2024 Delivery Disruptions: Farmers' Protests Impacting Logistics
Effective Pallet Delivery Strategies for Small Businesses
When it comes to pallet delivery for small businesses, there are several tips that can help ensure smooth and efficient transportation of your goods. There are different types of pallets available, such as Standard Euro Pallet or Half Pallet. Consider the size and weight of your goods and choose the appropriate pallet type.
The Ultimate Guide to Efficient Pallet Packing and Preparation
When packing an Euro Pallet for international delivery, it's crucial to ensure that your goods are properly secured and protected for the journey. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you pack an Euro Pallet effectively.
Unlocking the Advantages: The Benefits of Sending Goods on Pallets Instead of Boxes
Sending goods on a pallet rather than in individual boxes offers several advantages, especially for international delivery. Benefits consist of stability and protection, efficient handling, environmental sustainability and many more.
What's Economy Type Shipping?
Economy shipping, also known as ground shipping or standard shipping, is a type of shipping service that is typically slower and less expensive than other options such as express or overnight shipping.
How to pack clothes for international shipping?
Shipping clothes internationally can be a challenging task, as you want to ensure that your items arrive at their destination in good condition. There are a few key steps to follow when packing clothes for international shipping, including selecting the right cardboard box, using protective packaging, and labeling the box properly.
How to pack food items for international shipping?
When packing food items for international shipping, it's important to take steps to ensure that the food stays fresh and safe during transit. Here are some tips for packing food items in a cardboard box for international shipping...
How to pack your suitcase for international shipping?
When packing a suitcase for international shipping, it is important to follow a few key steps to ensure that the contents of your suitcase arrive safely at their destination. Here's what you can do...
What is PrePay?
PrePay is a service that allows businesses to add funds to their balance before they book.
Each transaction over €100 will grant an additional 2% discount credit to the balance.
The Ultimate Moving Guide for Students in 2022
September is one of the most popular months for international students to move to new destinations to study at international universities across Europe. Those who have to move often have to find not only a place to live, but also how to move all their personal belongings, books and even furniture. To make the whole process as simple as possible, we've put together the ultimate moving guide for 2022 students, with a range of tips on how to simplify the whole process and even how to save money.
How to Manage Shipping on eCommerce Marketplace
As more businesses are moving into the big eCommerce platforms like Amazon, eBay or Etsy, it might be quite complicated for native online store owners to manage orders & deliveries in the big-name marketplaces.
Today EcoParcel is covering the fundamentals of shipping management when your business operates on eBay, Amazon or Etsy.
E-Commerce Integration and Delivery Solutions
After the customer goes through the whole funnel and makes a purchase decision, there’s the last step that will determine if they will become a loyal client of yours. And that final step is fast parcel delivery.
There are still a lot of businesses that struggle with choosing their parcel delivery providers. One delivery company might lose the package, another might deliver it late, and let’s not forget about the damaged packages!
Luckily, solutions like EcoParcel eCommerce integration transform how businesses deliver their packages. An easy-to-install integration allows businesses to enjoy worry-free parcel delivery.
Parcel Delivery for Students: How to Save?
When you move abroad to study, there still might be some things left at your parents’ house, and you will need to find a moving service, or on a special occasion, you’ll want to send a gift to your friend from another European country.
And as most of the students might not have an additional income, every penny matters. That’s why it’s especially important to choose a company that would offer reliable, fast and most importantly — affordable delivery.
How to Sell Effectively on Shopify?
The first-ever online purchase was made over 25 years ago, back in 1994. Since then, eCommerce has drastically changed, and more consumers are discovering the convenience of shopping online. And as eCommerce continues to grow, more small business owners are stepping from just having physical stores to online.
How to stay ahead of the curve for delivery in the digital age
The delivery industry is changing at a faster rate than ever. New innovations, tendencies and, of course, technologies means that every aspect of the parcel shipping process is coming to a change at a certain point.
Guide to Customs Declarations
A Customs Declaration is a form that lists the detailed information of the imported and exported goods when citizens or tourists enter the customs area or when importing or exporting goods crosses national borders.
How important is parcel tracking for the courier of today?
Parcel tracking is no longer an extra feature that courier companies can use to market themselves with. It is pretty much a necessity these days as consumers expect that everytime they order courier services to another city or country.
