Chapter 182 Laying Out a Strategy in Japan: Let's Open a Shop!

Wu Haoyu stood at the doorway, caught in a dilemma.

He had just tried to stop his friend because, although he suspected he was hallucinating, he still recognized Wang Xiao's voice.

Her unhurried tone of voice, her habit of leaving hooks at every turn to keep you listening, and her imaginative way of thinking are all so distinctive.

However, Wu Haoyu couldn't find a reason to stop his friend who was applauding, so he could only follow along in a flustered manner.

Perhaps he didn't want to stop her, because the moment he heard her voice, he realized that all his psychological withdrawal over the past few months had been in vain.

He thought of her frantically, like a raging flood, he had nowhere to escape, he thought of her relentlessly.

His fragile self-esteem was his last vestige of pride, which made him stubbornly stand at the door, hesitant to take a step forward.

But his overwhelming longing prevented him from leaving. He didn't need a mirror to know that his eyes couldn't leave her for even a moment.

Whether a person is doing well or badly can easily be reflected on their face.

It was obvious that she was doing very well; she looked great and was slightly thinner than she had been during the Lunar New Year.

But that's normal; everyone gains weight during holidays.

A wave of sadness welled up in Wu Haoyu's chest, and his throat felt choked up; he couldn't utter a single syllable.

His friend didn't notice his unusual behavior at all, and excitedly expressed his admiration to Wang Xiao: "You're amazing! I never thought of considering things from this perspective. I always thought it was because God rewarded England with a Newton, and because England valued intellectual property protection, that they had the steam engine and the Industrial Revolution. That's incredible."

Wang Xiao smiled slightly: "You guys are really impressive. The comrades at the Chinese Embassy in Japan can also speak Russian."

The young man with slightly curly hair asked in surprise, "How did you know we were from the embassy?"

Wang Xiao nodded slightly to Wu Haoyu and greeted him, "Long time no see."

Wu Haoyu waited for her to call his name, but she only said this one simple phrase before turning her gaze away and speaking slowly and deliberately to his friend who had a surprised expression: "It's not what I thought, it's what my university professor said."

Well, I guess so, because "The Great Divergence" (also known as "Europe, China and the Development of the Modern World Economy") was recommended to her students by her university economics professor.

This was written by American historian and sinologist Kenneth Pomeranz. Some of his views are quite unique and interesting.

Wu Haoyu didn't get a second word from her, but his legs had already involuntarily led him to their dining table.

He thought he must have been bewitched by the magic in martial arts novels.

Tragically, Wang Xiao simply smiled at him again. His pain was like being under anesthesia; the wound was still there, but his brain was deceiving him.

His friend only then realized, "Oh, you two know each other."

Ivanov answered first, smiling warmly, and even took Wu Haoyu's hand: "Of course, back in Tokyo, I was very grateful for the help from Mr. Wu and the leaders of the Chinese Embassy."

The clueless young man with curly hair readily accepted this explanation with "Oh, oh." He had only been at the embassy for less than two months.

But that didn't stop him from being friendly: "Are you in Tokyo on business or for tourism? If you have any problems, you can contact the embassy."

Before Wang Xiao and Wu Haoyu could exchange a word, Ivanov interrupted, saying, "On official business, we're going to Dongli to discuss business."

As he spoke, he glanced pretentiously at the Swiss gold watch on his wrist.

Thankfully, he was someone who never left his bodyguard's side 24 hours a day; otherwise, Wang Xiao would have been genuinely worried that he might have his wrist chopped off on the streets of Moscow at any moment.

Ivanov gave a standard smile, tinged with apology: "Sorry, we'll have to go now."

The curly-haired young man responded with "Oh, oh" again, then looked at Wang Xiao expectantly: "Excuse me, but who is your university professor? Which university is he/she at? I hope to have the opportunity to ask him/her for advice when I go back to China to visit my family."

