1980: I have a spiritual spring

Chapter 76 Big Price Cuts and Promotions
noon.

The old house of the Su family.

Looking at the three rooms that had been cleaned, Qiao Erhe smiled and said, "It's finally done. Now all we need to do is ask a carpenter to make two beds and some necessary furniture, and we can open for business."

Su Jinxiu said, "Brother Qiao, I happen to know a carpenter. Just tell him what you want to make."

Qiao Erhe said, "Okay, let's go eat first. After we eat, you can take me to see that carpenter so I can ask him to help me make some things."

Su Jinxiu nodded and said, "No problem, let's go eat first!"

Qiao Erhe asked, "Should we go to the usual place again?"

Su Jinxiu smiled and said, "Let's go somewhere else today and I'll take you to try the Jingsha soft-shelled turtle."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Erhe's eyes lit up: "Great! Let's go try the Jingsha soft-shelled turtle today."

……

after an hour.

At a restaurant, a waiter brought over a pot of delicious-looking dish, which was the Jingsha soft-shelled turtle that Qiao Erhe and Su Jinxiu wanted to eat.

(Jingsha soft-shelled turtle)
Jingzhou-style soft-shelled turtle is a traditional famous dish from Jingzhou. It is made primarily with wild soft-shelled turtles from Dongting Lake and is carefully prepared.

Its history can be traced back to the late Warring States period. In the banquet menu recorded in "Da Zhao" of Chu Ci, Jing Sha soft-shelled turtle stood out for its unique flavor. In later generations, this dish was even awarded the title of one of the top ten classic dishes of Hubei Province in Chinese cuisine.

Qiao Erhe ate this dish quite often in his previous life, but he hasn't eaten it since his rebirth. Now, seeing this dish, he can't help but feel a little tempted.

Su Jinxiu called out, "Brother Qiao, come and try it and see how it tastes!"

Qiao Erhe didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of turtle meat, and chewed it. He found that it tasted just like he remembered, even better than the Jingsha turtle he had eaten in his previous life. This was probably because the ingredients in this era were better than those in later generations.

As Qiao Erhe chewed, he praised, "This tastes really good."

Su Jinxiu smiled and said, "I knew you loved to eat."

Qiao Erhe picked up a piece of turtle meat and put it in her bowl, saying with a smile, "Don't just look, you should eat some too!"

Su Jinxiu nodded and started eating as well.

After taking several bites, Qiao Erhe finally spoke up, saying, "As expected of wild soft-shelled turtles, this tastes much better than farmed ones."

Su Jinxiu was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, and asked, "Brother Qiao, are there still people in your village raising soft-shelled turtles?"

Although Qiao Erhe accidentally let slip the secret, he remained calm and said without changing his expression, "No one in our village is raising soft-shelled turtles yet, but as more and more people eat soft-shelled turtles, the supply of wild soft-shelled turtles will definitely not be enough in the future, and soft-shelled turtle farming is only a matter of time."

Animals raised in captivity generally don't have the same meat quality as wild-caught animals.

Su Jinxiu suddenly realized, "That makes sense. So, according to you, raising soft-shelled turtles can be quite profitable in the future?"

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Of course! I estimate that it won't be long before turtle farming flourishes in our area."

This wasn't just empty talk. In the Cenhe area of ​​my previous life, Huangyuan Village was the first to start turtle farming in the 1990s, which then inspired dozens of households in the village to join in.

Under the influence of Huangyuan Village, more than 700 households in the entire Cenhe area have started turtle farming, with an annual output value of up to 1000 million yuan.

If it weren't profitable, there would be absolutely no reason why so many people would invest in turtle farming.

Su Jinxiu said, "Brother Qiao, I trust your judgment. You're so good at raising chickens, you must be good at raising soft-shelled turtles too."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Erhe couldn't help but smile, and changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Jinxiu, I plan to start building my new house ahead of schedule."

