The "clearance sale for Customers" event at Jinxiu Pavilion is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, and the ripples it stives are far from subsiding. After the initial hustle and bustle of the first few days, the discussions on the street about the "conceding defeat" and "going bankrupt" of the Jinxiu Pavilion gradually subsided, replaced by a more complex and curious observation.
Because people have found that the "clearance sale" of Jinxiu Pavilion seems to be quite different from what everyone thought.
It doesn't, like ordinary shops, offer discounts and sell off everything at once and then close down. On the contrary, the storefront was reorganized, the goods were clearly divided into several areas, labeled with different colors, and the prices ranged from low to high, creating a huge gap.
At the very outermost end are those "clearance areas" marked in a striking red. The silk fabrics and loose embroidery threads here are indeed astonishingly cheap, which attracts many thrifty women to come and have a look every day, fearing that they might miss any "fish that slipped through the net". The staff of Jinxiu Pavilion were also very happy to greet them warmly. They went in and out quickly, effectively recovering funds and clearing out a lot of old inventory that had been accumulated for many years.
Further in is the yellow-marked "Preferred Area". The goods here are moderately priced, but their quality is obviously much higher than that in the red-marked area and far superior to the shoddy counterfeits at Zhang Ji across the street. The clerks will patiently explain to the customers the origin of the fabric, the count, the twist of the embroidery thread and the dyeing process, and take out the imitation of Zhang Ji (which is a sample "contributed" by Xiao Cui) for comparison. This material of ours, you can feel its texture and then take a look at that one over there. It looks similar, but once it gets into the water or under the sun, the difference becomes obvious. "Our Jinxiu Pavilion sells something genuine." " Many customers who were originally attracted by Zhang Ji's low prices but had doubts about the quality, after such a direct comparison and practical explanation, chose the "preferred products" of Jinxiu Pavilion one after another.
The most eye-catching and talked-about part is the "collection area" at the very back of the shop, which is elegantly and quietly arranged. Here, there are simple and elegant blue labels hanging, displaying all the best treasures of the Brocade Pavilion - the lustrous and resplendent cloud brocade, the thin tribute satin as thin as a cicada's wing, and those few surviving "landscape embroidered cushions" with impeccable embroidery craftsmanship, as well as a few novel embroidery pieces that Shen Ruoxin improved and designed based on her past life memories and had never been seen before. The prices of these things have not only not dropped, but are even higher than before. The clerks here have also changed their outward enthusiasm and become composed and reserved, only whispering to those customers who truly know the goods and have sufficient purchasing power about their rarity.
"Madam, look at this' Clear Sky after Rain 'Yun brocade. It was the same batch of materials that the Suzhou-Hangzhou Weaving Bureau presented to the palace last year. In the entire prefectural city, our Brocade Pavilion only had this one piece." Look at this luster, this pattern...
This "Butterfly and Flower" bracelet embroidery pattern was hand-painted by the second young lady. It used twelve kinds of gradient color silk threads. Just the color matching took half a month of repeated deliberation. The meaning is even more...
This brand-new sales model has caused quite a stir in the prefectural city.
"Which song is' Splendid Pavilion 'singing?" "
"They said it was a clearance sale. How come there are still such expensive items?"
It seems like I've sorted the goods into different categories. The cheap ones, the medium ones, and the best ones are all sold at their own prices, leaving you to choose for yourself.
Really! I went to have a look yesterday. If you want to buy something cheap, there's something cheap. If you want to buy something good, they have it too. They even tell you why it's expensive, very clearly.
Zhang Sheng, the owner of Zhang Ji Embroidery Shop across the street, was initially waiting for the Jinxiu Pavilion to run out of stock and close down with a joking attitude. But seeing that the number of customers at Jinxiu Pavilion not only did not decrease, but also attracted customers of different levels due to this clear division, and even those who had been snatched away by him at low prices began to return, he finally couldn't sit still any longer.
"A group of fools!" Zhang Sheng flew into a rage at the guys in his own shop, "Study!" Learn it for me! How they divide it, so do we! Mark those inferior goods in red as well and sell them at a low price! "Give the imitation 'Shanshui Pa' a nice name and sell it to me at a high price!"
However, learning to walk in Handan is ultimately hard to grasp the essence.
Zhang Ji also hurriedly divided the shop into sections and hung labels of different colors on them. But their "cheap goods" are already shoddily made. Even if they are reduced in price, it will only be a case of laughing at a hundred steps. The so-called "high-end goods" they refer to are merely counterfeit "Shanshui napkins" repackaged with inflated prices, but they fail to offer any materials or craftsmanship that can support their value. The fellows merely imitated the rhetoric of the Splendid Pavilion stiffly, their words empty and lacking in confidence.
In this way, not only did it fail to reverse the decline, but it also highlighted its own shortcomings even more.
"Phew!" Zhang Ji, what's this? Change the soup but not the medicine! That handkerchief doesn't even look as good as the material in the yellow label area of the Splendid Pavilion. How dare it be sold at such a high price!
"Exactly! Who are you kidding?"
It seems that when shopping, one really can't just focus on cheapness; they also need to consider the heritage of time-honored brands.
The balance of the market, quietly and imperceptibly, began to tip in favor of Jinxiu Pavilion.
