Chapter 420: Group Buying Everywhere! How Did It Come to This?

After Halloween, deep winter kicks in the weekend after, with northern cities starting central heating and parts of North China welcoming the first snow.

Group buying websites begin to target second and third-tier cities with aggressive advertising.

There are many second and third-tier cities; they can’t eat as delicately as the top-tier cities, so starting with fame through advertising is a good strategy.

Additionally, as the market and reach expand, the initial competition in these tier-two and tier-three markets isn’t too fierce.

For instance, Lashou Network starts with a strong base in the north, pushing southward, while Nuomi Network smartly avoids them, focusing on the south. The remaining networks like 24Coupon, WoWo Group, and Manzuo Network target third-tier cities specifically.

No one wants to clash head-on early on, knowing from past rounds, the first to burn cash dies the fastest.

In this sudden cold of early winter, group buying, cloaked by night, gradually comes into focus for all group buying sites.

“Currently, the market leader in West Capital is a site called ‘Group Buying.’”

“Same here in Tianjin.”

“Chuan Yu is similar. Group Buying holds about forty percent of the market share, mainly concentrated in several large bustling business districts.”

“It’s all about Group Buying in the malls.”

“In Linchuan… there’s no other group buying website.”

Before entering a market, doing thorough market research is essential, and many regional managers were shocked when they got the data firsthand.

In their minds, these second and third-tier markets weren’t so prosperous, and the online business was thought to be dominated by local group buying sites.

To operate in these cities, either assimilate local group buying sites or completely grab the consumer resources.

After all, to them, small-scale sites are just weaklings, easily taken down in one hit.

Unexpectedly, market share in these diverse second and third-tier cities was dominated by a site called ‘Group Buying.’

And they aren’t heavily advertising but instead focus on building reputation through reviews and user acquisition, sparking local business competition and user engagement through ratings.

Local consumers, apart from trying out Group Buying for its discounts, mostly treasure their rankings and reviews.

In other words, compared to the straightforward cash-burning group buys, Group Buying seems to be subtly integrating into the cities as a browsing and dining guide.

Zhou Zhenhao, newly employed at LaShou’s West Capital branch, took three days to adjust his mindset and moved beyond his past failures at Suixin Group, ready to kickstart operations.

Yet when he saw newly recruited staff instantly logging onto Group Buying during lunch, he was completely baffled.

He knew Jiang Qin wasn’t just in Linchuan; he was also covertly running operations in Shanghai University Town, even once forcing Lashou Network to retreat and surrender, utilizing the natural barrier of college districts.

But he hadn’t expected Group Buying to also stand firm in these second and third-tier cities.

What was he going to do?

As a college graduate, was he actually trying to delve into national group buying market competition?

But what was the reality? Group Buying was seriously popular in his area, squeezing out those local group buying sites.

Most horrifying was the email from Manager Luo indicating that the cities Lashou Network targeted were all under Group Buying’s influence; if market share was additive, Group Buying would already be among the top five.

Zhou Zhenhao was dazed all morning and used his lunch break to check out Group Buying for the first time, leaving him subduedly impressed after a few uses.

Group Buying’s user interface and experience were top-notch, featuring unseen strategies like stacked discounts for group codes and a praise system that lets users control their discounts.

Was Suixin Group just a crippled copy at the outset?

More absurdly, a common understanding in the group buying websites is that merchant resources are paramount. But Group Buying seemed to do the opposite, pouring significant efforts into user experience.

“Jiang Qin…”

“How could it be Jiang Qin…”

Zhou Zhenhao slumped into his chair, temples throbbing incessantly.

At the same time, Luo Ping who oversaw the entire North China market was also stunned.

He knew about Group Buying; wasn’t it just a small site from Kyoto University Town? I had even considered acquiring it but got ignored.

But I’m not in Kyoto anymore. How come everywhere I go now, freaking Group Buying?

While Lashou Network was dumbfounded, so was Nuomi Group in the southern market encountering Group Buying, echoing the reaction from Lashou Network.

“Manager Chang, it’s Group Buying again. The same one that got the better of Lashou Network in Shanghai.”

“Still the same old Group Buying? No changes at all?”

“No, not the same. Their tactics… have improved.”

“I heard their promoter, bored previously, even took time out to appear on a show called ‘Martial Arts Wind.’”

