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Home Business Idea – Make Money Selling Baked Goods Online

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasLove to bake? You can turn that passion for food into a profitable business. You can sell baked goods online. Here’s what you need to make it happen.

How Does an Online Bakery Make Money?

An online bakery makes money simply by selling baked goods. Like any business, it pays to specialize. You might specialize in a type of baked good or you might specialize in an event or holiday.

For example, you could become the birthday baker. Or you might make the best gluten free vegan cookies on the planet. Specialize and you can create a name for yourself It’s much easier to market a specialty.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

To start your own online bakery you’ll need:

* A business plan
* Equipment to make your product
* Photos of your baked goods to use on your website
* A website or online store (you can sell your products on sites like Foodzie.com)
* A means to accept payment and ship your product
* A marketing plan – who is your audience and how will they learn about your business?
* A computer with an internet connection

You’ll also want to investigate your local legal requirements. Do you need a sales tax certificate? Do you need to be certified by your health department? Do you need insurance?

Tips and Ideas to Market Your Online Bakery

The more people who know about your business, the busier you’ll be. (And the more money you’ll make).

#1 Social Networking – Social networking is a great way to connect with others. You can let them know about your business and your delicious products. You might even create a fan page on Facebook. On this page you can share baking tips and special promotions.

#2 A Newsletter – Email marketing is a wonderful way to stay in touch with your existing customers. It’s also a great way to gain new ones. Consider creating a newsletter. In the newsletter you can include baking tips, recipes and even review or promote baking products. (You can earn extra income by becoming an affiliate for bake ware that you like and use).

#3 Testimonials and endorsements. Oprah has launched many cookie, candy and cupcake shops. If you have testimonials or endorsements by all means use them. Post them on your website. Share them in your marketing materials. Testimonials, reviews and endorsements help build demand for your product. They also motivate others to buy.

#4 Create a loyalty program or membership program. Your best customers are the ones who buy from you often. Creating a loyalty program can increase the number of ‘best customers’ you have. For example, you might start a cookie of the month program. People pay a discounted monthly membership and receive a dozen cookies in the mail each month.
#5 Partnerships. Consider partnering with other relevant businesses to cross promote. For example, if you sell gluten free vegan cookies and you know someone who sells gluten free vegan bread, you can promote each other.

The key to owning a successful online bakery is to start with a business plan. Who is your audience? What do you sell? How will you market your product? For as little as a few dollars you can have your online bakery up and running. Then you can start baking and profiting.

Resources for further study:

How to Become a Bakery Owner, from FabJob.com

How to Start a Home-Based Bakery Business
How to Start a Home-Based Bakery Business
Price: $11.85
Home-based baking is one of America’s best-kept business secrets. This sleeper industry offers even novice bakers the opportunity to bake from home for profit using tried and true recipes and equipment already on hand. And yet its many rules and how-tos are so elusive that few people out there who love to bake and dream of taking their products from the kitchen to the market actually end up doing so. Enter How to Start a Home-Based Bakery Business-the first book to cover every essential aspect of planning, starting, and running such a business successfully.

