The embers of the warehouse in the west of the city have not yet completely cooled down, and the pungent smell of burnt paste still seems to linger in the air above the Splendid Pavilion.
In the backyard study, the atmosphere was as solemn as a lead block.
Looking at the list of losses he had tallied up in his hand, Uncle Wang's face turned pale.
"Second Miss, what was burned this time not only included the silk and satin we had painstakingly collected from various places, but also nearly a thousand taels of Suzhou embroidery silk threads, especially those in several special color series..." This, this is simply cutting off the fuel supply at the bottom of the pot!
He was heartbroken and his voice was trembling.
A Xing also had red eyes: "The fire was too big. It was too late when we discovered it."
The night watchman was also knocked unconscious. It was clearly a deliberate arson! It must have been done by Zhang Defa! He's out of desperation!
Shen Ruoxin stood by the window, gazing at the old locust tree in the courtyard. Its branches and leaves swayed in the summer breeze, seemingly not disturbed by this sudden disaster.
Her face was calm, but there was frost condensed deep in her eyes. After a long while, she slowly turned around.
Have you clearly remembered how much you lost? Not much emotion could be detected in her voice.
"All, all noted it down..." Uncle Wang handed over the list.
Shen Ruoxin took it, gave it a quick glance and casually placed it on the table.
As expected. Since he dared to use black hands to control Wang Ermazi, he naturally also dared to use more direct means.
"He burned down our warehouse and cut off our 'secret line', thinking that this would drive us to death."
"Then let's..."
Uncle Wang looked at her anxiously. Without the replenishment of raw materials, the Jinxiu Pavilion can last for at most another half a month, and the previously created favorable situation will be ruined in an instant.
"Why panic?"
Shen Ruoxin's tone was steady, yet it carried an undeniable strength.
He can burn our goods, but not the reputation of the Splendid Pavilion, let alone our hearts. It is precisely at this time that we need to stay calm all the more.
Hardly had she finished speaking when a young fellow in charge of gathering market information rushed in, panting and reporting:
"Two, Miss Two!" Uncle Wang! Over at Zhang Ji's place... There's a big move!
"Speak!"
This morning, Zhang Ji hung up a sign at the door, saying, "Summer Reward, Gratitude and Appreciation to customers!"
They have launched several kinds of "discount packages"!
For instance, if you purchase a superior Huzhou silk handkerchief, you will receive a regular cotton handkerchief as a gift. Buy a Hangzhou silk jacket and you'll get a belt of the same color as a gift!
Also, for some embroidery products that were originally not cheap, they have also reduced their prices. Although the reduction is not significant, the buyers... A lot! Many guests who originally wanted to come here have run to their side!
When Wang Bo heard this, his expression became even more gloomy.
"Disguised price reduction!" It's also bundled for sale! This De Fa is so insidious! He clearly knows that our warehouse has just been burned down and the cost of raw materials is high. It's simply impossible for him to engage in a price war with them! This is trying to take our lives while we are ill!
Ah Xing also said angrily:
"He's using low-quality and low-priced goods to snatch the customers we've managed to win back with great difficulty!" Those cotton cushions and belts given as gifts must all be worthless and inferior goods!
Shen Ruoxin listened quietly, her fingers tapping the table unconsciously. A moment later, instead, a sneer curled up at the corner of her mouth.
He got anxious.
Shen Ruoxin said slowly,
One fire failed to make us close the door, and he wanted to use this method to break us down.
Does he think that by offering low prices and petty profits, we can regain the brand image and customer trust that we have painstakingly built up?
"But Second Miss, ordinary people and small families are still sensitive to prices." With this approach, he can indeed attract quite a few people.
Uncle Wang worriedly said,
If this continues, our business...
"Strike a snake seven inches away."
Shen Ruoxin's gaze became sharp.
What is Zhang Defa most afraid of? What he fears most is not that our prices are lower than his, but that people will once again question his "credibility" and "quality"!
Especially after he had just gone through the "poisonous thread" controversy.
What the second miss means is... It seems that A Xing has understood something.
"He wants to play the game of 'trading price for market share', so let him 'steal the chicken but lose the rice'." "
A glint of wit flashed in Shen Ruoxin's eyes.
"Doesn't he like 'free gifts' and' discounts'?" Let's just have the customer take a good look at what kind of "good stuff" he is giving away or offering discounts on.
Do you want... Expose their passing off inferior goods as good ones? Uncle Wang asked.
"Exposing it directly is too deliberate. It will only make you feel inferior and you might even be bitten back by him, saying we are maliciously slandering." "
Shen Ruoxin shook her head.
What we need to do is to guide and let customers discover problems and question them by themselves.
She looked at A Xing:
"Ah Xing, immediately arrange for a few absolutely reliable women who have nothing to do with Jinxiu Pavilion to pretend to be ordinary customers and go to Zhang Ji to buy a few sets of the 'discounted packages' they are promoting."
Buy every kind, especially those that come with something as a gift.
What about after buying it?
"Examine carefully!"
Shen Ruoxin's tone intensified.
The material and density of the fabric, the color and toughness of the silk thread, and the stitches of the embroiderer
Also, be especially careful about those "gifts" that come with them!
I just don't believe that Zhang Defa, in order to cut costs and quickly capture the market, would use the same top-quality products as his regular-priced ones!
