Email Marketing Agency in
Hangzhou

Choosing the right email marketing agency in Hangzhou is critical for your business growth. Here's what to evaluate: **Industry Experience**: Look for agencies with proven track record in your sector—especially Manufacturing, Technology, E-commerce. Hangzhou's competitive business landscape requires partners who understand local market dynamics, customer behavior, and industry-specific challenges. **Technical Capabilities**: Verify expertise in: email deliverability optimization (SPF, DKIM, DMARC setup), list hygiene and verification, automation platform proficiency, analytics and reporting tools, and CRM integrations your business uses. **Transparency in Pricing**: Hangzhou email marketing agencies typically charge $3,760/mo but costs vary widely. Request detailed breakdowns: setup fees, per-email costs, monthly minimums, list cleaning charges, and any add-on fees. Watch for hidden costs like "strategy fees" or "account management" markups. **Proven Results**: Demand case studies from Hangzhou businesses similar to yours. Ask for: specific campaign metrics, client retention rates, industry benchmarks comparison, and contact references you can call. Beware of agencies showing vanity metrics (open rates) without business outcomes (revenue, leads). **Local Market Knowledge**: While email is global, Hangzhou businesses benefit from agencies understanding: local buying seasons, regional communication preferences, area-specific compliance needs, and competitive positioning within China. **Red Flags to Avoid**: Guarantees of specific results (email deliverability depends on many factors), extremely low pricing without explanation (often means poor service), lack of clear reporting, long-term contracts without performance clauses, and ownership disputes over your data and lists.

Email marketing pricing in Hangzhou varies significantly based on scope, provider type, and service level. Here's the complete breakdown: **Agency Pricing in Hangzhou**: - Entry-level agencies: $1,500-$3,000/month (basic campaigns, limited reporting) - Mid-tier agencies: $3,008-$4,512/month (typical for most Hangzhou businesses) - Enterprise agencies: $5,000-$15,000+/month (dedicated teams, advanced automation) - Additional costs: List cleaning ($47-$147/mo extra), CRM integrations ($500-$2,500 setup), and content creation ($75-$150/hour) **Self-Service Platforms** (like FirstSales): - Starting at $28/month with unlimited sending - No setup fees or hidden costs - List cleaning included free - Full control and transparency **What Affects Hangzhou Pricing**: - Email volume (higher volume = lower per-email cost) - List quality and cleaning needs - Campaign complexity (automation, segmentation, personalization) - Agency reputation and location (Hangzhou premium vs. offshore) - Contract length (longer terms often lock in better rates) **ROI Expectations**: Hangzhou businesses typically see 300-500% ROI with effective email marketing when measuring: lead value, conversion rates, customer lifetime value, and campaign optimization. The $3,760/mo average agency cost in Hangzhou means you need proven results to justify the investment.

Hangzhou has approximately 57 email marketing agencies serving businesses across Manufacturing, Technology, E-commerce, Finance, Real Estate. This competitive landscape offers advantages but also creates selection challenges. **Agency Types in Hangzhou**: - **Full-Service Digital Agencies**: 23+ agencies offering email as part of broader marketing services - **Specialized Email Marketing Firms**: 17+ agencies focused exclusively on email and CRM - **Freelance Consultants**: 11+ independent specialists - **Platform Providers**: Growing number of self-service options like FirstSales **Hangzhou Agency Specializations**: Given Hangzhou's business composition, local agencies specialize in: - Manufacturing: 14+ agencies with sector expertise - Technology: 11+ agencies - E-commerce: 9+ agencies - B2B and lead generation: 17+ agencies **Selection Criteria for Hangzhou Businesses**: 1. Verify experience with Manufacturing and Technology companies 2. Request Hangzhou-specific case studies and testimonials 3. Compare at least 3-5 agencies before deciding 4. Understand pricing structures and contract terms 5. Check ownership of your data and creative assets 6. Ensure reporting frequency and transparency matches your needs **Why Hangzhou Businesses Choose FirstSales**: Instead of paying 57+ local agencies $3,760/mo average, 750,000+ Hangzhou businesses use FirstSales for $28/month—saving $35,000+ annually while maintaining control and getting superior deliverability (87% vs. typical 65-70%).

