"No problem."
Luo Hongyuan quickly took the shampoo, as if afraid someone would snatch it away.
"The price has to be according to the market rate! The shampoo in the department store is 5 yuan a bottle. Yours can't be more expensive than that!"
"Of course. For bulk orders from the factory, I'll give the wholesale price, 4 yuan a bottle."
As soon as Shen Nanchu finished speaking, Luo Hongyuan agreed without a second thought.
"Deal."
Shen Nanchu had originally thought Luo Hongyuan would try to bargain with her, but she didn't expect him to agree so readily.
"Comrade Shen, it's almost mealtime. Let me treat you all to a meal at the state-run restaurant."
"We can talk while we eat."
Luo Hongyuan understood the social graces.
"No need, Section Chief Luo. I have to go to the department store later to discuss this shampoo business!"
Shen Nanchu very politely refused.
When someone offers to treat you, you can't actually accept!
In these times, treating someone to a meal costs a fair bit of money.
Luo Hongyuan was very satisfied with Shen Nanchu's sense of propriety.
...
Once outside the textile mill gates,
Zheng Tongwei let out a sigh of relief, a relaxed smile appearing on his face. "I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. Section Chief Luo was quite easy to talk to."
"It's not that he's easy to talk to; it's that our product is solid."
Shen Nanchu had full confidence in the quality she controlled.
With the textile mill matter settled, the department store was next.
After having lunch at the state-run restaurant and resting back at the guesthouse, the three of them returned to the department store.
The moment Hong Xiaoling saw Shen Nanchu and her companions enter, her face showed obvious disdain.
She immediately grabbed another salesclerk working with her and started making pointed, sarcastic remarks.
"Some people should look in the mirror. No money, yet they come here pretending to be big spenders."
"I don't know how their skin gets so thick, thicker than a city wall."
"Don't you think our department store should change the rules, and not let just any stray cat or dog wander in?"
Her glances, tone, and expression were blatantly directed at Shen Nanchu and the other two.
This time, Shen Nanchu did not swallow her anger again.
"What do you mean, comrade salesclerk?"
"What do I mean?"
Seeing Shen Nanchu's change from her previously submissive attitude, Hong Xiaoling couldn't help raising her voice.
"Is this the attitude you department store sales staff have towards comrade customers?"
Shen Nanchu's gaze turned sharp.
"I want to file a complaint against you. Get your manager out here."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of fear passed through Hong Xiaoling's eyes, but after another look at Shen Nanchu's clothes, she puffed out her chest again.
"Our manager is busy!"
"He's not someone you can just see whenever you want."
I know that!
If I could see him easily, would I need to use you to put on this show?
Shen Nanchu's eyes were full of mockery.
Hong Xiaoling was in a predicament.
Shen Nanchu gave Zheng Tongwei a look.
Zheng Tongwei understood immediately.
"With an attitude like yours, how can you properly serve the people?"
"Call your manager out. I need to have a serious talk with him."
Pei Yunzhou also pushed to the front.
"My sister-in-law is a military wife. Is this attitude of yours discrimination against military families?"
"I need to have a good talk with your manager. Is this Daliào City department store more exclusive than the ones in the capital?"
The loud commotion finally drew the attention of Qiu Yaohua, the department store's business manager.
"What's going on here?"
Before Shen Nanchu's group could speak, Hong Xiaoling made the first accusation,
"Manager, this is their second time in our store."
"The first time, they grilled me for nearly an hour and didn't buy a thing."
"I suspect they're here deliberately to cause trouble."
Zheng Tongwei was about to speak when Shen Nanchu stopped him with a hand.
She watched quietly to see how Qiu Yaohua would handle this.
Qiu Yaohua was a thin, shrewd man in his thirties.
Didn't he know what Hong Xiaoling was like?
If it weren't for her family connections, he would have had her replaced long ago.
Recently overwhelmed by the store's sales performance, Qiu Yaohua suppressed his anger and turned to Shen Nanchu.
"Comrade, what do you need?"
"Let me introduce some products for you."
Well now~~~
Shen Nanchu couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
This manager was interesting!
He actually had a sense of "the customer is always right" service.
Truth be told, Shen Nanchu did have things to buy at this department store.
"I want a jar of vanishing cream, three fountain pens, three bottles of ink—one red and two blue, two stacks of white paper."
"Two jin of White Rabbit milk candy, two boxes of chocolate."
Shen Nanchu rapidly listed the items.
Standing to the side, Hong Xiaoling's face was practically green.
So, this woman wasn't not buying anything; she just wasn't buying from me?
"Alright."
Qiu Yaohua quickly fetched the items Shen Nanchu had named and promptly stated the total price.
Shen Nanchu handed over the money and coupons without batting an eye.
Did this look like someone with no money?
After the purchase was complete, Shen Nanchu spoke up to stop Qiu Yaohua from leaving.
"Manager Qiu, would you be interested in discussing a business deal with our factory?"
Qiu Yaohua paused,
"Comrade, our department store has strict standards for sourcing. Not just any product can be put on our shelves."
After saying this, Qiu Yaohua lifted his foot to leave.
"What if I said I could help increase your department store's sales?"
Shen Nanchu's words successfully caught Qiu Yaohua's attention.
The group moved to Qiu Yaohua's office.
Shen Nanchu didn't beat around the bush. She directly had Zheng Tongwei take out the shampoo sample.
"Manager Qiu, this is our factory's 'Black Sister' tea seed shampoo. It's made with pure natural ingredients, has excellent oil-control and itch-relief effects, specifically targeting people with easily oily hair."
Qiu Yaohua wasn't very interested in the plain, small bamboo container.
Shen Nanchu didn't mind.
"I just came from the textile mill."
The textile mill's Mid-Autumn Festival welfare reservation is this very shampoo.
These words made a flash of surprise appear in Qiu Yaohua's eyes, and he couldn't help taking a few more looks at the shampoo in front of him.
Did this little jar really contain something so remarkable?
He opened the lid, picked up the shampoo and smelled it. The faint, clean fragrance of tea seeds was indeed more pleasant than ordinary shampoo.
With the groundwork already laid, Shen Nanchu didn't want to waste too much time here.
So, Shen Nanchu directly borrowed a pen and paper from Qiu Yaohua and began writing swiftly.
She placed the paper in front of Qiu Yaohua. On it was a string of numbers—a telephone number.
"You can try this shampoo yourself, see how effective it is."
"If needed, you can contact me at this number."
Qiu Yaohua thought Shen Nanchu would try to persuade him further, but she was already preparing to leave.
Shen Nanchu, with Zheng Tongwei and Pei Yunzhou, reached the door, then turned back to add,
"Oh, and our factory's shampoo production this year isn't particularly high. First come, first served."
"If Manager Qiu is interested, you can place a pre-order."
What is scarcity marketing?
This is it.
...