In this article, we want to further explore the aspects of shipment that not many people talk about - its overall importance in the whole shipping process from start to finish, regardless if the parcel is of personal or business origin.
Drop-off deliveries: is it the future of parcel delivery?
Sending a parcel can sometimes be quite a frustrating experience. Usually, you have to wait for a courier to pick up the item you're trying to send, which involves lots of waiting, or better yet, you have to stand in line at your local post office in order to send something.
Naturally, this is very time consuming for the sender and adds more hassle to the otherwise simple process of sending a package to the desired destination.
To tackle this problem, a fairly new delivery option has come to prominence in recent times - drop-off delivery. In this case, the sender simply leaves their parcel at a pick-up point which makes everything much more convenient for all parties involved.
Here are the innovations that will drive the future of the shipping industry
When it comes to technologies, new ideas and solutions are seemingly being developed almost everyday. With every industry affected, shipping is no exception.
Just think about it.
Things like shipment tracking, purchases online are now things that we take for granted, but a few years back they were quite the novelty.
However, what's happened has already happened and it's always easier to reflect on the past. What's more fascinating, we reckon, is a deep look at what the future holds us for the shipping industry.
In this article, we will dive into exactly that - a few major upcoming innovations of the shipping industry.
A few tips to send food items abroad
Food items are considered to be one of the most popular types of parcels being sent abroad. Whether it's friends or family members we are talking about, there's nothing more fun than to please another person with a tasty sweet or other food product.
However, many people have also raised concerns about sending such items. EU countries typically have pretty strict rules on what can and cannot be sent in the form of a parcel and food items often fall into the category of low shelf-life goods and so on.
Importance of speed for a modern delivery service
Nowadays, being on-time in terms of delivery is an absolute must. With the shipping industry accommodating to the growth of e-commerce and more and more goods being ordered online, the expectancy for a fast delivery is ever prominent. This trend applies regardless of what's being shipped: parcels, documentation, letters and so on. Since couriers must always adapt to and follow the latest industry trends, being able to provide a speedy delivery service is a must for all companies.
History of parcel delivery and couriers: most important developments
Nowadays a good parcel delivery service is taken for granted. When we buy something online, we expect safety, speed and precision when it comes to getting them to us and that's not without reason. After all, the shipping industry as a whole has developed massively and the usage of technology has enabled us as courier companies to achieve such high standards.
Integrations & API
ECommerce integration is the linking of an eCommerce platform with various other channels and data management systems - shipping and forwarding, accounting, inventory management, CRM, etc. The software is usually connected using an application programming interface (API integration), so that the integrated systems share data seamlessly.
Work with us
Ecoparcel is a fast growing parcel shipment company based in London, UK, offering individuals and merchants convenient parcel shipment services at extremely low prices. We started little in 2010, and have grown ever since, with a greatly successful integration into the UK’s market in 2014. We are now rapidly expanding and are in great partnerships with reliable and time-tested courier companies and looking for some great team members to enrich our team.
Features and Benefits for businesses
To avoid regularly lost parcels, lack of communication with your partner or high costs, it is important to look for professional shipping solutions and choose reliable shipping company that have been on the market for some time. In order to grow and improve the quality of your business, which requires parcel shipping in Europe, you need to be vigilant when choosing your regular parcel shipping partner and team. Ecoparcel can offer you all the solutions you need: with all the advantages and the best possible prices.
Fun facts about the shipping industry everyone should know about
As a courier company, we know perfectly well what it takes to ensure the best delivery for our clients. However, we think that sometimes people don't realize just how massive the industry itself is and what important role it plays for all of us not only in Europe, but worldwide.
It's fair to say deliveries have been important to mankind since ancient times. Settlements, cities and countries as a whole have depended on supplies and the same continues to this day. As we said, however, not many realize the scale of the industry as a whole.
How to negotiate a better parcel delivery deal as a small business
Small businesses arguably play the most important role when it comes to a country's economy. According to official data, in the US for example, 99.7% of the country's workforce is employed by small businesses.
The same small businesses rely heavily on reliable and safe delivery of their packages both within a country and globally. However, these companies are not always in a great position to negotiate, since they have limited resources they can spend on shipping.
How to manage your logistics more effectively
Every shipping and delivery company knows about the vital role that logistics play in their business. Managing it more effectively not only helps to better the processes of more efficient supply, but can also help with the delivery of goods in general.
