"If the price is reasonable, Debenhams can distribute these wigs to all our branches in the Britain." Bao Shijie glanced at the two people beside him, sighed inwardly, but maintained a calm expression as he spoke to Song Tianyao.
All three had spoken with Shek Chi-yik before. Shek Chi-yik didn't emphasize anything, but he said that given the current downturn in Hong Kong's industry and commerce, if Hong Kong products could rival United States products in quality and have a price advantage, he hoped that the three Britain department stores would give priority to ordering Hong Kong products. After all, Hong Kong was a Britain colony, and they couldn't watch it crumble under the Embargo Order led by the United States.
Bao Shijie had anticipated that the other two would also have similar ideas, but he hadn't expected that the two China person would immediately adopt the same attitude and prepare to bargain after he spoke up. This made Bao Shijie somewhat uneasy. These were black hair wigs, which were more expensive and sought-after in Europe and America than ordinary blonde or brown wigs. If all three of them adopted a bargaining attitude, it could easily force Song Tianyao to abandon the three companies and sell directly to the United States, and then he would have to buy them back from the United States at a higher price.
So he immediately spoke again, expressing his willingness to place an order.
"1100 Hong Kong dollars per wig. I know the supply price of United States wigs to major department stores, so this price isn't high," Song Tianyao said with a smile when Bao Shijie inquired about the price.
Bao Shijie nodded stiffly. "I admit this price is very reasonable, Mr. Song. For the sake of my friendship with Director Shi, I..."
"Mr. Song, Lane Crawford Department Store has decided to order four different hairstyles, one thousand of each." While Bao Shijie was still speaking with Britain arrogance, Ji Dongle, standing beside him, directly said to Song Tianyao, "Each hairstyle is Hong Kong dollars 1100, but you must consider prioritizing supply to Lane Crawford. If you agree, Mr. Song, we can sign the contract right now."
Forty-one-year-old Ji Dongle studied in the Britain in his early years and has been dealing with Britain for many years since returning to Hong Kong to work. He no longer has the same sense of awe and superiority that the lower classes of Hong Kong people have for any random Britain. At least he doesn't feel that Bao Shijie, an ordinary Britain person without any title, is superior to him. Although interrupting him is very impolite, his boss would probably appreciate it more than making more money for Lane Crawford.
"Mr. Bao, Mr. Ji, it was Director Shi who asked the department store to help Hong Kong's economy a little and relieve some pressure. We're not really going to go on a shopping spree. There's no need to get so worked up. Why don't we go to Boss Song's conference room for a cup of tea and have a chat?" Liu Xinze from Marks & Spencer saw that Bao Shijie's expression was a little unpleasant and smiled as he tried to ease the tension.
The three entered the conference room of Song Tianyao's factory with different expressions. Song Tianyao and Shek Chi-yik did not go in, but asked Shu Yan Shi Yin to help them pour tea.
"The three of them went into the meeting room right in front of you, obviously preparing to work together to drive down the price. Aren't you even a little bit nervous?" Shek Chi-yik was led by Song Tianyao to a small flower bed in the factory yard, which was cultivated by the three girls, Fu Xinniang, Shu Yan, Shi Yin, in their spare time. At this moment, Shek Chi-yik stood in front of the flower bed and spoke to Song Tianyao, even using the China idiom "sharpening knives" in perfect pronunciation.
Song Tianyao rubbed his lower back; he'd been having too much fun with the Foreign Girl, and his lower back was still a little sore. Standing next to Shek Chi-yik, he said casually, "What's there to be nervous about? Even the old ladies at the market know how to bargain, let alone a purchasing manager from a big company. I've sharpened my knife too; it's just a matter of whose knife is sharper. It's a seller's market right now."
Chapter 235 Cheers
"Gentlemen, I think we should reach a consensus. We can't let this factory owner, Song Tianyao, think that offering a slightly lower price will cause a scramble among the three of us," Liu Xinze said to Bao Shijie and Ji Ledong in the conference room. "Otherwise, a price that could have appealed to all of us might be maliciously inflated. We all need to know that he's the one asking us to purchase his products. If you two agree with me, I'll continue."
Bao Shijie glanced at Ji Ledong across from him with a dark expression, then nodded slightly to Liu Xinze. Ji Ledong, expressionless, twirled the teacup in his hand. "I have no objection."
"This factory can produce about nine hundred wigs a month, all black wigs. Nine hundred wigs? Not to mention the three department stores, any one of the three department stores here in London could handle them. The output is too low. The factory only produces ten thousand wigs a year. How about we three split the orders equally, each of us taking three thousand wigs for a year? A year from now, I think Mr. Song won't be smiling as brightly as he is today." Liu Xinze said with a slight smile, spreading his hands towards the two people in front of him.
Ji Ledong's eyes narrowed slightly. "You mean... using someone else to negotiate a lower price?"
"That's right. Black wigs are in high demand right now. In the United States, the supply price for a black wig is Hong Kong dollars 1,400 or even Hong Kong dollars 1,500. That's why his offer of Hong Kong dollars 1,100 per wig is so tempting for all three of us. He thinks he can profit from this rare commodity, but we can easily find some newspapers to write some legendary stories to promote him, letting more people see the factory's huge profits and invest in the wig business. Mr. Song said that production can begin in nine months. Driven by huge profits, I think seven months, five months, or even less would be enough time for a second or third wig factory to appear. Then, a year later, this industry can completely erupt into a price war, with them killing each other. A year later, we will have a sufficient and cheap supply of goods, and more suppliers to choose from." Liu Xinze took off his glasses and said.
"I agree," Bao Shijie said. "The factory's annual orders will be split equally among the three companies."
"I agree." Ji Ledong glanced at Bao Shijie and nodded.
After the three men left the meeting room, they announced that the three department stores could split the Long Light Wig Factory's orders for a year. They fully expected Song Tianyao to be overjoyed, but Song Tianyao simply held up two fingers. "Two years, two years' worth of orders, monthly delivery, monthly payment."