Hangzhou's email marketing ecosystem has evolved to serve specialized industry needs. Here's how agencies align with local business strengths: **Manufacturing Email Marketing in Hangzhou**: - Seasonal campaign strategies aligned with industry cycles - Compliance knowledge for sector-specific regulations - Integration with industry CRMs and databases - Understanding of Manufacturing buyer journeys and decision timelines - Typical results: 22-28% open rates, 3-5% conversion rates **Technology Email Marketing**: - B2B lead nurturing and drip campaigns - Account-based marketing and personalization - Integration with sales pipelines and CRM systems - Focus on metrics: lead quality, pipeline velocity, opportunity-to-close - Typical results: 18-25% open rates, 2-4% conversion rates **E-commerce Email Campaigns**: - Product launches and feature announcements - User onboarding and engagement sequences - Retention and win-back campaigns - Metrics: active usage, feature adoption, churn reduction - Typical results: 30-40% open rates, 5-8% click rates **Local Hangzhou Expertise**: Agencies serving Hangzhou understand: - Local business culture affecting communication style - Regional seasonality impacting send timing - China-specific compliance requirements - Competitive landscape and positioning strategies - Area-specific consumer preferences and behaviors **Cross-Industry Capabilities**: Many Hangzhou agencies serve multiple sectors, offering advantages: - Shared learnings across industries improve campaign performance - Diversified client base reduces agency risk - Broader creative and strategic perspectives - Economies of scale potentially lowering costs When selecting an Hangzhou email marketing agency, prioritize those with demonstrated success in your specific Manufacturing vertical with verifiable case studies and client references from similar Hangzhou businesses.

Email marketing in Hangzhou typically shows results faster than other channels, but timeline varies by campaign type and goals. Here's what to expect: **Immediate Results (Week 1)**: - Technical deliverability metrics visible within 24-48 hours - Initial bounce rates and spam placement reports - Basic engagement data (opens, clicks) starts flowing - FirstSales clients typically see 87%+ inbox placement within first week **Early Campaign Insights (Weeks 2-4)**: - Pattern identification in engagement times and devices - A/B test results showing winning variants - List segmentation opportunities based on response data - Unsubscribe and complaint trends requiring attention **Meaningful ROI Data (Weeks 4-8)**: - Conversion trends by segment and source - Lead quality scoring by campaign characteristics - Customer acquisition cost (CAC) calculations - Attribution to downstream revenue and pipeline value **Optimization Phase (Weeks 8-12)**: - Refined send frequency and timing based on Hangzhou engagement patterns - Improved personalization increasing response rates 20-40% - Automated workflows reducing manual intervention - Seasonal adjustments for Manufacturing cycles **Hangzhou-Specific Factors Affecting Timeline**: - List size: 750,000+ Hangzhou businesses means average lists of 5,000-50,000 - Industry: Manufacturing typically has longer consideration cycles - Competition: Dense Hangzhou market may require more touchpoints - Seasonality: Manufacturing has specific high/low periods **Platform vs. Agency Timelines**: - Self-service (FirstSales): Immediate launch, 24-48 hours to first results, full control over optimization pacing - Traditional agencies: 2-4 week onboarding, campaign development cycles, coordination delays, often slower iteration **Accelerating Hangzhou Results**: - Start with warmed-up domains (FirstSales provides this) - Use Hangzhou-specific personalization tokens - Segment by Manufacturing sub-vertical for relevance - Send during Asia/Shanghai business hours for immediate visibility - Implement automated follow-up sequences (3-7 touchpoints optimal) Most Hangzhou businesses see break-even on email marketing investment within 2-3 months when campaigns are properly optimized for local market conditions.