In fact, great logistics management can be looked at as a vital building block for a successful shipping business. Even though many companies utilize technology among other means to make the whole process better run, we reckon there are always things you can improve.
"White-Label" Solution
A "White-label" solution is usually a product or service produced by one company that is relabelled by other companies to make it look like it was produced by them. The name derives from the image of a white label on the packaging, which can be filled in with the company's branding. White label products are sold by retailers under their own brand, but the products themselves are manufactured by a third party.
Amazon Returns
Returning goods to Amazon is not complicated and is a relatively straightforward process. All you have to do is print the shipping label using your Amazon account, prepare the package so it can be safely shipped, securely attach the existing label to the outside of the parcel box, and ship it!
Clothing Industry
The market for light industrial products has recently shown promising growth. This particular market has seen particularly strong growth in both imports and exports over the last few years, which has led to the rapid shipment of clothing to all European countries.
Ecommerce Logistics & Shopify
For those thinking of starting an online shop, most experts say that Shopify is one of the easiest and most affordable e-commerce portals. Setting up an e-shop and selling products is very easy, as the platform itself is highly customisable for first-time sellers and entrepreneurs.
Shopify offers huge opportunities for sellers, so we have provided a brief overview of how to get started selling online. We've also highlighted a few key things to know before getting started.
How to improve your company's shipping principles
Sustainability has been gaining momentum in many industries as more and more customers are becoming increasingly aware of the waste that some things considered the norm produce. The parcel shipping industry which often involves single-use packaging is no exception.
Due to consumer requests for more sustainable options, new trends have emerged in the shipping business with the aim of transforming the industry into a more eco-friendly one.
In this article, we will discuss the main sustainability trends that seem to be emerging in the parcel industry in terms of packaging.
How COVID-19 affected the global shipping industry?
A time of uncertainty and chaos, that’s how most people would probably describe the global coronavirus pandemic which impacted many aspects of our daily lives, some of which changed forever.
Businesses were no exception. Many had to adapt quickly in order to survive, which for some required them to rethink their business model in general. One of the most affected industries was of course the shipping industry.
Many habits and practices that were standard have changed perhaps forever. In this article we will discuss the main aspects of how the global shipping industry was affected by the ongoing global pandemic.
Most common items shipped internationally
Parcel shipping is a massive industry which involves personal and commercial goods traveling from one destination to the other. Sometimes, we don't actually realize what impact effective shipping actually has, since we take most of the products we receive for granted.
In this article, we will discuss some of the most common items being shipped to Europe and other continents. You might be surprised by some of these on the list, however, considering how many industries rely on international shipping, the reach is definitely huge.
All about sustainability: how the parcel industry is changing its packaging habits
Sustainability has been gaining momentum in many industries as more and more customers are becoming increasingly aware of the waste that some things considered the norm produce. The parcel shipping industry which often involves single-use packaging is no exception.
Due to consumer requests for more sustainable options, new trends have emerged in the shipping business with the aim of transforming the industry into a more eco-friendly one.
What's IOSS?
The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is the electronic portal businesses can use from 1 July 2021 to comply with their VAT e-commerce obligations on distance sales of imported goods.
According to the VAT rules applicable up until 1 July 2021, no import VAT has to be paid for commercial goods of a value up to EUR 22.
How to stay smart with your shipping during peak shipping season
Peak shipping season is that time of the year that causes the most headaches for retail businesses. After all, prices fluctuate, the tendencies for delays are higher, and so are the risks of leaving your customers frustrated.
As a courier company, we perfectly understand the situation that most businesses find themselves in since we experience these increases in shipments first hand. Luckily, there is something that you can do about it.
If most of the products that you ship out are non-perishable goods and not that dependent on delivery time, we think there are a few smart ways that you can “survive” the peak shipping season by being a bit smarter about your shipping strategy.
In this article, we will talk about just that - a few smart ways you can stay in control of your costs and guarantee minimum chances of delays for every parcel that you ship out.
2021 parcel delivery trends that will reshape the industry
The shipping industry is not unfamiliar when it comes to change. The growing importance of technology in businesses has already started reshaping many niches worldwide including the delivery of goods.
