Amazon PCDD - Important Update New Community Manager Incoming!

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Hey CAGS,

I’ve got some news I’m both excited and sad to share with you at the same time. I’ll be leaving the Digital Video Games team in Mid-March to join the marketing team for Amazon.com’s Loyalty and Rewards program, Amazon Coins. My boss and I have talked extensively about how to maintain and continue our presence here and across the other communities we’ve created in the past couple of years. To that end I’d like to introduce you to Josh, who take over monitoring, updating, and responding to this thread. Josh will be ramping up over the next couple of weeks, he  will be posting shortly to introduce himself.

Now that the “what’s going on” part of the message is out of the way I want to tell you all how much I love CAG and the posters here. This was the first community I joined when I started this job (anyone still remember that first thread?) and all of you have had a huge hand in shaping how we think about and execute Community Development and Management here at Amazon, which has in turn shaped my career these last two and a half years.

I started to write out a section calling out the regular posters and realized the list would be both overly long and incomplete at the same time. Instead I’d like to thank you all again, you all have my deep and sincere gratitude. I’ll still be around and my gaming accounts aren’t going anywhere so feel free to hit me up anytime you want to chat. I’ll probably still hang out in the thread too :).

Thanks again everyone, let me or Josh know if you have any questions!

The Indie Store has launched!
Amazon.com is launching a storefront dedicated to supporting and promoting PC/Mac/Web-based Indie Games. Our Digital Video Games team is a small group of passionate gamers and we’re all really excited to help Indie developers reach more customers quickly by providing a quick and simple process for bringing their games to market. Additionally we’ll be supporting the Indie Store with a ton of promotions, both at and after launch. Many of these promotions are designed to give the developer the opportunity to maximize their revenue. For example, Amazon is forfeiting all royalties from bundle sales and passing them along directly to the developer, we’ve also created an “Indie Spotlight” program to help customers learn more about the games and developers they love. We view the Indie developers as some of the most creative in the industry and we want to help them continue to create new and innovative experience for customers.

Why we are doing this:

  • Allow customers to discover an entirely new category of games on Amazon.com
  • Help developers reach new customers quickly. Our onboarding process is straightforward and we want to sell every Indie game available
  • We want to leverage our strengths to support and help the developers who are driving forward innovation and creativity in the games industry
General Information

Hi CAGs,
I'll be posting deals we're running on Digital Games (PC/Mac, Free to Play, Sony/Microsoft Points/Subs).

I'm also here to answer questions you might have, get you closer to the developers by hosting Q&As, setting up podcasts, live streaming gameplay etc. If I don't respond to a question you have in thread please send me a PM. These ping my email address and make it more likely that I will see your question and respond more quickly.

Cheers,
Tony


FYI. EA Games sold by Amazon will not activate on Steam.
F.A.Q.S.:

1. Does the game I'm buying from Amazon Activate on Steam/Origin/Uplay? What DRM does the game use?

There are two places to identify DRM on a digital video game detail page:

At the top of the page, below the title:

16hm7a8.png


In the "Product Description" section:

r06ykl.jpg


2. Note on Electronic Arts Games - For the most part, EA games sold on Amazon do not activate on Steam. Most activate on Origin.

3. Note on DRM with limited activations:

Our Policy



4. Sometimes I'll do giveaways.

5. I work with developers and publishers to get fun (or at least what I think is fun) content to share with you all. Here are some examples:

a. Check out the Pax Gameplay videos here: Xcom: Enemy Unknown I played Xcom with Jake, the Creative Director for the game, a few months before the game came out Also, on this page, check out the Q&A, also a community driven event.

b. Check out the interview on this page: Borderlands 2 we did this interview at E3 with Randy Pitchford this year.

c. We've partnered with the ++GoodGames Podcast to feature many of the games we carry. They talk to the developers about the game development process, how the games are conceptualized and managed, all kinds of fun stuff. I'm working on putting together full link list and will update when I have it.

What else do we sell?

Xbox Live Points and Subscriptions:

1600 Microsoft Live Points
4000 Microsoft Live Points
12 Month XBOX Live Subscription
3 Month XBOX Live Subscription]
12 Month + 1 XBOX Live Subscription

PSN+ Subscriptions and PSN Points:

$20 PSN Points
$50 PSN Points
12 Month PSN+ Subscription
3 Month PSN+ Subscription

We also have a Free-2-Play store supported by our GameConnect technology. Gameconnect allows you to link your Amazon.com account with free-2-play and MMO accounts so that you can buy things like in game currency, premium game time/subscriptions, in game items, etc. on Amazon.com using your Amazon.com payment options and have this content delivered directly into your game.

