signingbooks Chapter 173 Preliminary Preparations
Chapter 173 Preliminary Preparations
When Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian returned to Jiangcheng, the clock had already quietly struck nine o'clock in the evening.
As night fell, the city's hustle and bustle faded from the eyes of weary travelers, leaving only the elongated shadows of streetlights and scattered lights in the distance.
The long journey had left both of them looking exhausted, their eyelids heavy as if weighed down by lead.
Considering that it was already late, and it would be inappropriate to make Ye Yixian go home again, Lu Yuan naturally suggested that she stay at his house for the night.
Ye Yixian was someone who didn't like to trouble others, so he subconsciously wanted to decline.
However, Lu's parents' enthusiasm was simply irresistible. The two elders took a great liking to Ye Yixian at first sight, and their words were full of concern as they insisted on keeping him.
Faced with their sincere hospitality, Ye Yixian could not refuse and could only respectfully accept their offer, blushing as he agreed.
After settling Ye Yixian in, Lu Yuan did not rest immediately.
Despite being exhausted, he locked himself in his room and dialed Lin Kai's number.
Although the problem of sourcing goods was solved through the trip to the provincial capital, this was only the first step in a long journey, and the crucial link of logistics and transportation remained unresolved.
Lu Yuan knew that at this critical juncture, the choice of transportation channels was crucial, and he had to find someone he knew well.
This wasn't because he was paranoid, but because the business world is like a battlefield, and one has to be cautious.
Linna and Yunduo are wicked and their methods are not honorable.
If you just randomly find a stranger to be in charge of transportation, there's no guarantee they won't secretly contact you.
If the other party is bribed with profit and tampers with the transportation or deliberately delays the process, it would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to a newly established clothing store.
Summer vacation is already halfway over, and Lu Yuan doesn't have much time left.
Before going to university, the clothing store must be fully operational and form a mature closed loop before it can be handed over to Lin Kai and Gao Ya for operation with peace of mind.
As for transportation, Lu Yuan wasn't too worried.
After all, the Lu family owns a garment factory, and the father has accumulated a considerable network of connections and resources.
Whether it's a large fleet of vehicles or a small logistics company, my dad has influence over the heads of all channels, including land, sea, and air.
So, early the next morning, Lu Yuan asked his father for a batch of contact information, preparing to establish a dedicated express transportation line between the provincial capital and Jiangcheng.
His business strategy is very clear: focus on "small quantities and quick service".
This requires the transportation team to be flexible enough to make rapid round trips between the two locations almost every week, ensuring that new clothing items can be put on the shelves as soon as possible.
After hearing Lu Yuan's needs, his father was quite puzzled.
Looking at his spirited son, he couldn't help but ask, "What big commotion are you planning? What do you need to transport things for?"
Lu Yuan didn't hide anything and simply and concisely explained his plan.
He said he planned to open a clothing store with a friend, wholesale clothing from the provincial capital and sell it in Jiangcheng, earning the price difference.
"My plan is this," Lu Yuan said earnestly, "In the second half of this year, we will focus on physical stores and use our price advantage to capture the affordable clothing market in Jiangcheng. Once the market stabilizes in the first half of next year, we will immediately launch an online store to achieve dual-channel operation. My goal is to accumulate three million yuan in start-up capital within a year."
Upon hearing this number, Mr. Lu was even more puzzled.
They have their own garment factory, so why do they choose to go into clothing wholesale instead of doing business that's already there?
Lu's father didn't stop Lu Yuan, but he still earnestly advised him, "Wholesale clothing and resale—countless bosses in Jiangcheng have done this. It seems like you're making a profit from the price difference, but the waters here are incredibly murky. If the styles you buy aren't right, they'll all end up piling up in the warehouse, and at the end of the year you'll have to sell them off at a loss, not even making back the shipping costs. Why are you abandoning your own factory to wade into these murky waters?"
Lu's father's intention was to advise Lu Yuan not to have too high hopes.
It's a good thing for young people to want to try their hand at business, after all, youth is an asset, but failures in business are often accompanied by painful lessons.
He wanted Lu Yuan to know that this money wasn't easy to earn.
However, seeing that his son didn't ask the family for money but instead used his own money to make a fuss, Mr. Lu assumed that it was just a young man's whim and a bit of a stunt.
Since he doesn't intend to use the family's funds, let him be. He'll know to turn back when he hits a wall.
So he didn't ask any more questions and just casually gave Lu Yuan all the business cards of the transport bosses.
After leaving home, Lu Yuan went to see Lin Kai to discuss the store location.
In the past few days, Lin Kai and Gao Ya have been busy, running around almost non-stop to conduct a detailed investigation of the clothing market in Jiangcheng.
Most of the commercial activities in Jiangcheng radiate outwards from the central shopping mall.