In the wake of a global pandemic which made the industry take a huge hit, the whole essence of delivery is undergoing even further transformation for the year of 2021. Many delivery companies are now looking at ways they can change the major aspects of their business to prevent any future drawbacks in the future.
In this article, we will talk about a few major parcel delivery trends that are happening this year and will likely have a major impact on the industry as a whole in the near future.
Parcel too big? Here's what you can do
Ever encountered a problem where the package that you’re trying to send is simply too large to fit into the regulations? We know that many people have had this issue before, especially businesses, interested in sending products that people ordered from them.
It’s no secret that many shipping companies, as well as the countries themselves in Europe have strict regulations for the size and weight for parcels being sent. If your package is found in violation to these rules, you might find it impossible to send your parcel the way you intended it.
To avoid this, there are a few things you can do before you even begin to pack your item in order to be sent.
A few tips for packing fragile items
Sending a parcel that’s fragile can be quite the headache regardless of whether you’re sending something to a friend or family member, or are sending products as a business to clients.
To put it simply, there’s much more to consider here with things like packaging materials, placement and sturdiness coming into more prominent play. Since parcels move through different checkpoints, get loaded and unloaded numerous times, extra care is key if you want your parcel to be safely delivered and as intended.
Successful delivery of a fragile item largely depends on the way you prepare the package itself. In this article, we will talk about exactly this - tips you should follow to pack a fragile item the right way.
What aspects affect parcel delivery costs the most?
If parcel shipping is something that you do on a regular basis, you’ve probably noticed the fact that prices for delivery fluctuate on a regular basis. This is not a coincidence, as the end cost often relies on a number of factors happening on a global scale which result in either an uprise or decline in shipping prices.
As a business that wants to make deliveries for clients, you, of course, cannot control these factors yourself. However, it is important to know them in order to have and understanding of when prices might change and thus, affect your expenditure.
In this article, we will talk about just that - aspects that determine shipping costs in Europe and worldwide.
The most important aspects of a European-wide delivery service
Sending a parcel to another European country is a great way to deliver something personal for your family members or friends living abroad, or could be the perfect solution for businesses trying to expand themselves on a multinational level.
A good and reliable shipping service can certainly play an important role in many regards, whether its business-oriented shipments, or simple ones on a personal level.
However, what could be considered as the most crucial aspects of a delivery service providing parcel shipments across the old continent?
What are the most common prohibited items to send in Europe?
It's fair to say that restrictions on shipments coming into Europe are pretty stern. Even though the majority of European nations are part of the EU, which has its own defined trade rules, each country retains the right to either ban or restrict certain items from import.
Those who are sending parcels on the regular, know this pretty well and are aware what’s allowed or disallowed to be shipped to a country concerned. But what are the most common prohibited items that most European nations restrict or ban?
In this article, we will talk about just that.
The best packaging materials to consider
Unpacking a parcel always gives you a certain feeling about an item you’ve received. An expensive item will most likely be sturdily packed in a neat looking box, giving you a sense of quality.
Take the iPhone for example.
Apple purposely packs its phones to express significance and importance, thus contributing positively to how the brand is received.
This is just one example of course, but one could argue that the packaging materials used for your parcels plays a significant role in the way you put an impression on the receiver. This is important for any online business sending out products to their clients.
In this article, we will talk about the best packaging materials to consider for your shipments, to create a positive feeling for the buyers.
How to minimize the chances of a parcel getting lost
The emergence of online businesses means that more and more people tend to do their shopping online, with a few taps of a button. What this also means is growth of the shipping industry as a whole. As more parcels are needed to be delivered on the regular, more courier companies emerge offering their services to meet the demand. It can be said that modern shipping services are pretty much bulletproof. Automation and computerization is being used on a heavy scale, while humans simply operate the machinery. Despite this, the instances where a parcel gets lost still sometimes happen. In this article we will focus on how you can minimize the chances of a package getting lost from your perspective.
Why it's important to save money on delivery for small businesses
E-commerce is arguably the most popular niche for small, online businesses nowadays. People are buying more goods than ever before, which creates a need for a steady supply of various things. And what factor can ensure this better than a good delivery service for such businesses? Experts argue that having a good shipping strategy and customer experience that’s fast, reliable and safe are the main contributors towards customers developing loyalty for a brand. Considering that there’s plenty of competition out there, in our opinion, every online shop should aim for developing such a network.
