59: China Direct Procurement

Inside the conference room.

Qian Xu looked at Kim Min-jun.

"The third point."

"Ultimate service experience."

Kim Min-jun opened the file.

"Pang Donglai's service."

"Is the industry benchmark."

"Free shoe repair."

"Free clothing alterations."

"Free blood pressure checks."

"Free drinking water."

"Free charging."

"Free bag storage."

"Even free sanitary pads."

Ham Eun-jung was stunned.

"Even sanitary pads are free?"

"Yes."

Kim Min-jun nodded.

"Pang Donglai's philosophy is,"

"Whatever the customer needs,"

"We provide it."

"Services that don't make money,"

"Are actually the best marketing."

Qian Xu smiled.

"Good."

"Let's go with this plan."

"Starting tomorrow,"

"Contact the suppliers."

The next morning.

Apgujeong, Yunmengze Building.

Qian Xu had just arrived at the office.

Kim Min-jun knocked and entered.

His expression looked off.

"Qian Xu, something has happened."

"What's wrong?"

"Over at Lotte Mart,"

"They know we are opening a Life Plaza."

Mr. Qian frowned.

"How did they find out?"

"That storefront in Hongdae."

Kim Min-jun sat down.

"The landlord is an affiliate of the Lotte Group."

"The news got back to them."

Qian Xu leaned back in his chair.

"And then?"

"They've started taking action."

Kim Min-jun opened his phone.

"I made some calls this morning."

"The several Korean suppliers we had already negotiated with,"

"They all backed out."

"Backed out?"

"Yes."

Kim Min-jun nodded.

"They said they can't supply us."

"The reason?"

"No reason."

Kim Min-jun gave a wry smile.

"They just said they wouldn't supply us."

"I pressed them."

"One of the suppliers told me privately,"

"That Lotte had put in a word."

"Whoever dares to supply Yunmengze,"

"Can forget about getting listed at Lotte."

Qian Xu stood up.

Walked to the window.

Looking at the streets of Seoul.

"Lotte Mart."

"The second-largest retailer in South Korea."

"They have 120 stores nationwide."

"With an annual sales volume of 6 trillion won."

He turned around.

"They are afraid."

Kim Min-jun was taken aback.

"Afraid?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu smiled.

"They are afraid of the Pang Donglai model."

"Afraid of our service."

"Afraid of our prices."

"So they want to nip us in the bud."

"Before we even begin."

Kim Min-jun frowned.

"Then what do we do now?"

"The suppliers have all cut us off."

"What will we use to fill the shelves?"

Qian Xu walked back to his seat.

"Activate the contingency plan."

"What contingency plan?"

"Direct procurement from China."

Qian Xu opened his phone.

Pulled up a number.

"This is someone I contacted before."

"A supplier in Yiwu, China."

"General merchandise."

"Small appliances."

"Stationery."

"Toys."

"We can procure all of these directly."

Kim Min-jun's eyes lit up.

"Import directly from China?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"The local Korean suppliers,"

"Are controlled by Lotte."

"But the Chinese suppliers,"

"They can't control."

"And the prices are lower."

"The quality is better."

Kim Min-jun was a bit worried.

"But what about logistics?"

"Customs clearance?"

"Will there be enough time?"

"There will be."

Qian Xu opened his computer.

"I've already done the research."

"Logistics from China to South Korea."

"3 days by sea."

"Same-day arrival by air."

"Customs procedures."

"We have a professional customs brokerage firm."

"It can be done within a week."

Kim Min-jun breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

"But what is the value of the first shipment?"

"500 million won."

Qian Xu said.

"We'll test the waters first."

"If it sells well,"

"We'll add more."

He dialed the Yiwu supplier's number.

The call was answered quickly.

"Hello, is this President Wang?"

"This is Qian Xu."

"The project we discussed last time,"

"We can start it now."

Laughter came from the other end of the line.

"President Qian, I've finally been waiting for your call."

"The goods are all ready."

"We can ship at any time."

"Good."

Qian Xu smiled.

"The first batch is 500 million won."

"General merchandise."

"Small appliances."

"Stationery."

"Toys."

"According to the list I sent before."

"Ship within three days."

"No problem."

President Wang replied.

"I'll arrange it right away."

"Sea or air freight?"

"Air freight."

Qian Xu said.

"Time is tight."

"We'll air freight a batch first for emergencies."

"And replenish with sea freight later."

"Okay."

"I'll arrange it now."

He hung up the phone.

Qian Xu looked at Kim Min-jun.

"The direct procurement channel from China,"

"Has been activated."

"The first shipment will arrive in three days."

Kim Min-jun nodded.

"And what about the Korean suppliers?"

"Don't worry about them."

Qian Xu smiled.

"They won't supply us,"

"But they will be the ones who lose out."

"Now that we have direct procurement from China,"

"The prices are lower,"

"And the quality is better."

"Korean suppliers,"

"If they want to cooperate in the future,"

"They'll have to beg us."

Kim Min-jun also smiled.

"Mr. Qian,"

"You were prepared for this all along?"

"Yes."

Mr. Qian stood up.

"From the day we decided to open the Life Plaza,"

"I knew,"

"The Korean retail industry wouldn't just sit by and watch."

"So I prepared a contingency plan in advance."

"Direct procurement from China,"

"Is the safest plan."

Ham Eun-jung knocked and entered.

"Mr. Qian, has something happened?"

"It's nothing."

Mr. Qian smiled.

"A minor issue."

"It's already been resolved."

Ham Eun-jung breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

"I just heard,"

"That Lotte is suppressing us."

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"They are threatening suppliers,"

"Not to supply us."

Ham Eun-jung frowned.

"Then what should we do?"

"Direct procurement from China."

Qian Xu said.

"The first shipment arrives in three days."

"It's 30% cheaper than Korean goods."

"And the quality is better."

Ham Eun-jung was stunned.

"Direct procurement from China?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu smiled.

"The Koreans want to choke us,"

"But they can't."

"The Chinese supply chain,"

"Is far stronger than Korea's."

He walked to the window.

Looking at the Seoul sky.

"Lotte Mart,"

"Thinks that by cutting off suppliers,"

"They can kill us off."

"But they are wrong."

"They don't know,"

"That behind me,"

"Is the factory of the world."

Kim Min-jun and Ham Eun-jung looked at each other.

And both smiled.

His phone vibrated.

It was a system notification.

[Event: Lotte Mart suppression started]

[Response: Direct procurement from China contingency plan activated]

[Cultural output value: +0.5%]

Qian Xu smiled.

Put away his phone.

"Let's go."

"To the warehouse."

"Get ready to receive the goods."

Kim Min-jun stood up.

"Okay."

"I'll arrange it right away."

The three of them walked out of the conference room.

The sun was shining brightly.

Spring in Seoul.

It was warm.

Qian Xu looked at the cherry blossoms on the street.

They had bloomed.

Pink and white petals.

Falling in the wind.

He smiled.

Lotte Mart.

Thought they could kill him off.

But they didn't know.

He had been prepared all along.

Direct procurement from China.

Was just the first step.

There was more to come.

Much more.