The back hall of the Splendid Pavilion.
Shen Ruoxin listened to Wang Bo and Xiao Cui report on the sales situation and market feedback of the past few days. Her tense nerves, which had been tense for several days, finally relaxed a little.
"Second Miss, your 'category classification' trick is really too high!" Xiao Cui's face lit up with excitement. "Nowadays, customers all say that we feel at ease buying things at Jinxiu Pavilion!" If you want something cheaper, we have 'Fanpin'. The quantity is large and sufficient. It's a great deal. For good stuff, we have "premium products", made of genuine materials, and we build a good reputation. As for those who truly know the trade and are not short of money, once our "unique piece" is revealed, it is a symbol of status and taste! This note is something you can't learn even if you want to!
Uncle Wang also stroked his beard and exclaimed, "Classify the goods into three grades: 'ordinary items',' fine items', and 'unique items', each performing its own duties and taking what it needs." "Fanpin" sales volume, maintaining the operation of the store, and suppressing the low-price area of competitors. "Quality products" establish credibility, stabilize the core customer group, and shape a quality image. Elevate the "unique product" to attract the attention of the top echelons and enhance brand value. In this way, one can advance to attack and retreat to defend, all interlinked. It's simply wonderful!
Shen Ruoxin smiled slightly, "This is just a stopgap measure." The foundation of Zhang Ji still exists, and the raw material blockade has not been lifted. We are far from being able to rest easy.
She was well aware that if Zhang Sheng really had the support of Shen Zhongkang and his son behind him, he would never give up so easily. The people she secretly sent out to look for alternative sources of supply have only sent back sporadic information so far, saying that the market situation outside is also tight. It is very difficult to obtain large quantities of good materials through ordinary channels. Only a few highly risky private salt and tea merchant routes may offer some opportunities, but they are costly and highly variable.
"By the way, Second Miss," Uncle Wang seemed to remember something, "there's something I need to report to you." The day before yesterday, the wife of Liu Jijiu from the Prefecture School came to the store and immediately took a fancy to the embroidery pattern of your newly designed "Faint Fragrance and Sparse Shadow" plum blossom shawl. It was our only "unique piece". Mrs. Liu couldn't put it down and decided on the spot, saying that she would use it when her daughter got married next month. The news spread, and in the past two days, several official wives have sent people to inquire, also wanting similar "unique pieces"!
"Mrs. Liu Jijiu?" Shen Ruoxin's heart stirred. Liu Jijiu was a well-known upright civil official in the prefectural city. His wife also came from a family of scholars and was highly respected among the female relatives in the city. It is undoubtedly an excellent sign that she is interested in her own design.
This is precisely the role of a "unique piece". Shen Ruoxin's eyes lit up. "A 'unique piece' is not about how much it sells, but about whose attention it can draw and what kind of trend it can trigger." A single "unique piece" is enough to make a difference in the value of the entire Splendid Pavilion.
She immediately had a new idea: "Uncle Wang, take out those best plain double-palace silk ribbons from the warehouse." Xiao Cui, go and call Zhou Xiuniang here.
Soon, the composed and highly skilled embroiderer Zhou came to the back hall. After these days of observation, Shen Ruoxin basically ruled out her suspicion. She was more inclined to believe that the problem lay with another impatient and outtempered Li Xiuniang or some servant who had access to the back hall. But she didn't alert the snake.
"Embroidery Lady Zhou," Shen Ruoxin handed her a newly painted pattern, "These are several 'unique' embroidery designs I have newly conceived, including screens, scrolls and sachets." Look, with your craftsmanship, how long will it take to finish?
Zhou, the embroiderer, carefully examined the patterns and touched the several double-palace silk ribbons beside her. After a moment of thought, she said, "Miss Hui, these several embroidery designs are extremely intricate and the stitches are unique. If you want to embroider them with charm, slow work produces fine results. I'm afraid..." Each one takes more than a month.
"Ok." Shen Ruoxin nodded. "From today on, you should focus on this." Put aside all other tasks. I'll provide you with two of the most agile helpers to assist you. Remember, for a "unique piece", quality should be pursued over speed. Every stitch must be worthy of its price.
"Yes, Second Miss!" Zhou Xiuniang's eyes also sparkled with excitement. For a true embroiderer, having the opportunity to challenge such an exquisite and unparalleled work is in itself an honor.
Shen Ruoxin's gaze turned out of the window. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the sign of Zhang Ji Embroidery House opposite, making it look somewhat dim. Zhang Ji's imitation and low-price strategy began to seem powerless in the face of Jinxiu Pavilion's clear category classification and quality commitment.
However, she knew that this was only a brief calm before the storm came. The lifeline of raw materials is still in the hands of others. Zhang Sheng and the people behind him will never stand by and watch the Jinxiu Pavilion rise again. What will they do next? Is it a crazier price war? Or... Resort to more insidious means?
Just then, Uncle Wang hurried in from outside, his expression solemn, holding a small note in his hand.
"Second Miss," he lowered his voice and handed the note to Shen Ruoxin, "Beyond the river..." The message has been sent back.
Shen Ruoxin took the note, unfolded it and her pupils suddenly contracted.
There were only a few words on the note: "The ship was inspected, the goods were temporarily lost, people..." Fear of danger.