“??????”

The situation was different from expected; encountering the competition immediately disrupted their rhythm. But everyone, hardened by market battles, wouldn’t lack the ability to adapt.

You all focus on user experience, right? We have one thing you don’t – loads of money.

How can your user experience ever be more attractive than cold, hard cash? Impossible!

Hence, many city group buying networks thought alike: if you excel in user experiences and rankings, then I’ll direct specialists to target top-ranked merchants on Group Buying.

I’ll treat your top-rated list as my contract guide, secure these popular merchants, and keep increasing our subsidies.

A meal that’s 80% off on your site, is 60% off on ours. Consumers can’t possibly pick you just because your operations are smoother, right?

Once consumers check your rankings and come to our site to buy coupons, wouldn’t your Group Buying efforts just be a waste?

After strategizing, market specialists from major sites started targeting streets based on Group Buying’s popular rankings.

On November 9th, at five in the morning, Zhou Zhenhao at the West Capital branch held a motivational meeting and, using Group Buying’s top-rated list, crafted a contracting list and personally led the charge.

Yang Ji, Fresh Harvest Mr., Grand Earth Cinema, Good Family Footpath, Maddy KTV, Berlan Dessert Shop…

Lashou Network’s staff demonstrated their professionalism, continuously signing up users and securing one contract after another smoothly.

However, at three in the afternoon, when they reached Xitian Milk Tea Shop, they encountered a marketing squad from Group Buying.

“What are you doing here?”

“Doing business, what else?”

“Ha, who gave you the guts to do business here? Don’t you know this is Group Buying territory?”

“Bro, don’t be too domineering. Do you own this market?”

“Who’s your brother? Look at that weak stance; your waist isn’t even as thick as my arm. Get wise and leave!”

Hearing this, the LaShou team realized they were clearly being provoked into a fight.

Just as they were worried, a staff member from Xitian Milk Tea Shop came out, looked at both groups, and frowned.

“Can you not disturb us while we’re trying to do business?”

Zhou Zhenhao quickly smiled, “Miss, I’m the marketing manager from Lashou Network, and I’d like to invite your shop to join our site. Is your manager here?”

The Group Buying promoter was instantly annoyed: “Still talking, are you?”

Zhou Zhenhao, intimidated by the other’s bulging muscles but knowing he couldn’t show fear, asserted, “Hitting people is illegal!”

The Xitian staff glanced at Group Buying’s manager, “Don’t cause trouble at our entrance. The market is open, we can join whoever we want. If you keep this up, we won’t cooperate with you anymore!”

“Alright, alright!”

The Group Buying manager gritted his teeth and glared at Zhou Zhenhao. “Fine, you win. Who can mess with their boss anyway? I give up!”

Zhou Zhenhao blinked, still processing, when he watched the Group Buying team swiftly leave without looking back.

Just like that? Damn, is this what Group Buying promotion is? Too weak!

He suddenly felt an unprecedented thrill, something he never experienced with Suixin Group.

Meanwhile, at Linchuan University’s administration office, Jiang Qin was playing Go with Dean Zhang Boiqing, intensely exchanging moves.

As Dean Zhang cunningly moved to connect five pieces first, Jiang Qin, greatly alarmed, shook his hands flamboyantly in front of the dean and sneakily took one of his white pieces.

“What are you doing?”

“All’s fair in war. This move is called ‘creating rightful chaos.’”

Dean Zhang, baffled, looked at him and then made a move on the board; but after placing his piece, he felt something was amiss.

What’s going on? I remember having a piece here, right?

At that moment, Jiang Qin reached into Dean Zhang’s Go box, fetched a piece, and pretended to place it, leaving the dean gaping.

“Wait, what are you doing with my piece?”

“Hmm? Is this your piece?”

“It’s white. If it’s not mine, whose is it?”

“Dean, you’re too naive. Did you ever consider maybe the pieces on this board are all mine?”

Dean Zhang incredulously stared, “Black’s yours, white’s yours too? Then what the hell am I playing for?”

Jiang Qin looked up, “Exactly, what are you playing for?”

“?????”

Upon hearing “you guys,” Dean Zhang instantly felt a chill and quickly looked back to confirm they were alone in his office, feeling even more unsettled.

There’s not even a ghost here; how did he suddenly say ‘you guys’?