5. Price Matching notes: Generally we do not match international retailers (GMG, Gamersgate, etc) or physical retailers (Best Buy, Newegg.com, etc.)
To check out the Free-2-Play games we offer you can visit our storefront here: Free-2-Play Store

 
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Anyone having trouble activating an Amazon key on Steam?

Bought the Steam version of Bit.Trip.Void and for some reason it takes ages for the key to process in Steam, and finally says

"Steam server is unavailable. Your computer is either currently unable to reach the Steam servers, or the service may be temporarily disabled. Please try again later."

I've had no trouble activating steam keys on this computer earlier today and nothing has changed, at least that I know of, on my end.

*** Nevermind, rebooted Steam's terribad Mac client 3x and it finally worked.

 
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nbuubu said:
Anyone having trouble activating an Amazon key on Steam?

Bought the Steam version of Bit.Trip.Void and for some reason it takes ages for the key to process in Steam, and finally says

"Steam server is unavailable. Your computer is either currently unable to reach the Steam servers, or the service may be temporarily disabled. Please try again later."

I've had no trouble activating steam keys on this computer earlier today and nothing has changed, at least that I know of, on my end.
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That's a problem with Steam and/or your connection - it doesn't have anything to do with Amazon.
 
To defend people expecting freebies, we did have GOG give away the whole classic Fallout collection.  Steam just gave away Left 4 Dead 2...

Share the LOVE Amazon by giving away something too :)

I doubt we'd ever see the EC list like 2011.  There were lots of complaints last year, but I think most people are now pretty used to how the deals are now, especially with Amazon being pretty established now with the DVG sales (they were very new back in 2010 & 2011).

Bottom line is if people don't like the price, just don't buy it yet.  Wait for the eventual humble bundle sale ideally.  I haven't bought much and that's good considering prices can only drop further.

Will probably pick up Ace Patrol and would like to finally get a complete Sleeping Dogs pack eventually.

 
DarkZero104 said:
EC list definitely needs work, prelim looks weak. As for the topic getting negative around it, well... yeah. 2 years ago was godly so when it wasn't even half as good people complained, especially with a sizable amount of people in the topics making sure they've got the credit available. This was compounded more with the really weak start (especially in comparison). It ended pretty good in the end but nothing mind blowing or great. It'd be nice if this year's would fall closer to the former than the latter. Fewer complaints in the topic, matches closer to people's expectations, and leaves 'em happier. Any initial complaints would probably be people expecting it to be like last year's or worse, which that list didn't help. If it ends up that way (or even starts that way) then it's gonna get much, much worse. Starting with a bang definitely matters.
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Duke Nukem Forever for $1 was hot. I mean, seriously, it was all the game was worth. That I bought The Witcher 2 for like $16 to get that EC coupon was pretty hot, too.

Alas, I can't even REMEMBER last year's EC deals. I only remember they were mostly the same prices as December with $5 (or more) added on to make the "deal" the same as in November/December (or worse).

It's a really, really longshot that anything shows up that's a AMAZING deal on the EC List if last year or that preliminary list is anything to go by.

I don't think it's Tony's fault. It's the publishers who want to milk us. They yank on us and they think, "They got $5 pseudo-credits burning a hole in their wallets, they'll buy anything now..."

That's what they think, but after last year's debacle in the EC List, the joke's on them. I don't buy anything that I can get for less somewhere else just based on a $5 EC coupon. I just buy it for less. The $5 EC coupon should never be the deciding factor unless the price is entirely identical otherwise.

It's just not worth much. I must have had like five or six I didn't even use last year.

Never again.

 
Is the Sword of the Stars - The Pit that was linked actually the Gold Edition ? I know the image shows the Gold edition on the page but the Title nor Description of the item on the AMZN web site make any mention about it including the DLC. 

 
AdvOfJet said:
Is the Sword of the Stars - The Pit that was linked actually the Gold Edition ? I know the image shows the Gold edition on the page but the Title nor Description of the item on the AMZN web site make any mention about it including the DLC.
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I took a risk and bought it. Activated as Gold, and it works even if you have the base game installed and are just looking to pick up the DLC.

I've only played the base game, but I like the little bit that I did. It's really old school, more like Shiren the Wanderer or Dungeons of Dredmor (where you take a turn then everything else on that floor takes a turn) than something like Binding of Issac or Risk of Rain.

 
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The Sifu said:
I took a risk and bought it. Activated as Gold, and it works even if you have the base game installed and are just looking to pick up the DLC.