Su Jinxiu didn't ask for the reason and said directly, "When I get back, I'll have my dad get me the permit for the steel bars and cement. Whenever you need steel bars and cement, you can take the money and the permit to pick up the goods."

Qiao Erhe said, "After the Lantern Festival, I plan to find a construction team, and construction should start around the end of the month."

Su Jinxiu laughed and said, "It's good to build the houses sooner. I'm also very curious about those townhouses. I've been wanting to see the finished buildings for a long time."

Qiao Erhe said, "I also want to finish building the house as soon as possible, otherwise I won't be able to sleep comfortably in the same bed with my brother every day."

People of different ages have different sleeping habits. Take Qiao Erhe as an example. In his previous life when he was young, he didn't care who he slept in the same bed with. He could even sleep with his brothers and friends without feeling uncomfortable at all.

After he got married, he got used to sleeping in the same bed with his wife and hugging her while sleeping. So when he occasionally slept in the same bed with his brothers and friends, he felt uncomfortable all over.

As he got older, Qiao Erhe got used to sleeping alone, and he felt uncomfortable no matter who he shared a bed with.

After being reborn, Qiao Erhe shared a bed with his brother. It would be a lie to say he wasn't uncomfortable, but due to the limitations of their living conditions, he could only endure the discomfort.

Therefore, building a new house is indeed a top priority for Qiao Erhe.

After all, among clothing, food, housing, and transportation, food comes first, followed by housing, then clothing, and finally transportation.

Su Jinxiu smiled and said, "Once the store here in Shashi opens, you brothers and sisters will definitely send one or two of you to work as sales clerks. Then the living conditions at home will be improved, and you should be able to sleep in your own bed without any problem."

Qiao Erhe said, "You're right. Everything is ready now. We just need the carpenter to make the things I need, and then the store can open for business."

Su Jinxiu said, "Then let's eat quickly. After we finish eating, I'll take you to find a carpenter and have him make the things you need as soon as possible."

Qiao Erhe chuckled and said, "It doesn't matter if we have time to eat."

Su Jinxiu smiled and then asked, "When the store opens, who do you plan to hire as a sales clerk?"

Qiao Erhe said, "My third sister was originally a good candidate, but there are so many things at home that we can't do without her. In the early stages, let my eldest brother and fourth brother work here as sales clerks. After my eldest brother gets married, we'll let him and his wife work as sales clerks together."

Su Jinxiu nodded and said, "Yes, this arrangement is quite good. However, once your new house is built, the living conditions here will definitely not be as good as your townhouse. It's a bit of a disservice for your older brother and sister-in-law to work here as sales clerks."

Qiao Erhe said, "It's nothing. My elder brother and sister-in-law are both rural people who are used to hard life. The living conditions in your old house are not bad. In addition, this is a real city. How could you feel wronged living in the city?"

Besides, this arrangement is only temporary. We'll see how things go after the store opens. If necessary, we can hire one or two reliable helpers, which will give my older brother and sister-in-law more free time.

Su Jinxiu said, "It seems you already know what's going on."

The two ate and chatted for more than half an hour before finishing their meal.

After dinner, Su Jinxiu took Qiao Erhe to a carpenter she knew. Qiao Erhe placed a lot of orders with the carpenter: two beds, two cabinets, a counter for selling things, a table, and several chairs.

If a single carpenter were to craft all these items, it would take a very long time.

Fortunately, this carpenter's craft was a family tradition; his family had been carpenters for generations. In short, they had no shortage of workers. Therefore, knowing that Qiao Erhe needed the goods urgently, they dared to promise to deliver them in a week.

After leaving the carpenter's house, seeing that it was getting late, Qiao Erhe said, "Jinxiu, I'll head back now."

Su Jinxiu said, "Okay, goodbye."

"goodbye." ……

In the afternoon, when Qiao Erhe returned to the egg stall, he found that the eggs had not yet been sold out.