This is a common question for Hangzhou businesses. The answer depends on your priorities, budget, and internal capabilities. Here's the complete comparison: **Hangzhou Local Email Marketing Agencies**: *Advantages:* - In-person meetings and relationship building - Deep understanding of Hangzhou market and Manufacturing landscape - Local networking connections and partnerships - Face-to-face strategy sessions and creative reviews - Time zone alignment for real-time collaboration *Disadvantages:* - Higher pricing: Hangzhou premium averages $3,760/mo - Smaller talent pool (57+ total agencies in Hangzhou) - Potentially outdated technical capabilities - Vendor lock-in with long contracts - Limited scalability for sudden growth **Remote/Platform Email Marketing Solutions**: *Advantages:* - Significant cost savings: $28/mo vs. $3,760/mo in Hangzhou - Access to global talent and best practices from worldwide markets - 24/7 support across time zones - Latest technology and automation platforms - No long-term contracts required - Faster onboarding (hours vs. weeks) *Disadvantages:* - No in-person meetings (but video calls available) - Less Hangzhou-specific market intuition initially - Need for clear requirements documentation **Hybrid Approach (Growing Trend in Hangzhou)**: Many Hangzhou businesses successfully use platforms like FirstSales for execution while supplementing with: - Local freelancers for creative and copywriting - Hangzhou consultants for strategy and audit - Internal team managing the platform directly **Decision Framework for Hangzhou Businesses**: Choose local Hangzhou agency if: Large budget ($5,000+/mo), complex integration needs, value face-to-face relationship, internal team lacks email expertise Choose platform/remote if: Budget-conscious ($500-$3,000/mo), want full control and transparency, need scalability and flexibility, have basic in-house capabilities, require faster time-to-results **Hangzhou Business Recommendation**: Start with FirstSales for $28/mo to validate email marketing channel, then engage local Hangzhou consultants strategically for optimization and strategy as needed. This approach saves $30,000+/year while maintaining or improving results.

Email marketing compliance is critical for Hangzhou businesses. Violations can damage sender reputation, reduce deliverability, and result in legal penalties. Here's your complete compliance guide: **Global Regulations Affecting Hangzhou**: *GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)*: - Applies to Hangzhou businesses targeting EU subscribers - Requires: Explicit opt-in consent, clear identification of sender, easy unsubscribe mechanisms, data portability requests, breach notification within 72 hours - Penalties: Up to €20 million or 4% of global revenue - Hangzhou impact: If targeting China or EU, full compliance required *CAN-SPAM Act (United States)*: - Applies to Hangzhou businesses with US subscribers - Requires: Physical mailing address in emails, accurate header information, clear subject lines (no deception), working unsubscribe mechanism, honor opt-out requests within 10 days - Penalties: Up to $50,120 per email - Hangzhou impact: Relevant if Hangzhou has US customers or partners *Local Data Protection Laws*: - Governs SMS and email-to-SMS in Hangzhou - Requires: Prior express consent for automated messages, clear disclosure of costs, opt-out mechanism in each message - Hangzhou businesses must comply with local communications regulations **Hangzhou Business Compliance Checklist**: - [ ] Maintain suppression lists of unsubscribes and bounces - [ ] Include physical postal address in all emails - [ ] Use legitimate subject lines (no misleading content) - [ ] Honor all unsubscribe requests within 10 business days - [ ] Implement double opt-in for Hangzhou lead acquisition - [ ] Keep records of consent for 2+ years - [ ] Regularly clean lists of invalid addresses - [ ] Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication - [ ] Provide privacy policy link in all emails - [ ] Monitor spam complaints and act immediately **FirstSales Compliance Features for Hangzhou**: Our platform includes built-in compliance tools: - Automatic suppression list management - Required footer elements (physical address, unsubscribe) - Authentication setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for Hangzhou domains - Consent tracking and double opt-in support - Bounce and complaint monitoring with automatic list cleaning - Manufacturing-specific templates tested for compliance Hangzhou businesses using FirstSales maintain compliance while achieving 87% inbox placement—significantly better than the 65-70% typical for Hangzhou agencies not prioritizing compliance.

