Chapter 438: Group Buy Select

On December 24th, Christmas Eve, all major group buying sites had bustling marketing activities.

Especially in a first-tier city like Shanghai, the openness to culture and economy is something Linchuan can’t compare with, making the Christmas atmosphere even more lively.

Under Jiang Qin’s arrangement, Sun Zhi took this opportunity to leave Shanghai, arrive in Shenzhen, and meet with the Shenzhen University Town substation team to begin the second round of market deployment.

Indeed, this was their second target.

Not Kyoto, but Shenzhen.

The situations in Shenzhen and Shanghai are similar. This was originally Suixin Group’s market, but it was scooped by Lashou Network, which felt like a bride running away the night before the wedding—not a hair seen.

Later, Nuomi picked it up cheap and took over half, leading to a standoff between the two sides.

So, the tricks Jiang Qin used in Shanghai could be replicated in the Shenzhen market.

“University City’s Hibernation”

“Iron Army of Ground Promotion”

“Chain Brands of Food Festivals”

“Advance Half-Year Deep Cooperation Agreements”

Like Robin said, these four strategies used by the group to choke the competition cannot be broken by LaShou’s team, which lacks funding.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin also set a general direction for the follow-up work in Shanghai, which was to follow the planned route and gradually eat into Lashou Network’s market.

But this time, they deliberately avoided Nuomi, showing a friendly and harmless demeanor.

“Though the Shanghai market is large, it’s too crowded—no need to have two enemies.”

“Especially when we’re on a roll, every move we make is magnified through the eyes of our rivals.”

“We try to maintain a friendly attitude, just like a clear yet foolish university student, babbling ‘Macabacca’ is enough.”

No one in the group purchase substation knew what ‘Macabacca’ meant, but it was a phrase used by the boss, usually sparking an internal trend quickly.

Gradually, ‘Macabacca’ became the team’s special greeting phrase.

Old Wang, Macabacca.

Good morning, Macabacca.

Have you eaten? Macabacca.

Jiang Qin, looking at this group of Macabacca, laughed until his face hurt, thinking what kind of team have I raised—they look dumber the more I look.

He decided to try ‘Ula’ next time to see if it would be any better.

At this moment, Ye Ziqing happened to walk into the office and heard Jiang Qin planning the next steps.

She realized that unlike them, when they were doing Suixin Group, many of the emotions were genuine, but many of Jiang Qin’s were acted.

For example, he would say, “I’ve got the Shanghai market in the bag!” but then turn around and say, “Just be friendly with Nuomi, and both sites will coexist peacefully,” which resulted in LaShou’s operations shrinking again.

Looking at herself, initially selling Shenzhen resources to Nuomi in a desperate survival attempt, it soon turned around—never underestimate a hustler.

Especially when returning to the Shenzhen market, Zhou Zhenhao with his hands in his pockets and a devilish smile, said he would personally lead the charge this time.

That atmosphere back then felt rather fiery, but now, her toes couldn’t stop wiggling uneasily.

Sister Ye pondered and suddenly realized something.

People like Jiang Qin, who seemed unreliable and somewhat sloppy, were actually the most steady and sober in the entire market.

Whereas people like Cui Yiting, Zhou Zhenhao, and herself, all 30 years old, speaking slowly with light smiles, pretending to be stable, even fooling themselves.

They had only shouted challenges because they lost the Shenzhen market out of a desperate survival strategy.

However, the group purchase executed a beautiful breakout game, shocking other group buying sites, causing no ripple inside.

Ye Ziqing took a deep breath, clickedher high heels and went over, “President Jiang, Da Zhe Venture Capital and Junlin Capital’s managers called, wanting to meet with you.”

Jiang Qin glanced at her, “Same reply as to the other venture capital firms, tell them I appreciate their interest, but I’m weak and caught a cold, resting now.”

“Oh…”

“Sister, don’t be so tense. We’re a relaxed team; you can loosen up a little.”

Ye Ziqing nodded, “Okay.”

“Wanna join everyone for cards? It’s really fun.”

Ye Ziqing held her breath, thinking do I not deserve your salary that you also have to take my own money?

Meanwhile, Xu Kaixuan, Zhang Jindong, and other card masters had begun to quietly leave, but accidentally kicking the trash can attracted Jiang Qin’s attention.

“Where are you going, Kaixuan? Don’t leave, come play cards!”

Xu Kaixuan’s face turned green, “Boss, ever since I played cards with you, I’ve never won!”

Jiang Qin frowned, “I haven’t won either, what are you howling about?”

“But your rule is whoever loses, eats it all!”

“…”

Ma Yubao and Yang Shuai chuckled in a corner, immediately catching Jiang Qin’s attention.

“What are you laughing at? Come play cards!”

Suddenly, the two aces from Room 208 lost their smiles.

As time moved to evening, Ye Ziqing returned to her hotel, planning to sleep well but suddenly saw Cui Yiting and Zhou Zhenhao chatting in a group.

She hesitated for a long moment, then chose to quietly watch.

This behavior is quite unethical, she didn’t want to do it, but Jiang Qin had told her, work is work, life is life, don’t let work issues affect your personal relations, it would trouble his conscience.

Jiang Qin even wanted to join their group chat, to become good friends, but Ye Ziqing stopped him.

Not appropriate, not appropriate, there are only three people in this group, one more makes it too obvious…

“Darkness is about to pass, dawn belongs to us.”

