Free Web NovelChapter 155: Chapter 155: Selling Goods at the East Market
In the warehouse, the truck driver from yesterday had introduced his younger brother. After hearing Wen Ci say they should load the nylon sacks directly onto the truck, the brother spoke up. "Boss Wen, I don’t think you should sell them like this."
"Oh?" Wen Ci blinked. "Do you have any suggestions, Second Brother Su?"
Second Brother Su said, "The market is different from the military compound. You have to display the clothes. Even though clothes at eight yuan a jin can’t compare to department store quality, you need to let people see what you’re selling."
Wen Ci heard this and nodded in agreement.
An idea immediately sparked in her mind. She had a worker help her build two simple, free-standing clothing racks so she could display a sample of each style.
The large nylon sacks took up too much space, so she had the workers open them up. They sorted all the clothes by style and folded them neatly to keep them from getting dirty.
She then bought some bags from the neighboring warehouse for half a mao apiece, allowing customers to carry their purchases home directly.
’I’m selling the latest styles from the Southern region. This will make people feel they’re getting their money’s worth. Cheaper than a department store, but with the same level of service. It’s truly a great value.’
Wen Ci’s face was all smiles. "Second Brother Su, thank you for your advice."
Second Brother Su scratched his head. He took a small blackboard from the driver’s cab and hung it on the truck’s railing. Pulling out some chalk, he said, "Boss Wen, you can also write the price on here. That’ll make it even easier for people to see."
’Second Brother Su is so thoughtful.’
As the sky gradually brightened, Wen Ci rode in Second Brother Su’s truck toward the East Market. By this time, residents were already trickling in to buy their groceries for the day.
The small truck pulled over to the side of the road. Wen Ci asked, "Have you eaten breakfast, Second Brother Su?"
"I have."
Usually, the East Market was filled with small-time vendors, who at most had a pushcart. The arrival of a truck drew a lot of attention, and people quickly gathered around to see what was going on.
"Are they selling clothes?"
"Aren’t those samples on display? Look at the fabric on those clothes—they must be expensive. I only brought a few yuan with me. I definitely can’t afford that."
Wen Ci immediately jumped in. "They’re not expensive! My clothes are eight yuan a jin. The styles are newer than what you’d find in a department store, and the fabric is comparable."
"Why is it all winter clothes?"
Wen Ci explained, "Ma’am, just think—how expensive are winter clothes at the department store? Even if you go to a wholesale market or hire a tailor, wouldn’t a piece cost over twenty yuan?"
Winter clothes were indeed expensive, but it was a tradition to wear new clothes for the New Year to ensure happiness and good fortune in the year to come. Because of this, people didn’t mind spending more on thick clothing around that time.
"That makes sense. Can I feel the fabric?"
Wen Ci smiled. "Of course."
Not only could the ladies look at the displayed clothes, but they could also get a real feel for the fabric. Wen Ci picked up her scale and grabbed a random short-sleeved shirt.
"Look here, this shirt weighs seven liang. That’s five yuan and six mao."
Next, Wen Ci picked up a thick winter coat and held the scale up for everyone to see. "This winter coat weighs 2.2 jin, which comes to seventeen yuan and sixty mao. If you were to buy this in a department store, wouldn’t it cost fifty or sixty yuan? Maybe even over a hundred!"
Some of the big-name brands in the department stores were outrageously expensive. The wool sweater Wen Ci herself had once bought there had cost over a hundred yuan.
A thought suddenly struck Wen Ci, and she called out to the crowd, "It’s only eight yuan a jin because this is my first day! Starting tomorrow, the price is going up to nine yuan a jin!
Everyone, just think about it—even at nine yuan a jin, it’s still a great deal! These are the latest, most fashionable styles from the Southern region. They won’t be out of style by the time the New Year rolls around!"