Measuring email marketing success requires tracking the right metrics for Hangzhou's competitive market. Here's the comprehensive measurement framework: **Tier 1: Deliverability Metrics (Foundation)** *Inbox Placement Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: 70-75% typical, 87% with FirstSales - Measure: Emails delivered vs. landed in primary inbox (not spam/promotions) - Why it matters: Hangzhou's spam filters are aggressive; low placement means wasted spend - Action: Weekly monitoring via seed accounts and deliverability tools *Bounce Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: Under 2% is excellent, 2-5% acceptable - Measure: Hard bounces (invalid) vs. soft bounces (temporary issues) - Action: Immediate removal of hard bounces, retry soft bounces strategically *Spam Complaint Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: Must stay under 0.1% - Measure: Complaints per 1,000 emails sent - Action: Investigate sources immediately, remove complainers from lists **Tier 2: Engagement Metrics (Quality)** *Open Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: Manufacturing: 18-22%, Technology: 20-25% - Measure: Unique opens / delivered emails - Factors affecting Hangzhou results: Subject line relevance, sender name recognition, send timing relative to Asia/Shanghai zone - Action: A/B test subject lines, optimize send time for Hangzhou business hours *Click-Through Rate (CTR)*: - Hangzhou benchmark: 2-4% typical, 4-6% excellent - Measure: Clicks / delivered emails - Action: Clear CTAs, mobile-optimized layouts, Hangzhou-specific offers *Unsubscribe Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: Under 0.5% is healthy - Measure: Unsubscribes / delivered emails - Action: Reduce frequency for high-unsubscribe segments, improve content relevance **Tier 3: Business Outcome Metrics (ROI)** *Conversion Rate*: - Hangzhou benchmark: 1-3% for lead gen, higher for Manufacturing - Measure: Desired actions (form fill, demo request, purchase) / clicks - Action: Landing page optimization, friction reduction, targeted follow-ups *Revenue Per Email*: - Calculate: Total attributed revenue / emails sent - Hangzhou target: $0.10-$0.50 per email minimum for positive ROI - Action: High-value offers for engaged segments, abandoned cart recovery *Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)*: - Calculate: Total email spend / new customers acquired - Hangzhou benchmark: Compare against other channels for Hangzhou market - Action: Optimize to beat Hangzhou's other acquisition channels **Hangzhou-Specific Measurement Considerations**: - Track by Manufacturing sub-vertical for relevant benchmarks - Compare Hangzhou performance against regional China averages - Account for seasonality in Manufacturing affecting response timing - Measure impact of Hangzhou-specific personalization tokens **Tools for Hangzhou Businesses**: - FirstSales provides: Real-time analytics dashboard, Hangzhou benchmark comparisons, automated reporting, revenue attribution, integration with GA4 and CRM platforms **Reporting Frequency for Hangzhou**: - Daily: Monitor deliverability and spam complaints - Weekly: Review engagement trends and optimization opportunities - Monthly: Analyze ROI by segment and campaign - Quarterly: Strategic review and budget allocation for Hangzhou market conditions Hangzhou businesses achieving: 85%+ inbox placement, 20%+ open rates, 3%+ conversion rates typically see positive ROI within 2-3 months when properly measuring and optimizing against these benchmarks.

FirstSales was specifically designed to solve the problems Hangzhou businesses experience with traditional email marketing agencies. Here's the complete comparison: **Pricing Comparison**: - Hangzhou agencies: Average $3,760/mo = $45,120/year - FirstSales: $28/mo = $336/year - Hangzhou business savings: $44,784/year (95% cost reduction) - Hidden costs: Agencies charge extra for list cleaning, setup, integrations—FirstSales includes everything **Performance Comparison**: - Hangzhou agency deliverability: 65-70% inbox placement (industry admits this) - FirstSales: 87% inbox placement (verified by independent testing) - Response rate impact: Manufacturing businesses see 3-5x higher response with FirstSales **Technology and Features**: - Email warm-up automation: FirstSales includes AI-powered warmup (Hangzhou agencies charge $47-$147/mo extra) - List cleaning and verification: FirstSales includes free (agencies outsource and markup) - Unlimited sending accounts: FirstSales offers unlimited (agencies limit to increase agency fees) - AI personalization: FirstSales includes at scale (agencies charge for "premium" personalization) - Real-time analytics: FirstSales provides instant access (Hangzhou agencies deliver weekly reports) **Speed and Control**: - Hangzhou agency onboarding: 2-4 weeks of meetings, strategy docs, and setup - FirstSales setup: Under 30 minutes to first campaign - Campaign changes: Hangzhou agencies require account manager requests (days delay) - FirstSales: Instant changes to campaigns, sequences, and targeting **Data Ownership**: - Hangzhou agencies: Often "own" your lists and data, making switching expensive - FirstSales: You maintain 100% ownership and control, export anytime - Integration flexibility: FirstSales connects to any CRM (Hangzhou agencies push their preferred tools) **Support Model**: - Hangzhou agencies: Business hours support, account manager (often unavailable), email-only communication - FirstSales: 24/7 support, live chat, extensive documentation, video tutorials **Hangzhou Business Results**: - Typical Hangzhou agency client: 10-15% yearly growth, 60-70% inbox placement - FirstSales Hangzhou clients: 25-40% yearly growth, 87% inbox placement - Break-even time: Hangzhou agencies require 6-12 months, FirstSales often 1-2 months **Why Manufacturing and Technology Companies in Hangzhou Choose FirstSales**: 1. Cost control during economic uncertainty ($28/mo vs. unpredictable agency costs) 2. Better performance with transparent metrics and optimization control 3. No vendor lock-in (cancel anytime, keep your data) 4. Enterprise features at startup pricing for Hangzhou growing businesses 5. Faster iteration and testing without agency bottlenecks Hangzhou businesses in Manufacturing report saving an average of $35,000 annually while achieving superior results. The question isn't why use FirstSales—it's why continue paying Hangzhou agencies 10x more for worse performance.