“What do you mean? Did we secure funding?”

“According to my insider info, funding preparations are underway, and this time, it’s no ordinary company but an internet titan financing us.”

“Do you think Jiang Qin’s ruckus in Shanghai could secure funding?”

When Cui Yiting mentioned group purchase, the group suddenly went silent.

Especially Zhou Zhenhao, who had been shouting impossibilities this past month, faced several metaphorical slaps well-measured enough to dazzle but not hurt.

Jiang Qin had demonstrably shown them a textbook-style group buying war, leaving only his nonchalant figure and their shocked faces once the smoke cleared.

“Considering group purchase’s achievements over this past half month, it will definitely secure funding, but it’s too small, it doesn’t have a full market, so the money it could secure isn’t much.”

“But with his gambit of achieving much with little, securing even a little could pose a big headache for us.”

“Not anymore, Yiting, internet giants have entered the fray, funding is at the billion level, large sites have a chance, but for small ones, it’s nearly catastrophic.”

“…”

Looking at the chat records, Ye Ziqing remained silent.

Seeking investment? Sorry, never sought, though several venture firms call daily wanting to invest.

But Jiang Qin refused to meet any, acting as if he didn’t need financing, almost haughtily so.

Yet Ye Ziqing dared not make any more assumptions, Jiang Qin’s plays were beyond even her imagination.

However, she pondered, after all major sites obtained financing, what strategy could group purchase employ? In the face of hard-hitting campaigns, how effective could his four-step plan be?

December 25th, Christmas, all group buying sites ran promotional activities, also warming up for New Year’s Day.

At this time, Group Purchase Selects Carefully officially launched, with its main business area set in Shanghai.

This was Jiang Qin using the Linchuan Business Group’s channels to run direct operations for the first time, with selected items seeing a surge in sales.

Meanwhile, Dong Wenhao gathered personnel to write detailed posts about their select products, services, and stores, then supported them with the biggest discounts in group purchase history, hitting a market peak.

Why suddenly opt for careful selectivity?

It wasn’t really for the money but to establish a brand image during this opportunity.

The counterfeit market in 2010 was rampant; Taobao recently exposed a counterfeit scandal involving even high-priced luxury brands like Rolex and LV, even reported by overseas news.

And the mixed group buying market had become a dumping ground for counterfeits.

If at this stage, they could make consumers subconsciously associate Group Purchase with high-quality goods through careful selectivity, the brand value achieved would be priceless.

This move literally emptied all of Jiang Qin’s resources, he even didn’t spare the advertising budget on Zhihu, pouring everything into it.

With the battle imminent, Jiang Qin became penniless, but ‘Group Purchase’ and ‘Selects Carefully’ gradually became synonymous.

This is the advantage of having real supply channels.

“If you want genuine products, go for Group Purchase,” became a slogan, gradually seeping into public consciousness through certain enthusiasts.

In the early morning, the temperature in Linchuan dropped below zero, even freezing Wangyue Lake.

Zhuang Chen, holding a package, walked out of the parcel station, inviting Jian Chun and others from his dorm to dine out.

Since Jiang Qin traveled on business, he felt much less sour, seemed less nervous, returning to a warmer persona, thus easing relations with Jian Chun and her dorm mates.

“What did you buy?”

“An iPhone 4, the world’s most advanced smartphone with glass on both sides, a five million-pixel camera, and only 7.6 mm thick, priced at 5,000, but I got it for just 4,300.”

Zhuang Chen said, fishing a small knife from his pocket: “This phone is already sold out, with lots of scalpers and counterfeits, getting it at the original price is difficult, but my cousin has channels, you can come to me for phones.”

Pan Xiu glanced at her Nokia: “I want to switch phones, preferably not over a thousand. How much can you save me?”

“At least about a hundred or so.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if not for knowing Chun Chun, I wouldn’t even tell you—it’s too hard to get goods through regular channels now, but I can get you the lowest price on the net, and you don’t have to worry about fakes.”

As Zhuang Chen spoke, he sliced open the package with a utility knife, revealing a bright yellow second layer.

He set down the knife, took out the box, and suddenly noticed the girls opposite were all stunned.

Haven’t even unwrapped it and you’re already dazzled? Isn’t that a bit much?

But the next second, Zhuang Chen’s expression also froze, simply because he saw a line written on the box.

For genuine goods, go to Group Purchase Selects Carefully.

Pan Xiu widened her eyes: “Jiang Qin is your cousin?!”

Hearing this, Jian Chun, Song Qingqing, and Jiang Tian all laughed, after boasting for over ten minutes about channels and cousins, it turned out to be the god-like Group Purchase.

“Impossible, must be a coincidence, right? I… I got this from a Shanghai proxy.”

As they spoke, the cafeteria’s TV suddenly turned on, showing one of their seniors from Linchuan University’s journalism department, currently the host of a campus-wide educational program.

The senior sister smiled sweetly, her melodious voice gradually spreading throughout the cafeteria.

“He is just an ordinary university student, the founder of Group Purchase and Zhihu, and his name is Jiang Qin.”

“In December, Group Purchase formally entered the Shanghai market, joining the national wave of group buying, achieving remarkable results…”

“…”

“After deliberations by the school leadership, Jiang Qin from Linchuan University’s School of Finance has been bestowed with the title of Distinguished Alumnus. He is the youngest ever recipient in the history of the university to receive this honor and the first undergraduate to do so.”