Qiao Erhe immediately asked, "Big brother, fourth brother, how many eggs are left?"

Qiao Dajiang replied, "There are still 18 trays of eggs left. At the current sales rate, it's very likely that they won't be sold out today."

Qiao Erhe pondered, "It seems that the Spring Festival will have a significant impact on egg sales."

Qiao Sihai said, "That's right. If we had followed the sales speed of the past, even if we brought more eggs than usual today, they should have been sold out by now. We still have 18 trays of eggs left, which shows that the Spring Festival has a significant impact on egg sales."

Qiao Erhe said, "It's alright. Today is the eleventh day of the first lunar month. After the Lantern Festival, the market will gradually return to normal. In a week, once the carpenter has finished making everything I need, our store can open for business."

Qiao Sihai asked, "Second Brother, what should we do with the remaining eggs? Should we take them back?"

Qiao Erhe said, "We've already picked out all the eggs to sell, so we don't plan to take them back. Since we can't sell them all through normal sales, we'll lower the price. As long as there are bargains to be had, we'll never lack customers."

Qiao Dajiang and Qiao Sihai exchanged a glance and asked, "Second brother, how do you plan to lower the price?"

Qiao Erhe thought for a moment and said, "Let's sell a carton of eggs for 1.2 yuan. I believe many customers will want to take advantage of this deal."

Qiao Dajiang said, "A carton of eggs sells for 1.2 yuan, which means each egg sells for 4 cents on average. The price is the same as the supply and marketing cooperative, and you don't even need egg coupons. If customers knew this, they would definitely rush to buy them."

Qiao Erhe smiled and looked at the fourth brother, saying, "Sihai, you do the shouting."

Qiao Sihai humbly asked for advice: "Second Brother, what do you think I should do to attract customers?"

Qiao Erhe said, "As long as customers know that our eggs are now on sale at a reduced price, that's fine."

"I understand, I'll give it a try."

Having sold eggs so many times, Qiao Sihai had long since developed his courage. He immediately gathered his strength and shouted loudly, "Comrades, eggs are on sale now! Eggs that were originally five cents each are now only four cents each. Don't miss out if you're passing by!"

Qiao Erhe nodded repeatedly, thinking that the fourth brother was quite suited for sales. He added loudly, "Comrades, there aren't many eggs left. Those who want to buy should hurry up, first come, first served."

The stall the brothers chose was located on a street with high foot traffic. Even outside of rush hour, people still passed by constantly. When they heard the Qiao brothers shout, even those who hadn't planned to buy eggs couldn't help but stop.

After all, any adult who is in charge knows that eggs from the supply and marketing cooperatives now sell for four cents each, and larger eggs can even sell for five cents each, and all of them require egg coupons.

Now, some people are setting up stalls on the roadside, selling eggs for only four cents each, which is one cent cheaper than usual. That's really a great deal.

So, passersby who saw an opportunity to get something for nothing couldn't help but stop and come over.

"Comrades, are your eggs fresh?"

"Comrades, do you not need egg coupons for your eggs?"

"Comrades, why are your eggs so cheap?"

"..."

As passersby heard the shouts and gathered around, they couldn't help but ask questions.

Qiao Sihai answered them one by one:
"Don't worry, comrade, our eggs are definitely fresh and there's absolutely no problem with them."

"Comrade, our eggs don't require egg coupons, but we don't sell them individually; we sell them by the tray."

“Comrade, you can see the bamboo baskets over there. The three of us brothers carried three full loads of eggs to sell today, and we’ve almost sold them all. We need to take the bus back to the commune later, and we don’t want to waste any more time selling them slowly, so we’re thinking of lowering the price to sell them as soon as possible so we can get home early. Otherwise, if we miss the last bus, we’ll have to walk back.”

"I see. Then I'll have a carton of eggs."

"Comrade, here's the money, I'd like two trays of eggs."