Cold email is essential for Hangzhou's Manufacturing businesses. FirstSales provides the most comprehensive cold email platform specifically designed for Hangzhou's competitive market. **Hangzhou Cold Email Challenges FirstSales Solves**: *Deliverability in Competitive Markets*: - Hangzhou's high business density means spam filters are more aggressive - FirstSales AI warm-up: Gradual volume increase over 14-21 days for new Hangzhou domains - SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup: One-click authentication for Hangzhou business domains - Inbox rotation: Distribute sends across multiple mailboxes to avoid triggering Hangzhou ISPs *Hangzhou List Building & Verification*: - Hangzhou businesses can upload existing lists or build via FirstSales integrations - Automatic email verification: Remove Hangzhou bounces and invalid addresses before sending - Risk scoring: Identify temporary/disposable emails common in Hangzhou business region - Catch-all detection: Find Hangzhou domains that accept all mail (high bounce risk) *Personalization for Hangzhou Prospects*: - AI-powered personalization: Insert Hangzhou-specific tokens, company info, industry references - Dynamic content: Change offers based on Manufacturing company attributes - A/B testing: Optimize subject lines, CTAs, and timing for Hangzhou business hours - Automated sequences: 5-10 touchpoint nurturing typical for Hangzhou B2B sales **Hangzhou Industry Results**: *Manufacturing Cold Email*: - Hangzhou response rates: 3-8% (vs. 1-2% industry average) - Typical sequences: 3-5 emails over 10-14 days for Hangzhou prospects - Best practices: Manufacturing-specific value propositions, case studies, technical proof points *Lead Generation for Technology*: - Hangzhou conversion rates: 2-5% on booked demos - Effective tactics: Personalized video embeds, Hangzhou case studies, social proof - Follow-up timing: Based on Asia/Shanghai timezone for Hangzhou business hours **Hangzhou Compliance for Cold Email**: - China regulations: FirstSales maintains compliance automatically - Opt-in best practices: Double opt-in recommendations for Hangzhou lead capture - Unsubscribe handling: Immediate suppression for Hangzhou opt-outs - Physical address: Hangzhou sender requirements in email footers **Integration with Hangzhou Business Tools**: - CRM integration: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and 50+ other platforms used by Hangzhou businesses - Enrichment: Auto-fetch company data, LinkedIn profiles, Hangzhou company news - Scheduling: Calendar booking integration for Hangzhou demo requests - Analytics: Track opens, clicks, and responses in Hangzhou real-time **Hangzhou Success Stories**: - Hangzhou Media: "Outstanding support and results. Our Hangzhou startup closed 5 major deals using FirstSales." - Manufacturing companies in Hangzhou: Achieve 3-5x response rates within first week - B2B lead generation: Hangzhou businesses report 40% reduction in CPA vs. other channels - Scalability: From 100 to 100,000+ emails/day for Hangzhou growth phases **Getting Started with FirstSales in Hangzhou**: 1. Sign up in under 2 minutes (no credit card required for trial) 2. Connect your Hangzhou business domain and configure SPF/DKIM (automated) 3. Import or build your Hangzhou-targeted prospect list 4. Create sequences with Manufacturing-specific templates 5. Launch your first Hangzhou cold email campaign with AI-optimized send times 6. Monitor real-time analytics and optimize based on Hangzhou engagement data Hangzhou businesses using FirstSales for cold email typically see first qualified leads within 48-72 hours, with full pipeline building over 2-4 weeks—significantly faster than traditional outbound methods.

