pertwk Chapter 57 Orders
Chapter 57 Orders
The consumer electronics showroom in New York City was bustling with people. At the booth of Zhonghua Home Appliances, the aroma of chicken wings and the novel concept of "oil-free cooking" gradually drew a crowd. After finishing her chicken wings, the blonde woman immediately pulled Su Wanqing aside and asked, "This air fryer is truly a great invention! I'll never have to worry about gaining weight from fried food again! How much does it cost? Are there any discounts for bulk purchases?"
"Madam, our retail price is $215. If the purchase quantity exceeds 1000 units, the unit price can be reduced to $195, excluding sea freight, and the after-sales guarantee is only three months." Su Wanqing was prepared and handed over the quotation. Her English was fluent and clear. "Moreover, our product has been registered with global patents, so there are currently no competitors for this product in the world."
The blonde woman, Lucy, was the purchasing director of a chain of home improvement stores in the eastern United States. She repeatedly reviewed the price list and had Xiao Li demonstrate the process of frying French fries and baking bread. Watching the oil-free fries turn golden and crispy in just ten minutes, and the bread become fragrant on the outside and soft on the inside, she immediately decided: "I'll order 500 units for trial sales first. If the market feedback is good, we will place additional orders!"
A gleam of joy flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes. She immediately took out the contract and discussed it with Lucy, finally signing it for $200. This was Zhonghua Home Appliances' first overseas order. Although the quantity wasn't large, it was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples among the onlookers. Many buyers who had initially been hesitant stepped forward to ask for brochures. Lao Wang and Xiao Li were busy as bees, and Lin Zhou immediately went to help. They demonstrated and answered technical questions, while Zhao Jianjun maintained order, ensuring the booth was well-organized.
Just when Lin Zhou thought everything was going smoothly, several men in sharp suits walked up to the booth. The leader was a middle-aged man with a Philips badge pinned to his chest, his eyes filled with scrutiny. He was Mark, the sales director for Philips North America, followed by a technical consultant and a marketing specialist.
"A Chinese brand?" Mark glanced at the air fryer on the display stand, his tone tinged with disdain. "Oil-free cooking? It's just a gimmick. The taste of traditional deep fryer is something this little device simply can't replace."
Lin Zhou stepped forward and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Mr. Mark, whether it's a gimmick or not, why not verify it yourself?" He gestured for Xiao Li to take out a Philips traditional deep fryer and a Zhonghua air fryer, and heated the same amount of chicken wings at the same time. "You can compare the taste, fat content, and cooking time."
Twenty minutes later, both devices produced chicken wings simultaneously. Mark's technical advisor used professional equipment to test the wings, and the results showed that the Zhonghua air fryer produced chicken wings with only 3% fat, 87% less than the Philips air fryer, with a 25% shorter cooking time and comparable taste.
Mark's expression turned somewhat unpleasant, but he remained defiant: "Even if the data looks good, your brand lacks recognition, and the stability of your quality cannot be verified. European and American consumers will not buy it."
"Brands are built from scratch, and we guarantee the quality." Lin Zhou took out the product testing report. Although the certification was printed out in the space, they didn't know that, and besides, the product had stood the test. "This is certification from an internationally recognized authority. Our air fryer has worked continuously for 200 hours without failure, and the core components are guaranteed for three years. Moreover, our price is 30% lower than similar products. For distributors, cost-effectiveness is the biggest advantage."
The onlookers nodded in agreement, and many began negotiating cooperation with Su Wanqing. Seeing this, Mark could only leave dejectedly with his men, leaving behind the words, "We'll see."
Lin Zhou watched his retreating figure, a smile playing on his lips. He knew that competition in the international market was never easy, and this was just the beginning. But he was confident that, with the inherent strength of its products, Zhonghua Home Appliances would definitely be able to gain a foothold.
Over the next two days, the excitement at the booth only increased. Lucy brought her supermarket team, and after a site visit, they increased their order to 2000 units; a Canadian appliance distributor placed an order for 3000 units, requesting delivery next month; and even a European buyer flew to New York specifically to sign an exclusive agency agreement.
By the end of the exhibition, Zhonghua Home Appliances had received orders for over 2 units, totaling more than $500 million. This figure was nothing short of a dark horse miracle at the inaugural exhibition. Thomas made a special trip to congratulate them: "Mr. Lin, you've created a surprise! Now the entire exhibition hall is talking about Zhonghua's air fryer, and many big brands are inquiring about your expertise."
Lin Zhou held his hand and said sincerely, "This wouldn't have been possible without your help. I'll need your continued assistance with the subsequent shipping, customs clearance, and other matters."
"No problem, we're partners," Thomas said with a smile. "I've already contacted the logistics company to ensure the goods arrive on time."
On the return flight, everyone's faces were filled with tired but excited smiles. Su Wanqing was sorting through the order contracts when she said to Lin Zhou, "Lin Zhou, with this order volume, our current production lines are simply not enough. We need to expand our capacity immediately and build a new factory."
Lin Zhou nodded: "After we get back, we'll ship out the products in the warehouse first. We have enough stock to ship. Then you'll be in charge of contacting equipment suppliers and hiring a batch of skilled workers. Lao Wang, lead the team to optimize the production line and improve efficiency. Brother Zhao, the security team needs to be expanded simultaneously to ensure the safety of the factory and cargo transportation."
"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.
(I won't write about the Western stories; they all look down on us, so we can just make money off them.)
The plane pierced through the clouds, heading towards Hong Kong. Lin Zhou gazed out the window, his heart filled with anticipation. The success of the New York trip not only opened up the international market for Zhonghua Home Appliances but also showed him the possibility of Chinese home appliances going global. He knew that more challenges lay ahead, but as long as the team worked together, no difficulty was insurmountable.
Upon returning to Hong Kong, news of Zhonghua Home Appliances' orders quickly spread, a remarkable achievement amidst the turbulent times. Many merchants proactively sought cooperation, and banks extended offers of low-interest loans to support factory expansion.
Lin Zhou wasn't blinded by his current success. He knew that product iteration and capacity expansion were the top priorities. While expanding the factory's production lines, he contacted Manager Zhou of the construction company to build factory buildings. This time, he planned to build two large factories, each over 10,000 square meters, along with dormitory and office buildings. With so many orders this time, the funds in his personal space could finally be channeled legitimately.