Why can a parcel get misrouted?
Even though modern parcel shipping is pretty much foolproof, mistakes sometimes do happen, especially if there’s an increase in goods being shipped out at a similar time. This factor remains a concern not only for shipping companies but for retail businesses as well, who depend heavily on fast times to satisfy their clients' needs. Naturally, as a businessperson, you want to make sure that this happens as rarely as possible and your shipped goods reach the destination they were intended for and on time. In this post we will talk about how a misrouted parcel can occur.
How to send a heavier parcel correctly?
Requirements for parcel shipments are pretty strict around the world. After all, in order for shipments to happen as efficiently as possible, companies will want to deliver in larger quantities and to take up requests from as many many people as they can. That’s why sending parcels that are larger in measurement can be quite a tricky task. In this article, we will give you a few tips on how to send heavier and larger parcels the right way.
Duty for shipments from Europe to UK post Brexit
Many people sending parcels between Europe and the UK, as well as business owners doing trade in these routes feared that the implementation of Brexit rules could turn things for the worst. As the first months of 2021 have already come to an end, it seems that such worries were not without reason as both businessmen and regular people have voiced their frustration over the new taxation system as well as additional customs duty required for shipments coming from the EU.
What are the benefits of parcel delivery for small businesses?
The courier service business has been growing dramatically in recent years. According to some reports, it generated more than 120 millions US dollars in revenue in the year of 2019 alone and it seems the industry will continue to grow. If you’re a small business and have a need for a reliable delivery service, courier might just be the right thing for you. In this article, we will talk about what benefits parcel delivery can bring to you as a business owner, regardless of what industry you're working in.
Tips & Tricks for Efficient Packing and Shipping
If you do not already have a shipping company, which is always your no. 1 choice, always compare costs on different shipping companies' websites. It is important to mention that Ecoparcel offers the best prices in Europe compared to all competitors. You can easily check the prices by entering from which country and where you are sending the parcel and how much your parcel weighs. We will provide you with the best offers, from which you can choose and order a delivery in a few clicks.
Guide to Weighing & Measuring
You no longer have to go to the post office to send your parcel, but in order for the parcel to be picked up directly from your home, you need to meet some important requirements. One of the key is to correctly weigh and measure your parcel. The Ecoparcel shipping and tracking platform has been designed to eliminate the barriers and friction from the shipping process. Prepare your package easily for dispatch with just a few clicks.
Packaging Guidelines For Parcel Delivery
When packing your boxes for shipment—whether you're moving or sending a surprise to someone abroad—it’s easy to forget items or get overwhelmed by your belongings. To ensure everything fits properly and that the contents remain undamaged during transit, it’s crucial to arrange the items carefully and adhere to key packing guidelines. Here are some essential packaging tips to follow.
Supply Chain Optimisation
Everyone searches for the best way to complete daily tasks and get their job done faster. There is nothing wrong in wanting to do something easier. The same thing is when you have your online business - there is nothing wrong if you want to make it easier to manage. On the contrary, you must do it to be more efficient. This article is exactly what you need for optimising supply chain in no time.
Cross-border trading
There are many different ways to ship your order - you can use ground or air services, domestic or international shipping and more. The thing is that each of these options has its requirements, conditions and pricings. In this article, we will take a closer look into cross-border trading. Generally speaking, Cross-border trade is the exchange of goods or services between two different countries. In other words, this trading method can also be called an international selling or trading. The cross-border definition means that buying and selling have to be in the neighbouring countries. The seller has to be in one country, and the buyer in the other.
Why choose parcel shipment company Ecoparcel?
Ecoparcel is your one and only solution that optimises your shipping management. We created an irreplaceable quoting tool that helps complete order fulfilment in the fastest possible way, check an estimated delivery time and price. Our parcel shipment company is based in the UK, and for over 10 years, we are working to make our user’s daily work easier. Among our integrations, we have well-known shipping carriers, so that every client can find the preferred one.
International Parcel Delivery
International Delivery, or International Shipping, is the term, that is used to explain parcel shipping across two or more different countries, two different addresses, separated by a country border. At first, it might look like international shipping is a long and costly procedure, and because of it, sometimes online businesses decide to refuse to ship abroad. On the contrary, with the right knowledge, this process is easy and quick. To avoid any misunderstandings, we will explain to you how it works, how much it costs and how you have to prepare your parcel for it.