What about after the problem is detected? Shall we take it to confront him? Uncle Wang asked.
"No."
Shen Ruoxin shook her head gently.
We won't confront him. We just need to spread the "discovery" in the most "casual" way.
She looked at Uncle Wang.
"Uncle Wang, do you still remember that old nun by the side of the Mountain chief lady who passed on the message for us last time?" Which teahouse does she like to go to most for tea on weekdays?
Uncle Wang's eyes lit up: "The old Yutai Teahouse in the south of the city!" That was the place where servants and women from various mansions exchanged information!
"Very good."
Shen Ruoxin said,
Find someone smarter and go to Old Yutai. Pretend to chat casually with someone by accident.
Just said, "Oh dear, my sister-in-law next door went to Zhang Ji to buy that set that came with a handkerchief for a bargain. But the handkerchief was washed in water and its color faded as if it were a ghost drawing!" '
Or rather, "My relative bought a discounted jacket from Zhang Ji. It looked nice, but after wearing it for two days, the thread under the armpits came loose!" "
Don't be too rigid in your words. Just say "I've heard" or "It seems so", but make sure to get to the point in the details.
She turned to A Xing again:
Also, the wives of Li Shilang and Sun Hanlin who helped us pass on the message before can also get some hints. Just say,
Recently, some customers have reported that the new products from Zhang Ji seem quite different from before. The material feels a bit rough when touched... I don't know if it's an illusion either. '
"Meanwhile,"
Shen Ruoxin added,
"We at the Jinxiu Pavilion also need to cooperate well." If another customer comes to the store and mentions the discounts offered by Zhang Ji, our staff don't have to belittle them. They just need to smile and say:
Our business at Jinxiu Pavilion adheres to the principle of "you get what you pay for", and we never dare to be careless in terms of materials and workmanship.
Although the cost is a bit higher, we aim to make customers feel at ease when purchasing and comfortable when using. Emphasize our commitment to quality.
"High!" It's really tall!
Uncle Wang clapped his hands in admiration.
In this way, without us having to show up, the suspicion of Zhang Ji passing off inferior goods as good ones can take root in the minds of customers!
The more he lowers the price and gives away more things, the more customers will suspect whether he has tampered with the materials!
That's exactly the case. Shen Ruo KPI said, "Once trust cracks, it's very difficult to mend."
"Zhang Defa wants to break us down with low prices. We'll use the 'cloud of quality doubts' to dismantle his foundation."
In the following days, a covert public opinion battle targeting Zhang Ji's "promotional activities" quietly broke out in the city of Fucheng.
In the Old Yutai Teahouse, several women were chattering away:
Have you heard? The man from Zhang Ji who bought a jacket and gave a belt as a gift loses its color as soon as it gets wet!
Exactly! My neighbor bought it and said that the material of that coat was very thin and couldn't compare with the goods from Zhang Ji before!
When several familiar ladies and young ladies got together, they also began to whisper among themselves:
Sister Li, have you heard about it? "Something seems off about Zhang Ji's recent activities?" "
Yes, I've heard about it too.
It looks cheap. Could it be that money has been saved on materials? I wouldn't dare to buy it. It would be more reassuring to go and have a look at the Splendid Pavilion.
Even in the store of Jinxiu Pavilion, there were customers who voluntarily mentioned:
"Shopkeeper, it's still your belongings that are more reliable." Although the prices at Zhang Ji are cheaper, I always feel uneasy, fearing that I might buy inferior goods.
The clerk of the Splendid Pavilion timely served a cup of tea and smiled, saying:
Madam, you are an expert, so you can naturally see the ins and outs. It's hard to say anything else about our Jinxiu Pavilion, but the materials and workmanship are definitely worthy of our conscience.
The wind direction has quietly reversed.
The once bustling scene due to Zhang's "discount" has gradually become quiet.
Customers are no longer as flocking as before. Instead, they have become hesitant and wait-and-see. Even if someone makes a purchase, they will repeatedly check it with suspicion on their face.
The staff of Zhang Ji also became hesitant and lacked confidence when faced with customers' doubts.
Inside the Zhang Mansion.
"Pop!" A fine celadon teacup was violently thrown to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Zhang Defa's face turned ashen and his chest rose and fell violently. He had just listened to the supervisor's report and was shaking all over with anger.
Passing off inferior goods as good ones? Fading? Disconnected? Damn it!
He roared,
"I just used some medium-grade materials and gave away some ordinary goods. How could it be passing off inferior goods as good ones?" "!"
Zhao Babapi beside him spoke in a sinister tone:
"Boss Zhang, it seems that that girl from the Shen family is even more difficult to deal with than we thought."
She's just catching the sore spot after your "poisonous thread" incident and ruining your credibility!
"Credibility?" What credibility does Laozi still need now? What I want is to drive out the Splendid Pavilion!
Zhang Defa was breathing heavily.
Lowering prices won't do, nor will setting fires... What other tricks does this stinky girl have? "!"
"Since conventional means don't work,"
A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Babapi's eyes.
Perhaps... It's time to use some more "direct" methods.
For example... Make her goods completely unable to leave the city, or... Let something "unexpected" happen to her people?
Zhang Defa suddenly raised his head, his eyes revealing a fierce glint.