Times are progressing, and modern people have higher demands for clothing; for most businesses, to quickly capture the market, they must deeply research market trends for fashion and novelty.
For a women's clothing item to become popular, it naturally requires significant effort to push it from behind; from garment design to model selection, photography, short video shooting, and promotion, a great deal of effort is needed.
If financially able, they can also promote by sponsoring TV dramas and hiring celebrity endorsements, thereby creating huge market influence.
To research clothing styles and make products more popular in the market, Tan Jincheng also put in considerable effort.
He conducted extensive research, from samples from OEM factories to small street shops, fashion magazines, and various online runway videos.
Sponsoring TV dramas and movies, and hiring celebrities, Jinpeng Trade currently lacks the financial strength for these.
However, Tan Jincheng can still achieve success by conducting market research, catering to buyers' preferences, and incorporating some insights from later generations.
Therefore, for all samples produced by Jinpeng Trade to date, Tan Jincheng has been involved in almost every design, pouring immense effort into them.
Currently, for Jinpeng Trade, which operates much like a shell company, these sample libraries are considered core resources.
What Tan Jincheng is about to show Gu Qingqing is a portion of this year's summer collection.
Regarding the summer collection, some foreigners might find certain pieces unremarkable, but whether the domestic market, including the models, will accept them is uncertain for Tan Jincheng.
After all, Gu Qingqing is not a professional fashion model, so Tan Jincheng understands if there are some clothes she cannot accept.
Sure enough, in the sample catalog, there were several summer outfits that Gu Qingqing couldn't accept.
Seeing Tan Jincheng's "I knew it" expression, Gu Qingqing's face flushed.
Fortunately, Tan Jincheng didn't dwell on the issue.
Actually, at this time, Tan Jincheng was troubled by his three new Taobao stores, whose renovations were nearly complete.
Operating the new women's clothing store was not an issue; everything would follow the old one, and sourcing goods was convenient.
The men's clothing store also posed no major problem, as models were easy to find.
However, the QQ lingerie store was a bit troublesome.
In 2005, social attitudes were far less open than in later years.
Even professional models might not be willing to shoot such photos.
Could it be that he would have to find special talents at a club?
"What's wrong? Is it not okay if I only shoot these few?"
Seeing Tan Jincheng frown, Gu Qingqing asked, a little worried.
"Oh, no; I'll find others to shoot the rest. I was thinking about something else,"
Tan Jincheng said, looking at Gu Qingqing, hesitating to speak further.
"Does Boss Tan have other matters? If so, I won't delay you."
"It's not that. Do you know any other classmates with good figures? Both male and female are needed."
After thinking, Tan Jincheng decided to ask Gu Qingqing.
"To be honest with you, I've opened three new Taobao stores that are about to launch: one for men's clothing and one for women's clothing. I still need a few male models for the men's store."
It's best to handle one thing with one person.
University students are much cheaper than professional models, so if Gu Qingqing has classmates looking for part-time work, that would be ideal.
"You opened Taobao stores again? And three of them?"
Gu Qingqing raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Yes, you can go back and ask around. If any classmates are willing to shoot, you can introduce them. The remuneration will be the same as yours. Also, if you help vet them and pick some with good personalities, I can give you a referral fee."
The last golden age for brick-and-mortar businesses would probably be around 2008, after which e-commerce would enter a period of rapid development.
If he nurtured these three stores starting now, even with "brushing," he could probably build them into crown-level stores, right?
By then, selling the stores would be like shearing the wool from internet e-commerce.
Opening three Taobao stores all at once—what kind of operation is this?
Are Taobao stores really that profitable?
Gu Qingqing, who was already curious about Taobao stores and had thought about earning some pocket money, increasingly felt that Tan Jincheng's ideas were somewhat unusual.
"If everyone goes online to buy things, what will happen to brick-and-mortar stores?"
Suddenly, Gu Qingqing thought of this question.
Online operating costs are lower, so wouldn't that mean their own store's income would drastically decrease? Gu Qingqing thought of this question out of the blue.
"Okay, I'll go back and ask my classmates to see who's interested."
Then, Gu Qingqing curiously asked,
"Didn't you say there were three stores? What does the other one sell?"
This stumped Tan Jincheng.
How should he explain it?
Discussing this topic with an 18-year-old girl seemed a bit inappropriate.
"Uh, a lingerie store,"
Tan Jincheng said vaguely, scratching his head.
"Pfft."
Gu Qingqing secretly scoffed, not pressing further.
This young boss is truly obsessed with money; he'll earn any kind of money.
A grown man selling lingerie, how shameless.
However, this was not the time to quibble.
She needed to ask this young boss why he was so optimistic about online stores, opening three at once, making a total of four including the previous one.
For some reason, after hearing Tan Jincheng describe his more than a year of experience at sea, Gu Qingqing felt that he wasn't doing this merely because opening online stores was cheaper.
For someone who painstakingly studied English for a year in advance while working part-time to engage in import-export business, and who had such a clear plan, doing business shouldn't be so simple.
So, Gu Qingqing tentatively asked,
"Boss Tan, are you very optimistic about the development of online stores?"
"Yes, in the future, with the widespread adoption of computers and mobile phones, and the convenience of internet payments, online shopping will definitely become more and more popular," Tan Jincheng nodded.
Glancing at Gu Qingqing, Tan Jincheng said with a smile,
"Just think, what kind of scenario would it be if, one day, you could receive specialties from most provinces and cities across the country online within two or three days, and conveniently buy whatever you want to eat?"
Tan Jincheng wasn't surprised that Gu Qingqing could think of this point; being able to get into university itself proved her intelligence.
Even in 2022, a year with significant university expansion, the number of undergraduates was only 4% of the total national population.
Before graduating, they were always considered "favored children of heaven."
What's more, Gu Qingqing was born in a city with a deeply commercial atmosphere, where people used to "swap chicken feathers for sugar."
There was nothing to hide.
Since 2005, the country's changes had accelerated year by year; if one paid attention, even if they didn't realize it now, they would understand the trend next year or the year after.
"So, will that have a certain impact on the rent of brick-and-mortar stores, like our International Trade City?"
Gu Qingqing finally asked what she cared about most.
"Huh? She's actually concerned about this? It looks like this girl's family owns some shops."
(End of chapter)
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