I've only played the base game, but I like the little bit that I did. It's really old school, more like Shiren the Wanderer or Dungeons of Dredmor (where you take a turn then everything else on that floor takes a turn) than something like Binding of Issac or Risk of Rain.
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Yeah that is exactly what I was hoping to do since the DLC is not on sale at all on Steam directly.

 
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HisDivineOrder said:
Duke Nukem Forever for $1 was hot. I mean, seriously, it was all the game was worth. That I bought The Witcher 2 for like $16 to get that EC coupon was pretty hot, too.

Alas, I can't even REMEMBER last year's EC deals. I only remember they were mostly the same prices as December with $5 (or more) added on to make the "deal" the same as in November/December (or worse).

It's a really, really longshot that anything shows up that's a AMAZING deal on the EC List if last year or that preliminary list is anything to go by.

I don't think it's Tony's fault. It's the publishers who want to milk us. They yank on us and they think, "They got $5 pseudo-credits burning a hole in their wallets, they'll buy anything now..."

That's what they think, but after last year's debacle in the EC List, the joke's on them. I don't buy anything that I can get for less somewhere else just based on a $5 EC coupon. I just buy it for less. The $5 EC coupon should never be the deciding factor unless the price is entirely identical otherwise.

It's just not worth much. I must have had like five or six I didn't even use last year.

Never again.
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last year had a couple great ones. best was totally the Dawn of War franchise pack for $5. had everything but Chaos Rising and... some other DLC i forgot. Walking Dead was good then too. and of course there's the Microsoft 5-game pack for $5. there were a few things there that made it worth while but it wasn't spaced out very well (a few early on that were okay and then the last couple days with the Microsoft one and Dawn of War somewhere in there). ideally there'd be a few more here to help that lull in the middle and get people interested at the start. even if we don't get it at the level 2011 did, it can surely be better than last year's precisely for the reaction you're having there, it basically accepts that there's a huge gap in between the offerings had from both years though i wouldn't dismiss a possible in between. personally didn't buy a lot of games last year so i've got some to look forward to. though mine mostly get summarized to Namco (Ace Combat, Enslaved), Konami (Castlevania, MGR), and Capcom (Duck Tales). some Square games can work too! nothing to get negative about yet on a draft of a draft's draft. thing is i'm just not sure there's much benefit to the minor update sequence on this; people are interested because they want to know the best offerings and some great deals in there. considering how last year went it seems like a bad idea to give the smaller updates, where many of the standout deals aren't there, to appease curiosity. you'll fix that "problem" but end up creating a lot of complaining in the process. one of those things best kept under wraps until ready.

 
The other thing we have to remember about the Editor's Choice is the backlash they got last year.  I forget what deals they were, but a lot of people were unhappy when some of the same deals from the winter sale showed up cheaper with the EC credit.  My main hope would be $2.50ish Assassin's Creed, but they were just $5 each so I doubt we'll see that.  I think I recall Tony running a buy one get one on ubisoft titles earlier this year that made them effectively $2.50 so maybe we'll see that again in 2014.

 
guess tony said the mp complete sale was over by 25th but he didnt update or say anything on it ugh that just sucks tho i want to buy it for friends christmas

 
I can confirm that the $1.79 Sword of the Stars: The Pit code activates as Gold. That's a pretty big "oops" by Amazon, I imagine.

I hope Tony (or anyones else, for that matter) doesn't get into trouble for that!

 
Cheaplikeafox 3.0 said:
The other thing we have to remember about the Editor's Choice is the backlash they got last year. I forget what deals they were, but a lot of people were unhappy when some of the same deals from the winter sale showed up cheaper with the EC credit. My main hope would be $2.50ish Assassin's Creed, but they were just $5 each so I doubt we'll see that. I think I recall Tony running a buy one get one on ubisoft titles earlier this year that made them effectively $2.50 so maybe we'll see that again in 2014.
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Are you sure that's what it was? I don't think I bought anything last EC because the prices came out to being the same as the winter sale, but only after the credit applied. I think we want the deals cheaper than the winter sales.

 
60fps said:
Are you sure that's what it was? I don't think I bought anything last EC because the prices came out to being the same as the winter sale, but only after the credit applied. I think we want the deals cheaper than the winter sales.
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I know for sure there were a few bundles (Darksiders, Paradox) that were the same price in January as they were in December, but they were coupon eligible so they ended up $5 cheaper.

 
The Big Paradox bundle with like a dozen games was a great deal on the EC but it had a short window of availability.  That and the Microsoft Indie Bundle that had Shadow Planet, Toy Soldiers, Mark of the Ninja, Deadlight, and uh… something else for $5 after EC.

