Bai Lu got scammed, but I became a superstar through e-commerce.

The meeting continued.

Qingxiao sat in the main seat, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips. The projection screen no longer displayed jumping sales figures, but lines of cold industry data—the 2015 women's clothing category landscape, the decline curve of Taobao brands, and the panoramic information of the newly compiled Taobao influencer girl stores.

"E-commerce is constantly changing. A year ago, many shops were booming, but a year later, they have disappeared without a trace. 2015 to 2016 was a life-or-death situation."

He spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable weight: "In 2015, we surged to eleventh place, thanks to our supply chain, precise targeting, and the team's relentless efforts. But I'll say it again: in 2016, we'll perish on the front lines."

As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.

Operations Director Lin Fei nodded first, his brow furrowed: "Boss, the backend data is already quite clear. Big brands like Uniqlo and ONLY are still seeing their traffic share increase after Singles' Day. They've started lowering the prices of their basic items, using their supply chain advantages to clear out their market share. Our general-purpose item traffic has been declining slightly for a week now."

"It's not that we did a bad job, it's that our competitors are simply not on the same level."

Qingxiao raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Traditional big brands compete on brand, capital, and offline channels. Established Taobao brands compete on operations, pricing, and inventory. We, SUNSA, don't have an absolute advantage on either side. But..."

He abruptly changed the subject, pointing to a line of data on the projector, a sharp glint in his eyes: "On Singles' Day in 2015, one in seven women's clothing items on Taobao came from an online celebrity shop. Zhang Dayi's 'My Favorite Wardrobe,' after only one year of operation, had four crowns, 4.3 million followers, and broke 60 million RMB in sales on Singles' Day alone."

These words, like a pebble thrown into water, stirred up ripples in everyone's hearts.

Supply chain manager Lao Zhou was taken aback: "Influencer shops? You mean those shops opened by Taobao models? The kind that rely on model photos and Weibo traffic?"

"Not just models."

Qingxiao pulled up more detailed information, and the operating models of online celebrity shops such as Zhang Dayi, Zhao Daxi, and Xue Li appeared on the projector: "Their core logic is 'online celebrity + fans + e-commerce.' Taobao models transform into shop owners, acting as their own models, shooting their own outfits, accumulating fans on Weibo, and then driving those fans to their Taobao shops to make sales. Alibaba invested in Weibo in 2013, so this path is completely smooth."

He paused, then added key information: "By the end of 2015, there were over 1000 online celebrity stores, and 5 of the top 10 women's clothing C-stores were online celebrity stores. 2016 was called the first year of the online celebrity economy, with Taobao Live about to launch, and the first batch of live streamers were all Taobao girls."

Co-founder Shuya's eyes lit up, instantly grasping the key point: "You mean... the influencer effect is currently the only traffic source that can rival traditional big brands?"

"It's not a confrontation, it's a misaligned crushing defeat."

Qingxiao said confidently, "Big brands target the mass market and rely on brand exposure. Established Taobao brands engage in price wars and rely on platform traffic. Influencer stores cultivate private domain fans, generate content, and build personalized IPs. Fans only recognize the influencer as a person, not the platform or the brand, resulting in extremely strong loyalty and a conversion rate 3-5 times higher than that of ordinary stores."

He looked at the crowd and posed the core question: "We at SUNSA lack brand recognition, cultural heritage, and a decade of experience, but do we lack online influencers?"

Everyone reacted instantly, their eyes turning to the conference room door—Bai Lu stood there, wearing a simple new SUNSA knit sweater, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, her eyebrows and eyes clean, her temperament fresh yet lively, exactly the most popular "girl next door + fashionable young woman" combination look right now.

She's not a professionally trained actress, but she has a natural talent for being on camera.

After the broadcast of "The Mystic Nine", its popularity will increase significantly.

"That's right. Although Bai Lu isn't a top-tier celebrity yet, she has accumulated a solid base of young fans. She has a gentle yet resilient personality, a clean and spotless image, and perfectly fits the core qualities of an online celebrity shop owner—high looks, distinctive features, a likable persona, and the ability to cultivate female fans."

Bai Lu felt a little embarrassed by everyone's stares, smiled slightly, and sat down next to Shu Ya.

Qingxiao's gaze fell on Bai Lu, and his tone was solemn: "Bai Lu, you are the only candidate for SUNSA. The second step of the reform is to completely transform SUNSA from a Taobao brand into a influencer e-commerce brand."

"What we want to do is not to hire internet celebrities to endorse our products, but to bind you to us and turn you into SUNSA's exclusive top-tier internet celebrity store owner. You will represent yourself and SUNSA, turning your fans into SUNSA's core users."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the meeting room, with discussions erupting one after another.

Qiao Shuang, who was in charge of marketing, brightened up and exclaimed excitedly, "Boss, this move is absolutely brilliant! Zhang Dayi and Zhao Daxi are doing it all the time—posting outfits, engaging in daily interactions, and sharing their lives on Weibo, cultivating fans on social media platforms, and then directly driving traffic to the store during new product launches and major promotions. The conversion rate is frighteningly high! With Bailu, we can completely replicate this model, and even do it better!"