Wang Xiao couldn't conjure up a teacher, so he could only make something up: "I really don't know. He went into business a long time ago, and I don't know where he went."

In the 1980s and 90s, countless university teachers went into business. There were quite a few university teachers among the middlemen in Moscow.

The curly-haired young man was very disappointed: "That's a real shame."

Wang Xiao's Chinese bodyguard, unaware that his boss was actually talking nonsense, immediately chimed in, "There's nothing to regret. Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles. Maybe if that teacher traveled more and saw more of the world, his research would yield even greater results."

The curly-haired young man chuckled and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, I look forward to his new research findings."

Ivanov waved to him directly: "Then we'll be going now, goodbye."

Wang Xiao stood up, nodded slightly to the two men, and, surrounded by bodyguards, slowly walked out of the restaurant.

Those present who knew the inside story were all incredibly composed; they would never, under any circumstances, show any sign of being a bystander in front of their boss.

However, this doesn't stop people from secretly hoping for a melodramatic scene, like Mr. Wu rushing out, catching up with Miss Wang, and then having a public kiss.

Unfortunately, Mr. Wu was probably too reserved and couldn't save face. Anyway, no one chased after them to stage a dramatic scene until Wang Xiao and the others got into the taxi and headed to Dongli Company.

Oh well, it's a real shame I didn't get to hear the juicy gossip.

Wow, Mr. Wu doesn't wear suits and shirts, just T-shirts, and he actually looks pretty good.

Sigh, he looks much thinner than during the Spring Festival. Could it be that he's wasting away for her? Unfortunately, the boss doesn't seem to be someone who's easily swayed by emotions.

Wang Xiao didn't turn around, but looked around, observing the clothing of the men and women on the street, and sighed, "It seems that a more casual style is becoming more and more popular now."

Sachiko Ito chimed in, "Yes, there aren't as many people wearing suits as there used to be."

Of course, this may be related to rising unemployment.

This year's situation is even worse than last year's, with fewer and fewer decent companies willing to hire. Japan's once-proud lifetime employment system is now gradually becoming a rarity.

When she graduated from university, none of her classmates paid attention to the work of temporary workers.

This year, when she returned to her alma mater to recruit new employees, even for temporary worker positions in slightly larger companies, a bunch of outstanding college students were scrambling to get them.

The professor told her that the number of students taking the civil service exam has also increased significantly.

This was unimaginable just a few years ago, in the 1980s.

The good news is that Love Power is doing well and its momentum is growing stronger. Monthly revenue has been increasing every year.

Especially after tabloids fabricated scandalous and violent news, and Love Power held two press conferences to clarify the situation, the dolls sold like hotcakes, with orders pouring in.

Even popular adult-oriented publishers have started serializing magazines featuring inflatable dolls, openly stating that the main characters are dolls imbued with the power of love, and these magazines have already made it onto the list of popular comics.

It is clear that people make money in any era; it's just that when the economy is good, more people make money, and when the economy is bad, fewer people make money.

This left Sachiko Ito unsure whether Ai-Power should pay advertising fees to the publisher or the manga publisher should pay Ai-Power copyright fees.

Wang Xiao laughed and joked, "Let's leave the comics aside, everyone can take what they need. But if it's a romantic action movie, our actors will be paid, and at the maximum rate."

Sachiko Ito was slightly taken aback at first, then her face lit up with excitement: "We can find a company to film it, and the top-tier salary will be our advertising and marketing point."

Japan's idol culture originated very early, with wave after wave of popular idols. What's the fastest way for a newcomer to rise to fame? It's through association and comparison; even negative publicity is still publicity, and it can quickly gain recognition.

The highest-paid adult film lead actor instantly rose to prominence.

Love Power and Iyou both fall under the category of the sex-related industry. As the company's head in Japan, Sachiko Ito has had numerous dealings with adult video production companies. The product placements and subtle advertisements for erotic lingerie in popular films have spurred the creation of many of the company's best-selling items.