Bakery & Pastry Shop Sample Business Plan!
Bakery & Pastry Shop Sample Business Plan!
Price: $9.98
Welcome To YOUR New Business! We’ve taken the guess work out of starting your own business with our PROVEN industry specific sample business plans ready for immediate INSTANT download! It’s easy, simply purchase one of our proven plans, download it to your PC or kindle, and edit in your personal information! Within minutes you have a professional business plan ready for lenders’!All of our sample plans meet & exceed lender, investor, SBA, and grant agency requirements because they ALL follow the only government approved outline for submitting a business plan! Every one of our listed plans has already been used and received funding! NOW is the perfect time to download your industry specific plan and open the doors to your new business TODAY! SO TELL ME ABOUT THE PLAN. This business plan (just like all the other ones we have for sale) is COMPLETE. High-lighting all 7 sections and following the government approved outline for submitting a business plan for funding. NOTHING has been held back or left out of this plan! We want you to follow this same format to get your business up and running WITHOUT all the hours of planning. saving you TIME & MONEY to worry about other issues in forming your business! We are here to help you succeed! Offering the most complete plan anywhere on the web. Our business plans are the successful written documents that lender’s are looking for! Here’s a break down of the 7 chapters. – Executive Summary: This section covers and high lights the important features of the rest of the business plan. A brief general summary lenders are looking for to get a general feel of your plan and what it is you are looking to achieve-Products & Services: The Product & Services section gives details of the business services offered. The N.A.I.C.S. code, Hours of Operation, Accepted Payments, Products Carried, and Complete Business Legal Structure. -Market Analysis: This section covers the Primary Market, Target Market, and Local Competition by a complete demographical break down of home owners, median incomes, Businesses in the area-Facility & Operations: This section highlights the location and physical facility of the business. Listing the required Capital Equipment needed, local sources of supply, available labor pool, & complete facility layout-Sales Strategy: This section breaks down the Pricing Strategy, Promotions & Distribution, Advertising Campaign & Budget, & Customer Conveniences offered-Management Structure: This section highlights the Personal History and Related Experience of the Business Owner, Duties & Responsibilities of the Owner, Compensation package, Board of Directors, & Outside Business Representation-Financial Analysis: 7 page section covering Start Up Funding, Break-Even Analysis, 3 year projected Profit & Loss, 3 Year Projected Cash Flow, 3 Year Projected Balance Sheet, and Key Business Ratio’s to the start up of this Business.

Whimsical Bakery Business Cards
Whimsical Bakery Business Cards
Price: $25.85
Designed by Jennifer Cambray. Copyright 2009. Letters can be changed, as well as fonts and background colours. Text can also be personalized. NEED HELP? Just send me a message with your info and I’ll be glad to post your order within 24hrs. create & buy custom products at Zazzle buy unique gifts at Zazzle make custom gifts at Zazzle

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Information Marketing – Make Money From Your Knowledge

March 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasDo you have specialty knowledge, a passion or an interest in a topic? If you do, you can use this information to make money and help others. You can become an information marketer.

What is Information Marketing?

Information marketing is essentially the creation, sale and profit of information. For example, if you love taking nature photographs you could write a book on how to take great photographs. You could write a book about how to choose the right camera. You might even create a step-by-step video tutorial on how to take a nature photo.

As an information marketer you make money by selling your information. And setting up your business is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

What Do You Need to Get Started as an Information Marketer?

The very first thing you need to get started in information marketing is a plan. What topic are you going to focus on and what products will you create? Who will buy them? How much will you charge? A fair amount of research and planning will go into this step.

The second step is to create your information product. You don’t have to be a writer to be an information marketer. The books that do well are books that are written conversationally. That means they’re written like you talk. However, you can also create video or audio products.

You’ll also want a website or web page to market and sell your information products. You can also sell your products via services like ClickBank. Creating a website doesn’t have to be a big deal. In fact, all you need is a sales page and a way for people to order your information. That’s it.

If you have a computer and an internet connection you are almost set. You’ll want software to create your information products too. You can also hire someone to create your information products. You can purchase PLR or private label rights products as well.

Tips and Strategies for Marketing Your Information

There are many ways to promote your information marketing business. Many people use PPC or Pay per click advertising. You can also use social networking to connect with your audience. Consider creating an email list and building awareness for your products.

Finally, one of the best ways to promote an information product is to create content that supports it. Write articles.

Create how to videos. Get active in your community by posting comments on relevant blogs, forums and chat rooms. Blog and guest blog. As more people become aware of the specialty knowledge you possess, they’ll turn to you for answers and help. They’ll buy your information products.

Finally, keep in mind that you can combine information marketing with affiliate marketing. You can use your information products to promote carefully selected products or services. This helps you earn more money and potentially more credibility.

Information marketing is a great way to make money. Your products can be downloaded online. That means once your product is created the rest is automated. You can make money day or night.

