Chapter 584: Ordered Takeout, Got a Job

End of the year, light snow.

Wanzhong Mall is running a Spring Festival promotion in coordination with the group-buy New Year Festival, offering various discounts to boost sales.

Starting from the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, the customer traffic has more than doubled daily.

During this period, E Le Bu has released a large number of offline ads, boasting superior delivery speeds to undercut the competition initially.

At this time, the focus of E Le Bu shifts back from Shanghai to Kyoto, rigorously defending against Baidu Sticky Rice Delivery’s takeaway service.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, more investors began contacting these takeaway platform entrepreneurs, planning to join the battle.

In August 2009, Alibaba once launched a website called Koubi.

After investing in Lashou, Koubi was not continued.

But this time, Mr. Ma plans to restart Koubi.

Like Group-Buy, Koubi is also a group-buying platform.

Its operating model is to boost sales through group buying, offering significant discounts to consumers and thin margins but high volume for businesses.

However, its scope of operations is narrower than Group-Buy’s.

Mr. Ma’s move to restart Koubi is actually a preparation to step into the takeout industry.

On the third day after the relaunch of Koubi, Praise Delivery officially came online without much fanfare or massive recruitment of couriers, yet it still significantly shook the takeout industry.

Elsewhere, Baidu also restructured Sticky Rice Delivery, injecting substantial funds.

It’s said that after this restructuring, only a small portion of Sticky Rice Delivery’s original group-buying staff remained, as there wasn’t much business they could undertake under Group-Buy’s scrutiny.

The rest were all reassigned to the takeout service team.

This means that although Baidu was just giving it a try, they were quite serious about it.

And the most impacted was the rapidly rising E Le Bu.

Deeply embedded in Shanghai, they struggled because their delivery was too slow and their estimated delivery times were inaccurate, leading their business into a bottleneck.

After spending heavily on advertising and customer subsidies, they realized that poor user experience led to rapid customer loss.

Plus, with Baidu sneaking up from behind, E Le Bu was momentarily stunned and quickly redeployed their team to consolidate their business in Kyoto.

If Jiang Qin were to comment, he’d say it was quite reminiscent of the days of Sui Xin Group.

“What’s Jiang Qin up to these days?”

“Seems he’s got a couple more companies under his name.”

“Which companies?”

“One is a commercial marketing company called Nan Shu, the other an information service company called Zi Jie Tiao Dong.”

The takeout war has reignited the battle in the O2O sector, so the big factories are particularly attentive to Group-Buy’s movements.

Jiang Qin is very strategic; it’s alright when he’s actively making moves because at least others know what he’s up to. The more he holds back, the more alarming it is – it always feels like he’s up to something.

After all, from the rise to the eventual victory of Group-Buy, each step has been meticulously planned by Jiang Qin, with pitfalls as explosive as landmines.

So, although Group-Buy hasn’t backed down yet, he might have already prepared everything for the next stages.

It’s like setting the mahjong tiles at the start of the game, planning to reveal them one by one.

Competing in the same field with him would raise anyone’s blood pressure.

“What’s this Nan Shu company about?”

“It was likely Group-Buy’s former field promotion department that got spun off. It’s similar in nature to our Alibaba central supply and I’d like to call it Nan Ying.”

“And Zi Jie Tiao Dong?”

“It’s an information service company. Its main business is probably algorithm research and some technological development and application.”

Ever since the group-buying war ended, the second batch of field marketers raised by various websites was cut again.

After all, even websites couldn’t survive anymore, and there was no need to keep such grassroots market-running departments.

There were rumors at that time about the dissolution of Group-Buy’s field promotion department, causing everyone to fend for themselves.

But as the Daily Specials continued and with the establishment of supply chains, the field promotion department got busy again, bringing some reassurance.

Luckily, I’m still of use. I won’t be discarded for now.

But what these field workers didn’t expect was that Jiang Qin would eventually take them to start a commercial marketing company once Group-Buy’s operations matured.

Even some of the ace field promoters directly made it into the management team during this structural adjustment.

The remaining stars, diamonds, and platinums also turned into internal minor leaders with numerous subordinates.

These subordinates were those who were cut after the group-buying wars.

Anyone else might see these used-up field promoters as disposable, but to Jiang Qin, they shone brightly like treasures.

Mobile internet commerce is just getting started and will overturn more traditional industries. To deeply lay the groundwork and expand the ecosystem, a strong field force is essential.

This concept stems from practice – Group-Buy’s success to date has also relied on a robust field force.

According to Jiang Qin himself, a skilled field force is unstoppable.

Meanwhile, in a high-end office building in Shanghai, E Le Bu’s newly rented office had just been set up and was now in use.

In Zhang’s view, a craftsman must first sharpen his tools. So, securing investments meant moving out of the original residential block to an office befitting their status.

