Chapter 107: A Bit of Marketing Savvy

TL: Etude

“Master Chen, there are white lines on this TV. Can it be fixed?” A man with a small beard squeezed to the front, holding a TV.

Zhao Rongxin quickly took over the TV, assuring, “We need to open it up and see where the fault is before we can fix it.”

“Okay, no problem,” the bearded man agreed readily.

As Zhao Rongxin started to dismantle the TV, the man got anxious and stopped him: “Hey, hey, what are you doing?”

Zhao Rongxin looked puzzled, “Aren’t you here to get the TV fixed? How can I fix it without opening it?”

“I came to get it fixed by Master Chen, not you!”

The man pointed at Chen Jianghai.

Chen Jianghai quickly intervened, “Don’t worry, brother. This is my apprentice, Zhao. He’s just helping me open the TV. I’ll handle the actual repair.”

Reassured by Chen’s explanation, the bearded man said, “I only trust you, Master Chen. Nobody else!”

Chen Jianghai smiled, “Rest assured, I’ll fix it for you.”

The man nodded, satisfied, and backed off.

Once things calmed down, Chen Jianghai urged Zhao Rongxin to get to work.

Zhao Rongxin thought to himself: Those with real skills indeed earn respect.

“Wow, this TV looks like new!”

“Look at the price tag, only 300 yuan?”

“That’s incredibly cheap!”

“I wish I had enough money; I’d definitely buy one!”

…

Televisions were hot commodities in the 90s. People’s lives were improving, and they started seeking spiritual enrichment beyond material needs. TVs were perfect for this.

“The radios here are cheap too!”

Fang Aiguo approached with a smile, “Although these are second-hand, their quality is guaranteed. Feel free to try them out.”

This announcement surprised everyone.

“Really? We can try them out?”

“I didn’t hear that wrong, did I?”

People were skeptical. In big stores like Zhongbai, they were only allowed to look at electronics, not even touch them for fear of damaging them. Here, they could actually try them?

Even Chen Jianghai’s team thought his decision to allow trials was a bit hasty. TVs and radios weren’t cabbages! What if a customer damaged one? Although Chen Jianghai could likely fix it, it would still be a hassle.

Despite their concerns, Chen Jianghai insisted on this approach. In the future, allowing customers to try products was a common marketing tactic. Even cosmetic stores would set aside samples for free trials.

Using a small expense to secure a sale was incredibly cost-effective. Moreover, Chen Jianghai’s only expense was a bit of electricity.

“Of course, it’s true,” Fang Aiguo added, “But I should clarify one thing: if there’s deliberate damage, it has to be compensated for at the original price.”

Everyone found this condition reasonable.

“Give me that radio to try out!” an elder pointed at a radio displayed behind the counter.

Fang Aiguo promptly took out the indicated radio and handed it to the man. He then turned on two TVs on the counter, broadcasting TV programs.

The moment the screens lit up, the once noisy shop fell silent, save for the sound from the televisions. Although the content was just advertisements and children’s programs, everyone watched with great interest.

Chen Jianghai, noticing everyone’s attention fixed on the TVs, couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and concern.

He had underestimated the allure of television in this era!

However, he didn’t comment. Zhao Rongxin had already dismantled the bearded man’s TV, and Chen needed to examine it.

The bearded man, engrossed in the TV program, had momentarily forgotten his initial purpose.

The repair was straightforward, and Chen Jianghai quickly fixed the TV.

“Boss, the TV is fixed. Please check it,” Chen Jianghai called out, rousing the bearded man from his immersion.

“Oh, it’s fixed already? How much do I owe?”

The man was surprised: “Master Chen, your skills are truly unmatched!”

Chen Jianghai smiled modestly and handed the TV to Zhao Rongxin for a final check and reassembly.

“Just a minor issue, ten yuan will do.”

The customer, thoroughly impressed, paid and left, thumbs up in approval: “Master Chen, I respect both your skills and your character!”

Once the TV was plugged back in, it worked perfectly, without the previously mentioned white lines.

The initial buzz had brought in many for repairs, but there were yet no buyers.

This didn’t escape Lin Wanqiu’s notice. People were engrossed in watching the TVs, but none talked about buying them.

“Changgui, can you watch the counter for a bit?” Lin Wanqiu asked Zhao Changgui, who simply nodded in response.

She then approached Chen Jianghai, who was busy fixing a radio.

“Jianghai, Jianghai,” she called quietly.

Chen paused his work, “What’s up?”

She gestured towards the shop, “Look, they’re just watching, not buying.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve thought about it,” Chen Jianghai reassured her with a smile and beckoned Fang Aiguo over.

Fang Aiguo rushed over, “What’s up, Brother Hai?”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? We need to change the channel after a while. Did you forget?”

Fang Aiguo, scratching his head, remembered and rushed to change the channel.

“This is your plan?” Lin Wanqiu asked, surprised.

Chen Jianghai nodded, “Yes.”

“Will it work?” she asked skeptically.

Chen Jianghai smiled mysteriously, “You’ll see soon.”

As Fang Aiguo stood in front of the TV, blocking many people’s view, complaints arose.

“Hey, big guy, what are you doing? Move aside!”

“Weren’t we allowed to watch for free?”

“They’re not shutting the TV off to save electricity, are they?”

Fang Aiguo turned and explained with a smile, “Of course, you can watch, but we need to change channels regularly to demonstrate the TV’s quality.”

“Change channels? Why?”

“I’m watching something interesting!”

“Don’t change it, wait until this program is over.”

The crowd began to grumble, but Fang Aiguo acted as if he hadn’t heard them.

…

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