Chapter 558: The Future of Group-Buy Pine Selection

One phrase from Jiang Qin awakened Cao Guangyu in his dreams, suddenly clarifying his identity, leading him to swagger all afternoon, even seeming bigger than Ding Xue.

Indeed, this couple is quite unique.

Jiang Qin’s gaze shifted and he noticed twelve delivery trucks nearby starting up, their engines roaring as they began to slowly move out following assembly completion.

“Are we starting shipments now?”

“Yes, Mr. Jiang, they should reach their destination this afternoon around three.”

“Quite impressive…”

Jiang Qin crossed his arms, his gaze following each transport truck as they left.

Actually, scenes like these were nothing new to young master Cao; he was used to them. But with Jiang Qin’s recent words, his pride seemed even more inflated.

These goods, in turn, will progress through Hengtong Freight’s distribution into various cities via Pine’s channels.

They are systemically delivered into the hands of Pine’s collaborating merchants, catering directly to Pine’s consumers.

Dependency on supply chains is a grave affair for physical restaurant businesses; once they’ve signed up with Pine’s supply chain, they’re bound for life.

As merchants, they might choose better group-buy platforms, but they won’t find more affordable supply chains than Pine’s.

While Pine does profit on both ends, the reciprocal arrangement in supply and commission is genuinely considerate.

My supply profits by ten percent, and the platform’s cut is another ten percent; so in total, it’s only twenty percent.

Other suppliers might charge you fifteen percent, plus another ten percent for a different group-buy platform.

Thus, Pine’s platform combined with its own channels saves the merchants five percent in profit margin. Only a fool would reject that.

As more merchants sign contracts, their data too becomes more precise.

Data on how much beef, pork, lamb, and fish each city consumes monthly becomes crucial for purchasing decisions.

This data ensures there’s no overstock, optimizes warehouse operation, and reduces the risks of unsold goods.

So, why do the rich get richer? Because they excel in resource integration.

In truth, aside from some innovative industries, most diverse sectors operate in this manner, sans any high-technology content.

“Young master, don’t force it; it’s big enough. Come with me to the next storage area.”

“Oh, alright.”

Following Jiang Qin, Cao Guangyu quickly arrived at the next area: “Group-Buy Pine Selection, I know this one, the genuine mall from your platform, right?”

Jiang Qin nodded, then toured inside the warehouse.

Pine’s Exclusive selection channel is the sole proprietary route of the Pine platform, covering many categories from electronics and home appliances to snacks and drinks, a sight to behold.

These purchased items are then transported to various city logistics warehouses by Hengtong Freight; once someone places an order on Pine, these products secondarily enter a queue for dispatch.

From the warehouse to the buyer, delivery could be achieved within half a day.

Why?

Because their goods are distributed to city warehouses aligned with the supply chain movements.

Then, those handling community group purchases take care of transport, reaching various stations to facilitate seamless integration.

Thus, Group-Buy Pine Selection truly poses a threat to e-commerce platforms.

Like Taobao, which lacks its own logistics and thus has lousy delivery speeds.

Only Jingdong, which has established its own logistics, can compete with Pine in terms of delivery speed.

In logistics infrastructure, Jiang Qin actually adopts Jingdong’s approach, but Pine’s supply chain mainly targets four major first-tier cities, making nationwide delivery unrealistic. That’s why Group-Buy Pine Selection isn’t made bigger.

Additionally, Jiang Qin never intended to expand Group-Buy Pine Selection significantly.

Two reasons drive this decision.

First, the existence of Group-Buy Pine Selection aims to assure consumers of Pine’s integrity, enforcing strict quality control to avoid counterfeit goods, associating Pine’s name with high-quality genuine products.

Thus, its symbolic significance far outweighs its profitability.

Second, if Jiang Qin expanded Group-Buy Pine Selection now, it would equate to declaring war on Alibaba and Jingdong, which wouldn’t be wise.

So what is the current model of Group-Buy Pine Selection?

It guarantees authentic products, maintains reputation and image, offers faster delivery than Taobao, but its prices and product range can’t match those of Taobao or Jingdong.

Currently, there’s a dedicated Group-Buy Pine Selection business group in Shanghai, led by Guan Shen, who was recently transferred from Shanghai.

Guan Shen doesn’t quite understand why Jiang Qin keeps a tight lid on the expansion of Group-Buy Pine Selection.

They could indeed grow it bigger, even spinning it off into a standalone mall.

But Jiang Qin has never approved, leaving her quite frustrated.

Especially earlier this year when the sales manager from Xiaomi Technology specifically called Guan Shen, hoping to discuss a potential collaboration with Group-Buy Pine Selection.