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Home Biz Idea – Craft Business

March 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasAre you crafty? Here are some tips for helping you turn your hobby into a business.

Do you have a special skill or talent? Can you make things that people value? Are you crafty? If you are, you can make good money. You can turn your hobby into a business. For example, if you knit, you can create an online store. Sell products that you’ve knitted and take orders. It’s a wonderful way to make money doing something you love.

What is a Craft Business?

A craft business is a business you can operate online and off. You can create your own website and store. You can also use services such as etsy.com and eBay.com to sell your products. In fact, many people sell handmade jewelry, candles, clothing, accessories and home goods. There’s a growing demand for unique, handmade products. If you have the skills, you can make good money.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

Getting started is fairly simple. You’ll need:

* A computer – so you can communicate with customers and market your product
* A camera – to photograph your items.
* Product – you’ll want a few items for your inventory and to photograph for your website or store.
* A business plan – how much do you want to make? What expenses do you have? Who is your audience? How will you market your business? How much will your products cost?
* A website or store – Check out services like Etsy and eBay. eBay is an auction site however you can sell handmade goods at a fixed price. Etsy focuses on selling vintage and handmade items. It’s the perfect place to sell your handmade items. At both sites you can create a store. There’s a monthly membership fee but it’s generally less than twenty dollars each month. Both have a built in shopping cart system and payment and fulfillment system.

Tips for Marketing and Growing Your Business

#1 Research other craft businesses. Get online at Etsy and eBay and review their stores and websites. What works? What doesn’t? Before you create your store or website, plan it on paper.

#2 Prosper with partnerships. As a craft business owner you might even partner with other business owner to support each other’s success. For example, if you know someone who makes hand blown glass holiday ornaments and you make hand knitted holiday stockings you might band together to promote each other.

#3 Consider choosing a niche or specialty. It’s easier to find an audience if you have a specialty. For example, if you’re a painter you might enjoy painting a variety of scenes and using a variety of mediums. However, if you specialize you will have an easier time marketing your products. You might specialize in watercolors of fish or painting people’s pets. Specialization makes you the go to person for a specific type of product.

If you are a skilled artist or crafter you can make money with your hobby. Research your audience. Choose a specialty and set up your store. With a small investment you can begin making money right from your kitchen table.

Resources for Further Study:

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Home Biz Idea – Personal or Business Coaching

March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you enjoy helping others? Do you find that you’re often offering guidance, advice and resources to individuals? If this sounds like you, coaching may be in your future. It’s a great way to help others and to earn a living.

What is a Coach?

A coach is a person who helps people achieve their goals. You can be a coach in almost any specialty. For example, you might be a:

* Diet coach
* Fitness coach
* Nutrition coach
* Lifestyle coach
* Business coach
* Organization coach
* Writing coach
* Marketing coach

The list goes on and on. If you have specialized knowledge, skills or even an interest then you can become a coach in that field.

How Does a Coach Earn Money?

Coaches make money in a variety of ways. The most basic is to charge an hourly rate for their coaching services. Another way is to sell coaching products. You might also create a membership site and offer various levels of coaching.

For example, as a lifestyle coach you might offer an hour of one on one coaching and access to an abundance of resources in your membership area. The next level of membership might offer five hours of one-on-one coaching, email access to you and resources in the membership area. The most expensive level might offer a home visit, three days of intense one-on-one coaching and access to the membership area.

You can set up your business to suit your niche, your audience and your business goals. You might also make money by promoting supporting products and earning an affiliate commission. Or you can create your own information products and sell them. There are many ways to earn money as a coach.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

To get started as a coach you’ll need:

* A business plan. This will outline your services and business model. It’ll identify your customer, your competition and how you plan to market your business. It’ll also identify your goals and how you plan to achieve them.

* A website. This will help you market your business. It may also be one of your primary communication tools. Here you may sell products, conduct sessions in your chat room and even collect payment for services.

* A specialty or niche. Who are you going to coach and what do you have to offer? The more specialized your niche the easier it’ll be to market your business. For example, if you’re interested in helping people lose weight you might become a diet and fitness coach for new moms.