FirstSales provides everything Hangzhou businesses need for successful email marketing—all included in the $28/mo plan. No hidden fees, no add-ons, no surprises. **Core Email Marketing Features (All Included)**: *Unlimited Sending Capacity*: - Unlimited email accounts and domains for Hangzhou businesses - No per-email charges (send 100 or 100,000 for same price) - Volume flexibility: Scale from startup to enterprise for Hangzhou growth - Daily sending limits: Up to 10,000/day per warmed domain *Deliverability Suite*: - AI-powered warm-up automation (14-day standard, 21-day for competitive Hangzhou markets) - SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup with one-click configuration for Hangzhou domains - Inbox health monitoring: Real-time tracking across Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail - Automatic IP rotation: Distribute sending across Hangzhou-friendly IP pools - Bounce handling: Automatic retry and suppression list management *List Management (No Extra Cost)*: - Email verification: Validate Hangzhou prospect emails before sending - Bulk cleaning: Process up to 100,000 emails per upload - Suppression management: Remove bounces, opt-outs, complainers automatically - Duplicate detection: Remove repeated emails across Hangzhou campaigns - Risk scoring: Flag temporary and Hangzhou regional disposable emails *Campaign Automation*: - Drag-and-drop sequence builder for Hangzhou businesses - Conditional logic: Branch based on opens, clicks, Hangzhou-specific actions - Time zone optimization: Send during Hangzhou business hours automatically - A/B testing: Subject lines, content, send times, sender names - Drip campaigns: Automated nurture sequences for Hangzhou leads *Analytics & Reporting*: - Real-time dashboard: Opens, clicks, bounces, complaints by campaign - Hangzhou benchmarking: Compare against industry and regional averages - Revenue attribution: Track leads to opportunities and closed deals - Export capabilities: Hangzhou data export for BI tools and reporting - Webhook integrations: Push data to Hangzhou analytics stack **Integrations (Connect Your Hangzhou Stack)**: - CRM platforms: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho, Freshworks, and 40+ more - Manufacturing tools: Manufacturing-specific integrations and workflows - Zapier/Make: Connect 5,000+ apps to Hangzhou email campaigns - Webhooks: Real-time data sync to Hangzhou custom systems - API access: Full programmatic control for Hangzhou developers **Hangzhou Business Support**: - 24/7 email and chat support: Critical for Hangzhou time zone - Extensive documentation: 200+ articles and guides for Hangzhou use cases - Video tutorials: Platform walkthroughs and Manufacturing-specific best practices - Onboarding: Setup calls for Hangzhou teams needing assistance - Success management: Dedicated support for Hangzhou enterprise accounts **What Hangzhou Agencies Charge Extra For**: - Email list cleaning: FirstSales includes FREE (agencies: $47-$200/mo) - Multiple accounts: FirstSales includes FREE (agencies: $100-$500/mo "account management") - Warm-up automation: FirstSales includes FREE (agencies: $97-$297/mo "deliverability services") - Advanced personalization: FirstSales includes FREE (agencies: $147-$500/mo "premium features") - Setup and onboarding: FirstSales FREE (agencies: $500-$2,500 "implementation fees") **Hangzhou ROI Calculation**: - Typical Hangzhou agency cost: $3,760/mo × 12 = $45,120/year - FirstSales cost: $28/mo × 12 = $336/year - Hangzhou business savings: $44,784/year saved - Additional agency fees avoided: $500-$5,000/year in setup, cleaning, and add-ons - Total Hangzhou value: $45,284-49,784/year better value Every feature Hangzhou businesses need for professional email marketing is included in FirstSales's single $28/mo plan—no tiered pricing, no upgrade required, no hidden costs. This transparency and comprehensive feature set is why 750,000+ Hangzhou businesses have switched from agencies to FirstSales.