"Comrade, I'd like two trays of eggs too."

"..."

The price reduction promotions of this era are really effective. In less than three minutes, the 18 trays of eggs that were left over were swept up by passing customers. Some customers who didn't get any were even kicking themselves for being late.

After the customers left, still wanting more, Qiao Sihai said excitedly, "This price reduction method is really effective! The sales speed is astonishing!"

Qiao Dajiang nodded and said, "The sales speed is indeed frightening. It feels like even if we brought in another 100 trays of eggs, it wouldn't be enough to sell them all."

Qiao Sihai picked up an empty bamboo basket and said eagerly, "If we can't sell our eggs in the future, we can just lower the price like we did today."

Qiao Erhe cautioned, "This method of lowering prices can only be used occasionally; it cannot be done long-term, otherwise it will affect normal egg sales."

Qiao Sihai asked, "Second Brother, are you worried that customers are used to buying eggs at discounted prices, and then they won't want to buy eggs at normal prices, right?"

Qiao Erhe also picked up an empty bamboo basket and nodded, saying, "That's right. People like to get a bargain. If they know that our eggs are often sold at a reduced price, they won't pay for eggs at the normal price anymore. Instead, they'll wait until the price drops before buying them."

Qiao Sihai nodded and said, "That makes sense. But as you just said, Second Brother, our store can open for business in a week. Then we won't have to set up a stall to sell eggs anymore, and we won't have to lower the price like we did today."

Qiao Erhe smiled and said, "The strategy of lowering prices can still be used, but it needs to be applied flexibly. We'll talk about that after the store opens. If the store can sell 6000 eggs a day, then there's no need to lower prices."

If the store's sales volume isn't that high, and we can't sell all the remaining eggs even if we take them to the commune, then we can choose to have a big price reduction promotion during holidays to ensure that the eggs don't pile up in the warehouse and go unsold.

Qiao Sihai said admiringly, "Second Brother, you are so thoughtful."

Qiao Dajiang said with some concern, "Second brother, we only come to set up a stall once in a long time, so it's normal for us to sell out of eggs. But after opening a store, it's probably impossible to sell 6000 eggs a day!"
Even selling 4000 eggs a day, let alone 6000, seems difficult to me.

What if the eggs don't sell well? What will happen to the extra eggs?
Even if, as you say, we hold a big price reduction sale during the holidays, I'm afraid we still won't be able to sell all the eggs we've accumulated."

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Brother, don't worry. If this store and the commune combined can't sell 6000 eggs a day, then we'll find another store in Shashi to open a store here."

Qiao Dajiang asked with a puzzled look, "Second brother, what's the point of opening another store?"

Qiao Erhe explained, "With the population of Shashi, 6000 eggs a day can be easily consumed. If our store can't sell that many eggs a day, it doesn't mean that the purchasing power of the entire Shashi is weak."

Perhaps people who live far from our store don't even know about it, or perhaps they know but are unwilling to walk such a long way to buy eggs from us.

"If we choose to open a store in another area of ​​Shashi, that store can reach a wider population, which will greatly increase egg sales."

Qiao Dajiang and Qiao Sihai nodded repeatedly, never expecting that opening an additional store would have such an effect.

This simple branch network model is commonplace in later generations, and anyone with a little common sense understands it. However, in this era of chaotic commerce, Qiao Dajiang and Qiao Sihai, who had just come from the countryside, were encountering this kind of knowledge for the first time, and naturally found it novel.

So, Qiao Dajiang and Qiao Sihai, like two curious children, kept asking all sorts of questions about business. They were all simple questions, and even though Qiao Erhe had never done any big business in his previous life, he could answer them fluently.

After all, there's a saying that goes, "Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen pigs run." With his past life experience, Qiao Erhe might not be able to compare with those business geniuses in this era, but he could certainly be a teacher to two rural people who had never seen much of the world.

(End of this chapter)