The most expensive aspect of starting your own coaching business will likely be your website. However, with a little patience and a plan you can create your own website for next to nothing. You don’t have to spend thousands. You also don’t have to spend thousands on marketing either. Social networking, word of mouth and a few strategic partnerships can fill your schedule quickly.

If you enjoy helping people and you’re interested in starting your own business, consider becoming a coach.

Resources for further study:

How to Become a Life Coach profitable niche ideas

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Home Biz Idea – Administrative Assistant

March 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasIf you have administrative know-how and a good dose of self-discipline, you might want to consider starting a home business as an administrative assistant (virtual assistant). With the internet and basic technology, you can provide a valuable service to clients around the world.

Best of all, you can be online and working in just a few short days.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative assistance. Instead of working in an office environment, a virtual assistant does the work online. As a virtual assistant you might communicate with your clients via email or via a project management system.

You can specialize in a specific task, for example, managing a forum or an affiliate team. Or you can offer a variety of administrative services. You can also specialize in an industry.

What Do You Need to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant?

* Computer with internet connection
* Software to support your administrative services
* Telephone and related equipment like a headset so you can talk hands free
* Website to market your services
* Business Plan – Your plan will your business goals, marketing strategy, audience, services, policies and procedures and so on.
* Contact information – Email account/telephone number

Most of this you probably already have and the rest of it can be acquired or created. The one thing you probably don’t have is a website. A one page website is all you need to get started. Once you have customers you can expand your website. You can add content and grow your business.

Making Money as a Virtual Assistant

Most virtual assistants charge by the hour. You might also consider charging by the project. Another option is to charge by the minute, word, or post depending on what service you’re providing. For example, if you’re offering transcription you might charge by the audio minute.

Marketing Your Administrative Business

Like many other businesses, it can be beneficial to specialize. For example you might market yourself as the 24-hour transcriptionist – turning around any transcription order in less than twenty four hours. You might specialize in managing affiliates, scheduling or managing customer service. You might also specialize in an industry. For example, you might focus on offering research for information marketers.

Your website will be your primary marketing tool. It’ll be where people can research your services, rates and view your work if you have any samples or testimonials.

Partnering with another service provider can be a great way to promote your business. For example, you might partner with a website designer who specializes in the same industry you do.

Social networking, advertising, and content marketing all help to build awareness too. Finally, some virtual assistants find great success by offering memberships. For example, you might offer five, ten and fifteen hour memberships. Members get a discount for committing to regular work. And you get regular work.

If you have an interest in offering administrative services and you want to work from home, from your kitchen table, you can do it. Create a plan. Build a website and start making money today.

Resources for further study:


Fabjob Guide: How to Become a Virtual Assistant

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Find Your True Business Passion. Here’s how

February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasIt seems every single book you read on business has one primary word of advice: do what you love. Passion, then, is very important for business success. It makes sense: If you love what you do and are willing to devote yourself to it, then you’ll have fun and success will follow.

However, it can be difficult to determine your true passion. There are probably many things you enjoy doing. Some of them might make great business ideas too. However, are they a true business passion? Here are a few considerations to make and steps to take.

Look to Your Past

Yes, you’ve changed and grown over the years. However, often the hobbies or activities that really stirred your soul when you were younger are still there. Your passions haven’t changed. Look back to your childhood, your teenage years and even college.

What did you love to do? What classes did you take just because you were interested? What books did you read? What were you hungry to learn more about? Write down any ideas that come to you. If you’re unsure, call a parent or a sibling and ask them.

Do You Have a Bucket List?

Your bucket list is that list of activities you want to do before you kick the bucket – before you die. Most people put their hopes, desire and passions on their bucket list. It’ll be full of things they’ve always wanted to do. For example, go skydiving. It’ll also be full of those dreams that never quite became goals. For example, write a novel.