That is the heart of the city, a gathering place for people.
If you want to do business, you have to take advantage of the customer traffic there. Opening a shop elsewhere will definitely not be as effective.
However, while the central shopping mall is desirable, its entry requirements are also quite high.
Land prices there are exorbitant, and shop rents are among the highest in Jiangcheng.
What's even more troublesome is that there's no shortage of clothing stores there, and the competition is already fierce.
Breaking through the encirclement in such a place surrounded by powerful enemies is by no means an easy task.
The most fatal problem facing many first-time entrepreneurs is that they have too little capital and cannot afford to make endless mistakes.
Once the game begins, you must be absolutely certain of victory, otherwise all your previous efforts will be wasted and you will lose everything.
Faced with such immense pressure, Lin Kai and Gao Ya were uncertain and unable to make a decision, so they could only place all their hopes on Lu Yuan.
Although Lu Yuan has never opened a store in the central shopping mall in his life, he has a friend who suffered a setback there in his previous life, so he is quite familiar with the market.
Since 2020, physical store rents have shown a downward trend. However, the years prior to this were the peak period for the real economy, during which rents had been steadily rising.
"Judging from the current market situation," Lu Yuan thought to himself, and said calmly, "a shop on the first floor of the central shopping mall, with rent and various miscellaneous fees, would cost about 10,000 yuan per month. Moreover, the rule is 'two months' deposit and one month's rent in advance,' so the initial investment is quite substantial. In addition, a warehouse will also need to be rented."
Fortunately, Lu Yuan's model does not require large-scale stockpiling, so the warehousing pressure is relatively small.
The estimated monthly warehouse rent is around three thousand yuan.
Of course, you'll need to consult the investment promotion department for the exact price, but it will be roughly the same.
Based on this initial investment estimate, plus the cost of the first batch of goods and the operating funds reserved for the next three months, Lin Kai's 500,000 yuan should be sufficient.
However, there is a hard prerequisite: profitability must be achieved within three months.
In other words, Lu Yuan's operating model must be an instant success, and there can be no mishaps.
Lu Yuan was naturally very confident in his operating model, after all, these were successful cases built by those business geniuses in his previous life with real money.
Having lived two lives, he understood that starting a business is not about creating something new out of thin air, but about keenly identifying new business opportunities within existing product categories.
After agreeing on the details, the three split into two groups.
Lu Yuan went to the central shopping mall to inquire about shop space, while Lin Kai and Gao Ya went to find a suitable warehouse.
Having someone of high caliber discuss the warehouse was a well-considered decision.
The Gao family is in the building materials business and has a great need for warehousing. They also have extensive connections in this industry.
After graduating from university, Gao Ya helped her family manage the business. In addition, she was beautiful and had high emotional intelligence, so many business owners were willing to give her some face.
Let her negotiate the warehouse rental; she might be able to get a better deal.
Lu Yuan arrived at the central shopping mall alone.
With a clear goal in mind, he went straight into the investment promotion office to inquire about the shops.
However, the staff member who greeted him looked him up and down. Seeing his youthful face, casual clothes, and undeniable immaturity, their attitude immediately became perfunctory.
"Shops? The first floor is long gone. There are a few on the second floor. Check the table yourself." The staff member didn't even look up, casually pointing to a table on the wall, his tone indifferent.
Faced with such blatant contempt, Lu Yuan felt a surge of anger.
It's not entirely fair to blame them for being snobbish.
In this place, there are quite a few people who come to inquire every day, but not many can actually afford to rent it.
Their experiences of giving their all only to be repeatedly stood up taught them to be selective in their interactions with others.
In their eyes, this young boy was probably sent by some poor adult to sound them out, or simply to amuse them.
The central shopping mall is, after all, the most expensive location in this small town. The shops here, especially the shops on the first floor, are not necessarily affordable for the average local.
"Is this your service attitude?" Lu Yuan sneered, not making a scene, but his eyes turned cold.
The staff member pursed his lips, didn't reply, and continued with his work.
Lu Yuan is a man with a temper, but he also understands that time is precious and not worth wasting on these unimportant people.
Since this place doesn't welcome us, we can just rent a shop on a nearby street. As long as we run it properly, good wine needs no bush.
He snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Just as I reached the door, before my hand even touched the glass doorknob, a familiar yet slightly strange voice broke the stillness behind me:
"Lu...Lu Yuan? You're Lu Yuan, right?"
The voice was hesitant, seemingly unsure, but its tone revealed an undisguised surprise and delight.
Lu Yuan paused, his brows furrowing slightly.
This voice... why does it sound so familiar?
Moreover, the way he spoke, with his stammering manner, made him seem like an acquaintance, yet it was hard to recall who he was.