During this time, their staff increased to one hundred and thirty-six.

Although the office was new, a crisis followed. With Alibaba and Baidu entering the market, the competition intensified.

“Sticky Rice Delivery Takeaway has already taken over the southern business district of Kyoto and is continuing to push south. E Le Bu, though growing fast, seems a bit overwhelmed.”

“After all, it’s Baidu…”

“Praise Delivery also secured funding. They have Alibaba’s powerful information team behind them, and even though Lashou is gone, the original elite team has likely joined Koubi.”

“Alibaba is also formidable. What should we do?”

The atmosphere in E Le Bu’s headquarters office became slightly heavy as the discussions escalated.

The influence of the big factories is indeed significant. Baidu is one thing, but Alibaba’s pressure is truly immense.

Especially since Mr. Ma has been very active recently, attending meetings and interviews, omnipresent on TV and newspapers.

His speech skills are outstanding, and motivational advice comes naturally to him.

In fact, eighty percent of young entrepreneurs in China see him as a role model.

Competing against a role model causes understandable anxiety.

Yet, Zhang Xuhao and Chen Jiaxin weren’t that tense.

They’ve been in contact with Tencent recently. As long as they can secure funding from this company, the big factories might not seem so formidable.

Zhang Xuhao’s confidence comes from deep inner belief.

He’s a second-generation rich and quite young. Such people might not even flinch after hitting a wall – how could he feel scared before the battle even begins?

Chen Jiaxin is not tense for a simpler reason; she truly doesn’t find the big factories intimidating.

She witnessed a person who, amid a deep layout and constant encroachment by big factories, rapidly broke out and silenced everyone with a counterstrike.

“Let’s not get nervous. Just continue with your daily work. We have two years of experience in online ordering, which is more than the big factories.”

“Moreover, Zhang is currently in contact with Tencent. We’re not fighting alone.”

“Koubi and Sticky Rice Delivery haven’t even fully recruited their couriers yet, but we’ve already optimized our system for better efficiency in dispatching orders. We’ll capitalize on this time difference.”

“We’ve established business districts in Hangcheng and Jinling. The next target cities are Jiangcheng and Qin Island…”

It’s the annual year-end conference for E Le Bu. Zhang Xuhao flew to Shanghai, and Chen Jiaxin chaired the entire meeting.

As a marketing general from Public Review with experience managing a team of thousands, she easily handled the hundred-member team of E Le Bu.

This Spring Festival, they plan not to take any breaks.

Like mentioned earlier, their focus is to leverage the time difference.

After the meeting, Chen Jiaxin pushed open the door to the rooftop, walked out into the chilly wind, and lit a cigarette, squinting her eyes.

She knew that if Zhang Xuhao could secure the platform and investment from Tencent, they would certainly solidify their position after the New Year.

Back at Public Review, they looked down from above.

Public Review was a veteran lifestyle service website with strong financial backing. When they first entered the group-buying race, there was a sense they were superior to others.

But this time, E Le Bu had to look up from below, facing challenges from all sides, which only fueled her fervor even more.

“Ziqing, have you met the boss yet?”

“What’s up with Tan?”

“New information – Alibaba restarted Koubi.”

Ye Ziqing paused, “You mean the group-buying website that wasn’t successful and got suspended?”

Tan Qing nodded, “Now Koubi has also launched a takeout service, along with Sticky Rice Delivery Takeaway and Public Review’s E Le Bu. Looks like we’re going to clash with three companies again.”

Just then, Ma Yubao came in from outside: “Tan, the boss is on the fourth floor.”

“What’s he doing on the fourth floor?”

“Running the glowing little train.”

“?”

After Wanzhong Mall was established, Jiang Qin also claimed an office there, declaring he’d be neighbors with He Yijun for life.

So by “fourth floor,” Ma Yubao was referring to the entertainment section of Wanzhong Mall, with a gaming city on the left, a children’s playground and KTV, among other experience shops, on the right.

At the moment, Jiang Qin was driving the small train, touring a group of children around the mall.

Soon, the ride ended, and he made thirty yuan.

The kids got off one by one, picked up by their parents.

“Mom, I want to ride again.”

“No more rides, go home and do your homework. You need to study well to become someone useful. Otherwise, you’ll end up like that uncle, doing such a disgraceful job.”

“?”

Jiang Qin was counting the coins in his hand when he heard this comment, and his mouth twisted.

But before he could respond, Tan Qing approached and briefed him on the Koubi situation.

“Uncle Ma’s ambition never dies.”

“The local life sector is indeed crucial for them.”

“Arrange for the field promotion department to train after the New Year. We have business to attend to, but martial skills must not be neglected.”

(or2 or2 or2)