If you look closely at your bucket list you’ll find there are hidden passions. Uncover those hidden passions. Examine them more closely. Is there a business idea that’s worthy of more research? For example, maybe you always wanted to visit the wine growing in Italy. That might be a great idea for a theme-based website or a money-making blog.

What Are You Doing Right Now?

Finally, take a look at the activities you engage in right now. What brings you joy and passion? What do you love to talk to other people about? Make a list of those activities and interests. For example, if you love college basketball and look forward to March Madness every year, perhaps there’s potential for an information marketing business. You might write a book on how to win the office March Madness pool every year.

Finding your true business passion isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Set aside time each day for a few weeks. Look to your past. Explore your present. Analyze your future. Chances are you already have some very profitable passions just waiting to be uncovered.

Filed Under: Home Business Ideas

Book Recommendation – How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business

February 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business
Where to buy: www.amazon.com
Review by: ACMMom

In times of financial upheaval and threats of unemployment, many people are looking into starting their own business from home. You can turn a passion into a business, but in order to get your business off the ground, you need to be equipped with as much knowledge as possible before embarking on this great adventure of successful self-employment.

If you are a creative person, you might be very good at setting up your own gift basket business. Gift baskets are a popular choice as baby gifts and are well appreciated by recipients. There are also gift baskets for newborns, anniversaries, birthdays, holidays etc. – the list is endless. The gift basket business is growing and growing and you could be part of it.

The book How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business by Shirley George Frazier, who runs her own very successful home-based gift basket business, shares her own insider knowledge of this type of business. In a clear way, she provides you with the low-down on getting a successful business started. She covers all the basics you need to know, such as finding a niche market, writing a business plan, marketing strategies, start-up costs, pricing, accounting, customer service and satisfaction, choosing the right business name, the importance of a good reputation, selecting your inventory, setting up your own workplace at home and lots more.

I like the book as it covers all aspects of establishing, promoting and running your own gift basket business. The book comes at a very reasonable price and is therefore an absolute must-have if you are thinking of starting up this type of business.

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Kitchen Table Business Ideas

January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It is a gift to be a stay-at-home parent. If you find that you have time on your hands, however, there are plenty of ways you can earn a part-time income at your kitchen table. Use your talents to make extra money; you will also be rewarded by sharing your talents with others.

With the enormous growth of the internet, there are many opportunities online. Customer service representatives are in high demand. They take the stress off the company which does not have to pay out benefits. Some online companies offering this opportunity pay per call, others per hour.

Catalog sales is another great way to earn money. Again they pay either by call or hourly. Start-up fees include the installation of a separate phone line. Training is done online and from the convenience of your home office. Many companies pay for your training.

If you love to bake, you can start your own company selling specific items. Local establishments are a great place to start for potential sales. Visit the small stores, delis and shops in your area and see if you can place your items in their establishment. The internet is also another avenue to travel. You will need to create a website for this. Business cards and flyers posted around town will help as well. Make sure you check with your local regulatory offices to determine which items you can sell and which items you need a commercial kitchen for.

profitable niche ideasIf you love to write there are many opportunities both online and off. Look for editors and send a sample of your work for review. If you are accepted you can do as much as you are able and they usually pay by the piece. You can write for nationally published magazines or for online publishers. Many stay-at-home parents make a full-time living by freelance writing.

Designing stationery is another way to earn money without any real out-of-pocket expenses. You will need to buy paper, but little else. You can either draw your own designs or design them graphically with software. Offer personalization on specific items and you will open yourself to a whole new platform of customers.

There are many ways to make some income simply from working at your kitchen table or in your home office. Do your research and put your talents to use. You will be rewarded with both extra money and appreciation.

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Home Business Ideas: Green Businesses

December 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasGreen business is a continued growing trend. And because the topic is so vast, there are an abundance of business start-up ideas you can capitalize on.

Here are a few green businesses start-up ideas to get your creative wheels spinning.

#1 Solar Energy

There are a number of ways you can make money from the solar industry field. For example, you can create a theme-based website on solar energy. Use keyword research tools to find the most profitable solar energy niche. You can also become an information marketer on this topic. It lends itself to a number of information product ideas. For example: How to hire a solar energy contractor. How to install solar panels yourself. How to use passive solar energy. The list goes on and on.

