned a lot that I wouldn't have learned if I knew about this in the past, and I may have already tried some stuff and just gave up. Now I don't think i could ever possibly run out of ideas, and I feel like I'll be a lifetime player of this game.

        I feel like Michael Scott in The Office when he starts his own paper company and tells his old boss "If this paper company fails, I'll just start another one, and another one, and another one."

        Anyways sorry I talk so much lol, this stuff just excites me.
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    • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
      Originally Posted by hatchcrane View Post

      Hi Justin. Personally I think you should learn to use WordPress. The main reason is because you can do so much with WordPress - mostly for FREE - using plugins and free themes - But if and when you begin making more money - you can buy awesome software that makes WordPress KING of the Webmaster business. Proof of that is demonstrated by the awesome number of Gurus and others who use WordPress to build almost all of their sites.

      Building a one (or two or three), page "static" site is easy enough... But where do you go from there? Is what you're selling digital? Will it be a Membership Site? You obviously will need more than one page - in my estimation.

      There is a Plugin called Instabuilder that can help you build the pages you want, (need), to build. I looked at the demo page you linked to, btw... Instabuilder can help you build a page like that - but you still will have to know how to use WordPress.

      Learning HOW to use WordPress will open up a whole new world for you. Gurus who make tens of thousands of dollars per "launch" use WordPress almost exclusively. There are good reasons for this - too many to innumerate here.

      I feel absolutely certain that learning to use WordPress will enable you to build the site you need to build to get your dream off the ground.

      Just my .02 cents worth Justin. Good luck with whatever you choose to do!
      Thanks man. I've been watching a lot of videos and I'm 100% going with wordpress. I was watching videos on Optimizepress and Instabuilder, and when I went to the instabuilder website it said it was unavailable since they are fixing bugs and whatnot, so I figured, sweet, made my decision easy looks like I'm going with Optimizepress. Then today I have a message in my inbox recommending me to a plugin called profitbuilder, and it looks amazing, so now again I don't know what to get. Optimizepress, or profitbuilder.

      Looks like it's time to watch a million more videos.

      Thanks a lot for your reply, I love the reassurance that I'm making the right choice. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me.
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      • Profile picture of the author [Justin]
        Originally Posted by [Justin] View Post

        Thanks man. I've been watching a lot of videos and I'm 100% going with wordpress. I was watching videos on Optimizepress and Instabuilder, and when I went to the instabuilder website it said it was unavailable since they are fixing bugs and whatnot, so I figured, sweet, made my decision easy looks like I'm going with Optimizepress. Then today I have a message in my inbox recommending me to a plugin called profitbuilder, and it looks amazing, so now again I don't know what to get. Optimizepress, or profitbuilder.

        Looks like it's time to watch a million more videos.

        Thanks a lot for your reply, I love the reassurance that I'm making the right choice. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me.
        Okay, Profit Builder looks absolutely amazing. Like, I for sure want it more than Optimizepress but it looks like the product hasn't launched yet. I clicked the buy button to view the prices and right now for pre-launch it's 67 dollars for the pro version where you can make unlimited sites, and it looks like after it launches the price is 197 which is still 100 cheaper than Optimizepress.

        Since it's not even released yet though, who knows what bugs it will have and what not. I see people who buy this sort of stuff right off the bat as beta testers, so I am going to go with Optimizepress. I have no idea when Profitbuilder will launch, but when it does I'm sure tons of youtube videos will be made on it, reviews, tutorials, testimonials and I'll definitely keep my eye on it.

        If it's as amazing as it looks I'll for sure spend an extra 197 on it, but for now I'll just learn Optimizepress while I wait for profitbuilder to launch and for people to start finding bugs and the developers fixing the bugs, and once everything is nice and smooth, and if people claim it's as amazing as it looks, then I'll gladly pay $197 for the full version.

        This stuff is extremely under priced in my eyes. If the lowest price for a program like one of these was 1,997 I would still buy it. It would put off my purchase for a few months, but I would save up for it.

        I was shocked by the low price of profitbuilder because honestly it looks way better than Optimizepress. If it was launched right now and I saw some people on youtube doing demos of it, I would pay the 197 before going to sleep tonight. 67 dollars is tempting for pre-launch, that would save me over a hundred dollars, but whatever, like I said I don't want a program right when it launches really. I count that as the beta stage. I want it when everything is working smooth and great, and there's tons of users confirming that it actually is as amazing as it looks.

        For now, More vids on wordpress and optimizepress. Next weekend I will buy it, unless if profitbuilder is about to launch super super soon, then maybe I'll just wait for it to launch and for users to make vids, I just don't know.

        I don't want to pay 300 for Optimizepress and then have profitbuilder come out like 2 weeks later and be way better.

        Man, I am one indecisive person. I guess I really just need to find the release date of profitbuilder and then think about if I should wait or not. If it's like a month or two away, maybe I'll just wait. If it's like 4 months or more then I'll just go with Optimizepress.

        Profitbuilder looks amazingly easy to use though, and everything looks extremely perfect like exactly how I want it to be like I'll be able to create pages just like ones that have gotten me to buy something, and look how iffy I am about buying stuff lol.

        I tried finding the release date, but everyone says Aug. 2014 and dates around that time. It's like why does everyone think a different date, and why are they all dates that we're already past?

        It's kind of weird. If I made a product, and had it available to purchase before launch I would be sure to let my customer know when it's releasing.
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  • Profile picture of the author rhinocl
    Here is how I would go about it.
    Join the war room. Look through there for free sales templates.
    Take one and start modifying it by changing the copy, the product, etc.
    Start playing with the look by changing the css. Go to the library and borrow a small basic html book and then do the same with a css book in order to learn how.
    Next, get or upgrade a Paypal account that will let you sell things online and build buttons there. Add the buttons in.
    If this gets too tricky hire someone. I can usually do the whole process for someone for $75 or less. Then study what they did and do it yourself the next time.
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    cheap search engine optimization
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Hope
    Hi Justin,

    If you want to create something to sell now, in order to generate revenue that could support everything else you want to do, and without the need to learn Wordpress, HTML, or even have your own website...

    Once you have product(s) to offer, you can put them for sale at dealguardian.com, e-junkie.com, gumroad.com, jvzoo.com, and similar sites, all of which will let you easily create sales pages that they will host for you. They take care of payment processing and product delivery as well.

    Jeff
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