Listening to Su Wenjuan’s words, Ji Shuyu felt a warmth in her heart.
After they finished their meal, Su Wenjuan went to send He Ming to school, while Ji Shuyu headed to work.
With some free time on her hands, Ji Shuyu decided to visit Director Wang’s supply and marketing cooperative.
She wanted to see how the plan she had devised for them was progressing.
As Ji Shuyu walked toward the cooperative, she noticed from a distance a small crowd gathered at the entrance!
This was a rare sight.
Director Wang’s cooperative was usually so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Had the sun risen from the west today?
Her large shipment hadn’t even been delivered yet—it shouldn’t be this busy.
However, before she left last time, she had given Director Wang all the samples she had.
Although the quantity of those samples was small, it should have been enough for a trial run.
Was Director Wang testing the waters?
She quickened her pace and moved closer, indeed hearing the lively discussions.
“Oh my, this floral fabric is so vibrant! And at this price? Is it for real?”
A woman in her thirties, holding a piece of floral polyester-cotton fabric in her hand, asked the new salesclerk behind the counter with shining eyes.
Ji Shuyu recognized her as the wife of Battalion Commander Li on the island, surnamed Zhao.
The new salesclerk was a clever young woman who replied with a smile, “Sister Zhao, it’s absolutely true! This is a special opening discount price approved by our Director Wang. It’s only for these three days, and we only have ten feet per day! You came at the right time—there are only a few feet left!”
“Oh my! I can’t miss out on this! Give me three feet! No, make it six feet—I’ll make a new shirt for my daughter too!”
Sister Zhao hurriedly took out her money, afraid that if she were too slow, it would be sold out.
Another woman nearby shouted, “Young comrade, what about the small snowflake cream that comes with buying soap for an extra dime? Hurry up and get me one! My husband smelled the fragrance on Old Zhang’s wife next door yesterday and insisted I come buy some too!”
This remark drew good-natured laughter from the other women around.
“Yes, yes, Auntie Zhang, just a moment, I’ll get it for you right away!”
The salesclerk efficiently handled the payments and fetched the goods. Though busy, she wore a smile, unlike the lifeless expression the previous clerk had.
She was much better than Xiao Zhou.
Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, Ji Shuyu watched the bustling scene and couldn’t help but smile.
It seemed her promotional plan was having an even better effect than she had anticipated.
She wasn’t in a hurry to go inside. Instead, she scanned the shop.
The interior had clearly been rearranged according to the layout she had sketched.
The left section was filled with a dazzling array of daily necessities.
Enamel mugs and thermos flasks were polished to a shine and neatly arranged, with handwritten red labels marking them as the “Household Goods” section.
In the middle were fabrics, needles, and threads, clearly categorized.
The counter against the right wall was dedicated to items like snowflake cream, soap, hair ties, and small mirrors.
It was even adorned with a pretty cloth, making it look especially delicate, and labeled “Beauty Corner.”
Though simple, the concept of clear zoning was already in place. Customers could now easily find what they were looking for without wandering around aimlessly like headless flies.
Director Wang was bustling around the shop, sweating profusely as he helped—now measuring fabric, now fetching more stock from the back.
But his face was glowing with excitement, his smile so wide his eyes nearly disappeared, showing no signs of fatigue.
When he looked up and spotted Ji Shuyu smiling at the entrance, his eyes lit up even more. He quickly squeezed through the crowd to greet her.
“Oh my! My goddess of wealth! You’re finally here!”
Director Wang’s voice was so loud with excitement that it drew sidelong glances from many people.
Ji Shuyu felt a bit embarrassed by the way he addressed her and whispered, “Director Wang, please don’t call me that. People might laugh if they hear.”
“Laugh? Who would dare!” Director Wang waved his hand dismissively, his tone brimming with enthusiasm.
“Little sister, you didn’t see the scene this morning! People were lining up even before we opened! All to get their hands on that limited-edition floral fabric! It hasn’t even been a full morning, and the samples you left me are already sold out. Especially those trial-size snowflake creams—they’re almost all gone, bundled with the soap sales! So many people are already asking when we’ll have more!”
Rubbing his hands together, he was almost beside himself with excitement. “It’s been years since this supply and marketing cooperative has been so lively! Your ideas are absolutely brilliant!”
Though delighted inside, Ji Shuyu remained modest. “It’s mainly because your products are good and the prices are fair. That’s why people are willing to come.”
“No, no, it’s your methods that made the difference!” Director Wang was now completely convinced. “The products were just as good before, but everything felt stagnant and lifeless—no energy! But with your promotions, freebies, and limited-time offers, you’ve got everyone excited! Look over there.”
He pointed toward the Beauty Corner, his voice growing even more animated. “Several young girls came in just to buy hair ties, but when they saw the pretty little mirrors and tried the snowflake cream, they ended up buying several extra items!”
This was exactly the effect Ji Shuyu had hoped for—stimulating potential consumption.
“As long as it’s working,” Ji Shuyu nodded. “Director Wang, do you have enough staff? I see there’s only one new salesclerk. Can she handle the workload?”
“Barely, but I’ve already asked around to hire another one!” Director Wang quickly assured her. “Little sister, do you have any other good ideas? We can’t just run this promotion for three days, right?”
“Of course not,” Ji Shuyu replied confidently, a smile playing on her lips. “These three days are about building momentum. After that, we can stop the limited-time discounts, but we can still run exchange offers and free gifts from time to time. We could also feature a ‘Product of the Month’—select one item for a special price to attract people to come back regularly. Once things stabilize, we can even introduce longer-term strategies, like stamping a card for every purchase over a certain amount, and when they collect enough stamps, they can exchange them for gifts…”
She briefly outlined the concept of a loyalty stamp card.
Back in her day, as someone obsessed with collecting stamps and cards, she’d make a point to shop every week just to complete her collection.
Director Wang listened as if enchanted, feeling as though a whole new world had opened up before him. Who knew selling goods could involve so many tricks!
As they were talking, Zhao Chunhua, Sister Li, who had managed to snag the floral fabric earlier, walked out contentedly, cloth in hand. When she saw Ji Shuyu, she immediately greeted her with a smile.
“Commander He’s wife, here to shop too? Hurry inside and take a look—the products at the supply and marketing cooperative today are great and affordable! Director Wang has really gone all out!”
Ji Shuyu smiled and responded, “Oh, sure, Sister-in-law, I’ll go take a look now.”
Zhao Chunhua then lowered her voice and added, “And thank you, by the way. Last time, your Commander He helped my Old Li solve such a big problem… You must come over for a meal sometime!”
With that, she cheerfully went on her way.
Though Ji Shuyu had no idea what she was referring to.
Director Wang, who had overheard the conversation, now regarded Ji Shuyu with even greater respect.
This Ji Shuyu was not only capable herself, but her husband was a regiment commander, and she was well-liked on the island. Partnering with her was truly a stroke of luck.
“Little sister, from now on, I’m counting on you for all the strategies regarding sourcing and selling here at the cooperative! Don’t worry, I, Old Wang, will never shortchange you when it comes to your share!”
—
Director Wang, you’re getting carried away again with your passionate nature!
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