 
Cheaplikeafox 3.0 said:
I know for sure there were a few bundles (Darksiders, Paradox) that were the same price in January as they were in December, but they were coupon eligible so they ended up $5 cheaper.
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Ah, ok then. I just don't remember exactly. I guess I didn't buy anything because I bought those same games months earlier. Maybe I just didn't like the EC selection or something. I do know that I had a lot of $5 credit and found myself just sitting on them.

 
Cheaplikeafox 3.0 said:
I know for sure there were a few bundles (Darksiders, Paradox) that were the same price in January as they were in December, but they were coupon eligible so they ended up $5 cheaper.
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I think part of it was also that the Darksiders bundle was supposed to be a one time thing but got brought back again in January. Can't remember if they were cheaper or not though.

 
LN3000 said:
I can confirm that the $1.79 Sword of the Stars: The Pit code activates as Gold. That's a pretty big "oops" by Amazon, I imagine.

I hope Tony (or anyones else, for that matter) doesn't get into trouble for that!
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I don't know. I would think if it was an "oops" it would have been fixed by now. I think it's been about 7 hours.

 
it was both. there was less of that last year because... well, there were just fewer good deals at the time. just that because there were few standouts it ended up making that crowd mad too. stuff like people having 5 coupons, one of which was from one of the better sales, yet they had only spent 1. instead of being 5-1 they could've been 4-2 (Darksiders Collection wasn't one of them though; that was the same price post-EC). i mean there's a few answers to that - they spent what they felt was worth it being the most popular - but the complaint wouldn't exist if there was something else they wanted to spend their money on. it ends up making the situation worse on itself. 

still, most of the complaining on 'not good enough deals' hit for the first 3 weeks so it was pretty nasty. here, nobody knows yet obviously. i just appreciate the sentiment of wanting to give a prelim list but don't think it's the best idea because unless you've got something that majorly stands out you're only gonna make things worse before they get better. naturally if it ends up being awesome of a start there's less to complain. 

(so let's go $5 Castlevania! $10 MGR! $5 Enslaved! Square Bundle for $5! Sleeping Dogs Complete for $3! Dishonored for $3! Free Morrowind and Oblivion GOTY!)

 
spacejunk said:
I don't know. I would think if it was an "oops" it would have been fixed by now. I think it's been about 7 hours.
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Wouldn't be so sure about that. When Steam had their "oops" with the Pinball FX tables showing as $-0.01, rendering them purchasable, it wasn't fixed. I wonder how much potential sales Steam lost through that, even if they were just regular sale price for that duration.

My point is, "oopses" are not always fixed right away, even if they're bad oopses.

Anecdote...

working in customer support, I can say that it is FRUSTRATING when an "oops" doesn't get fixed, and then I have to deal with the influx of hate coming in.

People are mean.

Please remember that... people are mean, so please try to be nice whenever you contact customer support for any company. Even if you're upset at something, just remember all the other people who are upset that contact CS. CS wants to help, but being irate at them doesn't make them want to help you any more. Being nice to them will likely result in them doing that extra nice thing for you in return. :)

 
LN3000 said:
Anecdote...

working in customer support, I can say that it is FRUSTRATING when an "oops" doesn't get fixed, and then I have to deal with the influx of hate coming in.

People are mean.

Please remember that... people are mean, so please try to be nice whenever you contact customer support for any company. Even if you're upset at something, just remember all the other people who are upset that contact CS. CS wants to help, but being irate at them doesn't make them want to help you any more. Being nice to them will likely result in them doing that extra nice thing for you in return. :)
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Thanks for the reminder about customer service. Very good timing. I'm working through kind of a major issue with my cell phone carrier right now and may have been a little harsh with them on the phone because of it. I've worked in customer service too and have had my share of irate and unforgiving customers. Your post is helpful before I have to talk with them again tomorrow.

 
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spacejunk said:
Thanks for the reminder about customer service. Very good timing. I'm working through kind of a major issue with my cell phone carrier right now and may have been a little harsh with them on the phone because of it. I've worked in customer service too and have had my share of irate and unforgiving customers. Your post is helpful before I have to talk with them again tomorrow.
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Very good thing to remember for every corporation and company ... Except AT&T. No mercy for the devil, IMO.
 
nbuubu said:
Very good thing to remember for every corporation and company ... Except AT&T. No mercy for the devil, IMO.
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Would you still feel that way if I said that I worked for AT&T?