"But...the competition among online celebrity shops must be fierce, right?"

Shuya, who is in charge of finance, spoke cautiously, "Zhang Dayi is already a top influencer. Is it too late for us to enter the market now? Moreover, becoming an internet celebrity requires continuous content production, operation and maintenance, and dealing with public opinion risks, which is not cheap."

"It's not too late, it's just right."

Qingxiao was well-prepared and immediately began his analysis: "First, at the end of 2015, influencer e-commerce was just beginning to take off, and 2016 will be the real boom period. Platforms will provide strong support, and the traffic dividend is still there. Second, Zhang Dayi's style is mature and fashionable, Zhao Daxi's is retro, Xue Li's is sweet, and Bai Lu's fresh, artistic, and energetic girl style fills a market gap, precisely targeting young women aged 18-25, which perfectly matches our SUNSA customer base. Third, we have supply chain advantages, which allow us to better control quality and the speed of new product launches than pure influencer stores. This is our core competitiveness."

He continued to break down the core strategies of current online celebrity shops, presenting them in a clear and logical manner.

Persona binding: Bai Lu debuted as the "owner of SUNSA". She is not just a model, but a designer, stylist and store owner, creating a persona of "understanding fashion, having good taste and being down-to-earth".

Weibo accumulation: Daily updates on outfits, daily vlogs, design behind-the-scenes moments, interaction with fans, building trust, and transforming Weibo into a core fan base.

Content seeding: Shoot high-quality outfit photos and short videos to preview new styles, generate anticipation among fans, and achieve explosive sales upon release.

Private domain operation: Build fan groups, maintain them meticulously, distribute exclusive benefits, increase repurchase rate, and get rid of dependence on public domain traffic of the platform.

Positioning for Live Streaming: By connecting with Taobao Live in advance, Bai Lu joined as one of the first live streamers after the live streaming service was launched in 2016, seizing the opportunity to benefit from the live streaming traffic boom.

After Qingxiao finished speaking, the conference room fell into a brief silence as everyone digested this brand-new model.

Old Zhou stroked his chin and looked at Bai Lu: "Bai Lu, are you willing? Being an online celebrity shop owner means you have to put most of your energy into content creation and fan interaction, and you also have to face the camera and public opinion. The pressure is considerable."

Bai Lu raised her head, her eyes firm, without the slightest hesitation: "I'm willing. SUNSA was built by Qing Ge and everyone else together, and it's my duty to help. Besides, I enjoy communicating with fans and am willing to take responsibility for SUNSA's products."

Her tone was sincere, carrying the enthusiasm and confidence of a young person.

Qingxiao nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He then looked at everyone and said in a serious tone, "This is SUNSA's only way to break through. In 2016, we will not compete with big brands on scale, nor with established Taobao brands on price. We will compete on personalization, fan loyalty, and content traffic."

"Starting today, the company is establishing an Influencer E-commerce Business Unit, led by Qiao Shuang, who will be responsible for Bai Lu's persona development, content planning, and Weibo operation. Shu Ya will coordinate resources and ensure the promotion budget. Lao Zhou will optimize the supply chain to match the needs of influencer stores with small batches and rapid iteration. Lin Fei will be responsible for store traffic acquisition and conversion. Geng Ze will ensure logistics and delivery efficiency."

His gaze swept over everyone, his tone resolute: "First, from the end of 2015 to the beginning of 2016, we will increase Bai Lu's Weibo followers from the current level to 10 million. Second, in the first half of 2016, we will create three blockbuster outfits and establish SUNSA as 'Bai Lu's SUNSA store'. Third, during the 2016 Double Eleven shopping festival, we will leverage the influencer effect to break into the top ten women's clothing brands."

"We can't avoid the encirclement and suppression by traditional brands, but we can change the track and overtake them by using methods they can't understand or do."

In the conference room, everyone's eyes shifted from caution to determination. The initial doubts gradually dissipated, replaced by anticipation and fighting spirit for the new track.

Shuya nodded gently: "The direction is feasible, and the risks are controllable. The key is execution. We can start with small-scale trials, beginning with Weibo content, and verify the model step by step."

Qiao Shuang had already taken out her notebook and started taking notes quickly: "Tomorrow I'll coordinate with the photography team and plan the content script to establish Bai Lu's Weibo persona. Next week I'll start posting daily outfit updates and vlogs!"

Lao Zhou also stated: "The supply chain is not a problem. Popular products are mainly sold in small batches and multiple shipments. We can adjust the production line to ensure new products are launched within 7 days and shipped within 3 days."

As Qingxiao watched the enthusiastic discussion and saw the determined light in Bai Lu's eyes, a smile slowly crept onto his lips.

The cards are already laid out before us.

In 2016, the influencer economy was booming, and this was a golden opportunity for SUNSA, Bai Lu, and Qingxiao.

Avoid direct confrontation, instead partner with online celebrity IPs and cultivate the fan economy.

This path may be fraught with thorns for others.

But for Qingxiao, the possibilities are endless.

SUNSA's second phase of reform has officially begun.

A new battleground for influencer e-commerce has officially begun.