Carrying packages of soap and detergent, Li Yao walked into the boutique shop.
Zou Boss and several shop assistants had been so idle these days that they felt their bones were going to rust. Zou Boss was a little better off. The last batch of herbal cream had earned him a good amount of money, equivalent to his income for several months. He could afford to relax for a few days without worrying too much.
But the shop assistants were on tenterhooks every day.
With no customers in the shop, they wouldn't need so many people. The manager was sure to lay off some of them. Losing their jobs meant they wouldn't earn any money... So these shop assistants had been desperately wiping tables and sweeping floors, keeping the whole shop spotless.
Now seeing Li Yao come in, they all hurried up to greet her.
"Boss, you finally came!"
"If you didn't come soon, Zou Manager would have fired us!"
Li Yao smiled gently. In fact, this was something Zou Boss had mentioned to her, that the shop didn't need so many assistants. But Li Yao hadn't let him reduce the staff.
She wanted to build a high-end boutique shop, which must have attentive service. How could they manage with fewer people?
"Don't worry," Li Yao said. "When there's work to do, work hard. When there's no work, rest properly. Your wages won't be reduced, let alone firing you."
"With your word we're not worried anymore. I'll go call Manager Zou!"
Zou Manager, who was idle in the backyard, immediately put down what he was doing when he heard Li Yao had arrived, and came out.
Seeing that Li Yao had brought new goods, his face instantly lit up happily.
"This time it's soap, for washing clothes, and detergent, for washing face, hair and bathing."
Zou Manager personally tested the efficacy of soap and detergent, then rubbed his hands excitedly again and again.
The effect of these two items was extraordinary!
The soap made clothes incredibly clean when washing. Not to mention the detergent, after washing face with it, it felt very comfortable. He felt sure it would become a new darling of the ladies in the market town!
As expected of Li Yao's products, they must be boutique items!
This time they could earn big again!
"How about the price?"
"One soap weighs 2 liang, the cost price is 100 wen, I think selling around 300 wen should be reasonable."
Zou Manager was startled, it's so cheap?
He thought something so useful must sell for at least 2 liang of silver per piece.
Selling for only 300, the difference from the herbal cream was too big.
But unexpectedly, Li Yao went on to say, "Also, all the money earned today will be changed into prizes to give away. We won't earn a penny."
"Huh?"
Zou Manager was thoroughly baffled.
These were new products!
No matter what shop it was, who didn't make a big profit when launching new products?
But Li Yao said they wouldn't earn anything. What was the point of these new products then?
"The first batch of products is to build up reputation first," Li Yao said. "In future, we want every household in the world to be able to use our soap, even if we only earn 1 wen per piece, it will be a lot."
"Yes, that makes sense." As for Li Yao's business strategy, Zou Manager didn't dare doubt it. He only hoped detergent wouldn't be handled the same way, otherwise the accounts this month wouldn't look good!
"What about the detergent then?"
"Same as the herbal cream, cost price is 2 liang of silver, so retail price should be 3 liang too."
"Alright, let's do it that way!" He could earn big this time, so Zou Manager was immediately full of drive. "We'll use the same, spacetime rupture promotion method?"
"No, just use a drum team," Li Yao said. "Also organize an on-site comparison to let everyone see the effect of soap with their own eyes. At the same time, hold a lottery event. Put the detergent on the second floor, only sell to VIPs, let them experience the different treatment of VIPs."
"Good, I'll arrange it now!"
......
Clang clang clang-
Boom boom boom-
With the deafening sound of gongs and drums, a pair of drummers dressed in festive clothes began wandering the streets and alleys of Baichuan Market again.
With the experience from last time, everyone immediately guessed this must be the River Bend Li Boutique Shop, launching some new product again. So they gathered around.
"River Bend Li has new products!"
"Soap that can wash anything clean, limited stock today!"
"Also an on-site lottery, top prize 1888 wen!"
"Buy quickly, come late and it'll be gone!"
......
People didn't really understand what soap was, but they did understand 1888 wen in cash.
1888 wen, almost 2 liang of silver!
Even if they didn't win it, they had to go see the bustle!
So everyone with a bit of free time in the market began to converge at the boutique shop entrance, soon packing it completely full.
Seeing so many people arrive, a shop assistant climbed onto the table by the door.
Clang- he struck a copper gong. Then as Li Yao had taught, he began to speak.
"Dear fathers and elders! Today our River Bend Li Boutique Shop grandly launches a new product- soap!"
"What is soap? What's it for?" Someone immediately asked.
"I won't say first," the shop assistant left them hanging. "Now I want to invite someone on stage to cooperate with me. Of course, afterwards we'll give you 88 wen in a red envelope."
"Me, me!"
"Let me do it!"
Hearing there was money, the onlookers were eager to rush up. Finally the shop assistant picked an old man from the crowd.
Not just because he was elderly and should be given some precedence, but also because his clothes were the dirtiest. He probably often chopped firewood, his clothes were covered in pine sap.
This kind of sap was extremely difficult to wash off. After a long time, you could even scrape off a layer with a knife.
"Old pal, take off your coat."
"Huh?" Old Zhang was startled. "Why do I need to take off my coat? You didn't say anything about taking off clothes earlier! This coat is expensive, what if you damage it?"
Shop assistant: ......
Finally Old Zhang happily took it off when he heard it was to wash his clothes.
"Everyone look," the shop assistant held up the coat for everyone to see. "Do you think Old Zhang's coat can be washed as clean as new?"
"How is that possible?"
"This much thick pine sap, even 10 pieces of soap bean couldn't wash it off!"
"Right, soap bean definitely can't wash it off!" The shop assistant said loudly. "But our soap, definitely can wash it clean!"
"Blowing smoke!"
"This is pine sap. To wash it clean, you'd have to... have to boil it in water for days and nights!"
The shop assistant smiled. Swiftly he took out scissors and snip snip, cut the coat in two.
Old Zhang: ......
"Now, we'll use soap bean for one half, and soap for the other half," the shop assistant said. "What will the result be?"
Clang clang clang-
With a drumbeat, two other assistants brought over two basins of hot water, and started washing the two coat halves.
Everyone's gaze focused on the soap side.
They saw as the assistant scrubbed, large amounts of bubbles appeared, along with black dirty water. Then the whole basin of water started to turn black.
People who wash clothes know, this is the dirt from the clothes washing into the water.
The effect on the soap bean side was clearly much inferior.
The two assistants rinsed the coat halves in clean water after scrubbing, then presented them before everyone again.
"Wow, really so clean! All the pine sap is washed away!"
"Yeah, is this soap really so amazing?"
"Something so great must be really expensive right?"
"Right, soap really is expensive!" The shop assistant said loudly. "One piece of soap costs nearly half a liang of silver! But- today our shop is giving back to old and new customers. The boss said we must sell at a loss!"
"So today if you buy, one soap is not 998, not 888, only- 288! 288, one soap to bring home, the wife and daughters will smile happily!"
Li Yao: ...... Who on earth taught this last sentence?