... I don't, but still. :p

I've not had any trouble with AT&T whenever I need to deal with them. They've been fantastic actually.

 
LN3000 said:
Would you still feel that way if I said that I worked for AT&T?

... I don't, but still. :p
I've not had any trouble with AT&T whenever I need to deal with them. They've been fantastic actually.
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I'm just kidding. Mostly.

But no.

Seriously.

AT&T has been pure evil. Magically inventing fees and misdirecting calls into supervisor-promised möbius loops of endless billing and support calls. Have to deal with them because of a work-related obligation. Considering quitting so I'll no longer have to.

Besides I don't think AT&T employs actual humans. I think all our fees have gone to creating the most elaborate and pernicious AI phone system ever constructed. I don't think any humans actually work at AT&T. They are all bots.
 
does anyone know why Amazon didn't send promos this year 

I bought some games on black friday like last year and they didn't send me any promos for games sales or anything this year  :whistle2:k

 
Thanks for the preliminary list. I might bite on Crysis 3, but what I really want is Lords of Shadow for $5 after coupon (so, the Christmas day price basically). 

 
spacejunk said:
I don't know. I would think if it was an "oops" it would have been fixed by now. I think it's been about 7 hours.
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I don't think it's an oops either. Amazon did this before a few years back with Renegade Ops. The entire game was just $3.75 with DLC included. It was deals like these that made me a loyal customer.

Praise be the magical Tony.

 
I really wish to see Castlevania, maybe for 9.99$, Brothers for lets say 7.49$, or maybe DmC or Deadpool for 9.99$..or maybe enslaved like someone mentioned. Giana sisters could be nice addition for 5.99$. More Activision games.

 
MrWhitey said:
I really wish to see Castlevania, maybe for 9.99$, Brothers for lets say 7.49$, or maybe DmC or Deadpool for 9.99$..or maybe enslaved like someone mentioned. Giana sisters could be nice addition for 5.99$. More Activision games.
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Deadpool has already been $9.99 this sale.
 
I remember 2012 EC being better then last year, but after looking through my amazon EC history I don't know why. It must have been that 2013 games were slightly higher in price during EC.  

2012

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit $2.99 after EC

Duke Nukem Forever $0.99 after EC

2013

Alice Complete $6.99 after EC

Fable bundle $4.99 after EC 

Desert Sea bundle (spec op, bioshock 1&2) 4.99 after EC

 
yangwenli said:
To defend people expecting freebies, we did have GOG give away the whole classic Fallout collection. Steam just gave away Left 4 Dead 2...
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It's not quite that simple ... GOG wasn't really the ones giving that game away, it was Interplay, and that's because they lose their license to publish the Fallout games at the end of the year to Bethesda. If GOG had done a giveaway it would've been for the Witcher, because the company that made that owns GOG.

Valve can give away L4D2 because they own it.

Amazon doesn't make games, nor has any to give away, on their own at least.

My personal hopes for the EC list is that there's actually some post-coupon deals in there that are actually better than what we've seen in the latest sales. If it's just Xmas prices post-coupon then it's disappointing.

I'm sure Tony is doing his best though. I'm sure he'll Fus Ro Dah! the developers till they give something nice.

 
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fbTurbine said:
I remember 2012 EC being better then last year, but after looking through my amazon EC history I don't know why. It must have been that 2013 games were slightly higher in price during EC.

2012

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit $2.99 after EC

Duke Nukem Forever $0.99 after EC

2013

Alice Complete $6.99 after EC

Fable bundle $4.99 after EC

Desert Sea bundle (spec op, bioshock 1&2) 4.99 after EC
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Also 2013:

The Darkness II $2.49

Saints Row The Third The Full Package $2.49

I hope to see more deals like those next year :D

 
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EXPERIMENTONGOD said:
Also 2013:

The Darkness II $2.49
Saints Row The Third The Full Package $2.49

I hope to see more deals like those next year :D
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Unfortunately those (well, SRTT definitely) only happened because Amazon price-matched Steam. This year they've delayed the EC start so that it doesn't overlap with the end of the Steam sale.
 
First CAG to PM me about this post gets a Crysis 3 key from me.

Seeing all this Crysis 3 interest reminded me that I have a couple Hunter Edition keys, if anybody wants one at the EC discounted price.

 
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travathian said:
FTFY

"Coming in 2014 . . . SimAmazon . . . "
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Build your own distribution warehouse! Negotiate tax-free zones! Create a robotic workforce for maximum efficiency! They sky's the limit!

Disclaimer: The only limitations are: You can't cut back funding, and you can't have a digital cart! :)

 
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