And let’s not forget affiliate income. (Read more about affiliate marketing here.) You can affiliate yourself with solar panel companies for information products on solar power. You can also become an affiliate for green or solar energy contractors. Finally, you can sell solar energy products. These products range from basic gadgets like solar powered laptop rechargers to pricier products, such as solar panels.

#2 Green Living

Green living is still a popular topic. In fact, many people are taking it to an extreme. Several bloggers have gained notoriety by blogging about how they live green. They take the reduce, reuse and recycle to an extreme and spend little or nothing on utilities and extras each month.

You can create a similar business and profit from your blog.

You can also become an affiliate for a green living niche. You can sell green living products yourself or become an information marketer. Consider also becoming a green living coach. If you enjoy working with people, then this can be a very rewarding career. Many people are looking for ways they can cut back to save the environment and their pocket book.

#3 Gardening

Gardening itself is quite a broad topic. However, there are many profitable niches. For example, composting, container gardening and hydroponics are just a few. There’s also organic gardening, rooftop gardening, and small space gardening.

Find a niche that appeals to you and also offers a potential for profit. You can become a gardening coach. You can build a gardening information marketing empire. You can build a theme-based website and profit from advertising. And of course you can sell gardening products or affiliate with gardening-based companies.

Take a look at any green topic and explore the options for niche ideas within that topic. The green industry is alive and growing. Look for trends and take advantage of the amazing keyword tools available. There’s plenty of room for profits and new start-up companies.

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How to Start an Online Consignment Business

December 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

profitable niche ideasDo you enjoy retail? Are you looking for a way to profit and help other people profit too? Consider starting your own online consignment business.

A consignment business is a store that sells other people’s belongings. You take a commission on the sale and they earn money by selling their items. It’s a great way to make a nice monthly profit.

Here’s how to start an online consignment business.

Step One: Decide what you’re going to specialize in. There’s actually a great deal you can sell. For example, you can specialize in:

* Baby clothing
* Maternity clothing
* Housewares
* Pet items
* Art
* Collectibles
* Sports memorabilia
* Fitness equipment
* Formal wear
* Wedding attire
* Vintage items
* Designer clothing
* Teen clothing

The list can go on and on. Find a market where you see a need. Find a market you enjoy and would enjoy selling.

Step Two: Take a look around your community for your first consignment products. Eventually you may acquire goods to sell from all around the country. However, initially it’ll be good to build your store with easily accessible items. Consider asking your friends and family for items to stock your online store.

Step Three: Build your online store. Once you have a few items to sell online, it’s time to build your website. In addition to building a website you may want to consider selling items on eBay and/or etsy.com. Etsy deals with vintage items so you’ll have to be selling vintage to qualify. Otherwise, eBay is a great option. You can build a store right on their site. This way you’re both selling via your own website store and eBay or Etsy.

Step Four: Continue collecting items to sell. Your store is only effective and profitable if you have items to sell. This means you’re going to have to market to two audiences. You’re going to want to market your consignment business to people who have things to sell. And you’re going to want to market your business to customers who want to buy.

Initially, it may be advantageous to gather consignment items locally and sell them on your site. As your business grows you can include a form or information on your website about selling consignment goods on your site.

Step Five: Agreements and policies. This step is actually a tangent step to creating your online store. You’re going to want to create agreements with both your buyers and your sellers. For example, what commission do you make per sale? How long do you keep an item in your store before you consider it “unsellable” and send it back to the owner? How do you ship? What’s your return policy?

You can glean much of this information by visiting other consignment stores and learning what works for them. Then you can create your own policies and agreements to fit your business goals and needs.

Owning an online consignment store can be tons of fun. As your business grows, you can add other items to your store. For example, you can visit garage sales and find suitable items to sell for a profit. Plan your business well and launch with confidence.

Resources for further study:

How to Start and Run an eBay Consignment Store
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