Xiaomi’s mobile phones, especially the newly released models of the year, were in short supply, causing a buying frenzy criticized as deliberate scarcity marketing by the media.

That’s one reason; another is Xiaomi, as a new mobile phone brand, really doesn’t have extensive distribution channels.

Thus, they wanted to try using Group-Buy Pine Selection’s channels, offering exclusive rights to market Xiaomi Mobile 2 in first-tier cities.

It was indeed a tempting offer.

Pine has high flexibility in first-tier cities, and Xiaomi Mobile has a fanbase enthusiasm successfully hyped; cooperation would thus be mutually beneficial.

Yet, when this plan came back to Jiang Qin through internal systems, it was still vetoed.

After just stabilizing the group-buy market and still consuming the sinking market entirely, Pine’s stability wasn’t fully maximized, and funds were once again all invested in the supply chain.

Thus, there was no need to chase another track and create stronger competition.

Many TV series and novels depict heroes as arrogantly declaring war or leading industries just like that.

That’s actually foolish.

Because truly, you don’t just go around claiming to be the strongest in business, you ought to present yourself as a part of the disadvantaged.

Like the recent Double Eleven shopping festival, achieving an impressive 5.9 billion, Mr. Ma decided to raise his annual operational fees from two thousand to twenty thousand, provoking countless merchants into scolding him.

Moreover, many merchants band together to form an “Anti-Taobao Alliance” and even held a massive Anti-Taobao conference in the port area.

What did Mr. Ma do?

Facing the media, he choked up multiple times stating he was too tired, barely making any profit, and that increasing the operational fees was to maintain corporate operations and to promote societal development.

Currently, Jiang Qin is playing the role of the underdog, “Mr. Ma, don’t mind me, I really have no intention of growing big.”

Like the exclusive sales channel for Xiaomi 2, right? Would that not absolutely infuriate Mr. Ma?

“This Estée Lauder, Din Xue was just about to buy it.”

Cao Guangyu spotted the several shelves stocked with white boxes.

Heading over, Jiang Qin looked closely: “Damn, why are these cosmetics so expensive? What’s the cost price?”

“Mr. Jiang, here’s the procurement list.”

“Holy shit, am I really making so much? Faster than robbing a bank, this warehouse feels like a lawless land.”

Surprised, Jiang Qin continued forward, picking up a pair of boots: “These look nice, I’ll take them back for the little rich girl; she likes these kinds of boots.”

Watching from behind, Cao Guangyu gritted his teeth: “You really spoil her, don’t you forget about her wherever you go?”

“Someone’s got to spoil her. Otherwise, what’s the point in earning money? Just like Chao and me, single with no girlfriends, there’s no one else to spoil but her.”

“Hurry up and get married after you graduate.”

“Pfft, marry a good friend? You covet your friend’s body or something? How low.”

Jiang Qin walked ahead righteously and then encountered a whole area dedicated to exotic lingerie, another lawless land.

Young Master Cao stopped in front of a nurse outfit, unable to move: “Old Jiang, can I take one?”

“I’ll give it to you at cost price, don’t say I’m not a good brother.”

“…”

The exotic lingerie area was right next to the lingerie section. Jiang Qin examined closely, his hand forming a claw: “In the future, with proper data, I might even know which area has the most generous women and which city’s guys are the smallest.”

Cao gasped: “Really?”

“Of course, no one small would forcefully buy something big, right? So data is really a good thing.”

Coming back to his senses, Jiang Qin patted his stomach and looked at Cao Guangyu: “Getting a bit hungry.”

Cao Guangyu waved his hand grandly: “Let’s go, back home for dinner!”

“…”

Cao’s parents had been preparing dinner since three in the afternoon, and it wasn’t just them at home, several other logistics company bosses were there too.

In the expansion of Hengtong Freight, these logistics companies, previously competitors, had been inadvertently swallowed up.

With Jiang Qin coming from afar, Cao’s father brought these colleagues along to meet him.

“Going to young master Cao’s house for dinner, braised pork for dinner, plus a young girl… though she’s only eight years old…”

Jiang Qin sat at the dinner table, typing away.

Cao Guangyu glanced at him: “Reporting to Feng again?”

“What treasure, nonsense, we’re just good friends.”

“Who said anything about treasure? I said ‘reporting’!”

Putting down his phone, Jiang Qin responded: “No, I was writing in my diary.”

Cao Guangyu picked up some duck with his chopsticks and placed the duck head in Jiang Qin’s bowl: “Old Jiang, give it a poke, see which of you two is harder.”

“Stinky nephew, no respect for your uncle at all.”

Just then, a message from Feng Nanshu popped up.

“Over at aunt’s house, had dinner there, soybean and pig trotters, phoenix claws; I think you would have liked it. Then met some relatives, no boys though.”