Domestic Parcel Delivery Services and Shipping
All the innovations and technologies have created thousands of different ways to manage your business and shipping management is not an exception. Many different shipping methods were created to fulfil any customer’s needs. Today we will take a look into domestic delivery methods and explain to you when and why should you choose it.
Door To Door delivery: is it worth it?
Door-to-door delivery (D2D) describes a shipping method when the parcel is picked up from one door and delivered to another - from vendor’s door to recipient’s door. Generally speaking, the door-to-door shipping method is one of the most comfortable ways to send a parcel. When you place your order for this delivery service, your package will be picked up and delivered directly to the destination. In other words, you won’t need to go to the local post office or use any postage. A courier will pick your parcel straight from your home and deliver it to the right address. This way, you will avoid - travelling from home, looking for the right post office and mixing up your orders. Shipping couriers will do everything for you! They will pick up your parcel and ship it to the final destination. That’s what they call “door- to-door”.
European Parcel Delivery
Nowadays, it is possible to get nearly everything from everywhere. That is why every shipping company gets thousands of packages every day. Of course, some destinations have their particular requirements, while others are easier to reach. Speaking of Europe- wide delivery, it is not a secret that they have one of the most convenient services in the whole world. In this article, we will explain how Europe-wide delivery works and what you need to know before deciding with whom you want to ship your parcels.
The best way to send a small package in Europe
No matter whether you’re a business person sending important documents to your international partners or just a person that wants to impress their family or friends with a neat holiday gift - in all cases you’d prefer a cheap, reliable and fast delivery option. If you look around the internet, there are many shipping methods and companies to choose from, depending on what you’re sending. It could be argued, however, that one delivery method stands out among them - parcel deliveries via courier.
Why do people prefer sending parcels via courier?
Shipping as a service has been growing in popularity more and more in recent years. As a result of this, not only many different companies emerged, the ways to send out a package have as well. In particular, people are keen on utilizing parcel deliveries with the help of courier firms. You may be asking, why is that exactly? Well, today, we’ll try to answer this question by talking about how a parcel delivery service presents many advantages to the customer.
The basics of how shipment tracking works
Many shipping companies allow their customers to track their parcels after they’ve been picked up by the courier, all the way until they arrive at the final destination. As advanced as these systems are, however, sometimes errors can still occur. In case of a fault, not only may the sender be confused, but frustrated as well if the shipment takes far longer than it should have to be delivered. In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of how shipping tracking works for parcel companies and its common hurdles, as well as discuss our tracking process.
What is Drop-off Delivery?
Most people understand how courier delivery services work. Whether we’re talking about groceries coming to our doorstep from a local shop or goods being delivered to us from another country, it’s a fact, that such services are growing more and more in terms of popularity. But what if there were an even more efficient and cheaper way for goods to be sent in and out?
5 reasons why businesses must use platforms like Ecoparcel
Parcels, nowadays, are an important part of any local, international or global type of business regardless of niche. There is a growing demand for various types of delivery services that are becoming more popular day by day. However, it could be said that such growth is mostly seen in the likes of courier services which can provide a secure, affordable and fast option for many. So, the question is, why exactly are parcel delivery services like Ecoparcel becoming more and more appealing to customers all around the globe?
What is the job of a courier?
Couriers are people around the globe who make sure that our packages reach us in the most efficient way possible. As customers, we usually take deliveries that are precise, on time and for a low price, for granted. However, to make sure that courier services are working like a well-oiled machine, requires a team that knows what they are doing and gives maximum effort. To be a courier means being an active worker that knows his/her role and is willing to be part of a harmonious team. In this article, we pay tribute to the hardworking men and women that make sure that our parcels are delivered in a way that satisfies clients. So, we will dive a bit deeper in what role a courier plays exactly.
Express or Expedited Delivery? What is the difference?
Package delivery as a service has been growing exponentially in recent years, and it's not difficult to see why. As more people realize the benefits of small parcel shipments, the service range from parcel companies grows as well. Arguably the two most popular delivery types offered from parcel delivery companies are Express and Expedited delivery types. Today, we’ll talk about both of them more in-depth, explain what each of them means and when to use each one of them.