She believes that video production companies would be interested in this collaboration, because the Japanese video industry is highly competitive, and practitioners are constantly looking for new gimmicks to attract consumers' attention.

Ivanov listened with great interest and said cheerfully, "Miss Ito, I think you're going to be this year's top seller!"

Sachiko Ito couldn't hide her excitement and quickly said that it was all thanks to her boss, who had taught her so carefully and patiently.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "This is just in time. The current trend is towards consumption downgrading, and good quality at low prices will gradually become everyone's first choice."

She spoke to Sachiko Ito in Russian.

This wasn't a tense moment, so everyone was relaxed, and the bodyguards were all listening intently.

Especially among the Huaxia Bodyguards, with a brilliant example like President Tang Yicheng, everyone felt they had a chance to rise to the next level, so they paid special attention to the business acumen.

Xiao Gao couldn't help but ask in bewilderment, "When did everyone start liking good quality at low prices?"

Before Wang Xiao could explain, Ivanov burst out laughing: "No, people show off when they have money."

He was in a good mood because the king hadn't even glanced at the male fox spirit. His vanity as a male was subtly satisfied.

Seeing that the bodyguard didn't seem to understand, Wang Xiao added in Mandarin: "Have you heard the story of Shi Chong's flaunting of wealth? People are like needles, their eyes are on their backsides, they respect clothes before they respect people."

The bodyguard was even more puzzled: "But Japan is still a big country, even if it's a fallen camel. They're very rich now and can afford to show off."

Wang Xiao explained to him, "If you both earn 5,000 yuan a month, when your monthly salary increases from 1,000 to 5,000, don't you feel you should take better care of yourself?"

The bodyguard looked embarrassed and chuckled.

That's only natural; once you've made money, you want to look presentable.

"But what will you do when your monthly income drops from 10,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan?"

Before the bodyguard could say anything, Sachiko Ito sighed, "I have experience with this, and I'll quickly cut all unnecessary expenses in my eyes."

Even though it's the same 5,000 yuan, the difference in mindset between walking uphill and downhill can be vastly different.

The bodyguard then realized, "Oh, that's how it is."

Wang Xiao smiled and nodded, his eyes slightly lowered, as he began to consider whether he could make further plans in Japan.

Fleece clothing was popularized by Uniqlo, starting in Japan and becoming a true global phenomenon.

Now that she's planning to make fleece, why not choose Japan as a sales region as well?

While marketing and other external factors are certainly important for a product to sell well, the core factor always depends on whether it has captured the hearts of consumers.

Uniqlo's success has proven that Japanese people love fleece fabric.

She'd be a complete idiot if she didn't make good use of the benefits of time travel.

Wang Xiao immediately made a decision and instructed Ito Sachiko: "Take a look at the shops. If there are any that are reasonably priced and conveniently located, they don't necessarily have to be in the city center. Rent them first."

Without asking the reason, Sachiko Ito only asked the requirements: "Miss Wang, how big does the shop need to be? What will it be used for?"

"To open a clothing store, you need an area of ​​at least 300 square meters."

Ivanov immediately became interested: "Your Majesty, are you planning to sell fleece in Japan as well?"

Ha! This gave him a secret thrill. The fact that she was selling the same things in Tokyo and Moscow meant that, in her eyes, Moscow and Tokyo were pretty much the same.

Looking out the car window at the bustling city of Tokyo, Ivanov felt extremely pleased.

Wang Xiao nodded: "Yes, the Japanese market is huge. Tokyo is an international metropolis, and it will be the fashion center of Asia for a long time to come."

Until 2010, in her memory, Japanese fashion magazines in China were always at the forefront of trends.

Ivanov pursed his lips. Okay, he admitted, Japanese goods were indeed exquisite. Actually, from an aesthetic point of view, Japanese goods were more in line with Russian preferences, but they were just too expensive. That's why everyone settled for Chinese products instead.

But he only had one question: "Is it a store specifically for selling fleece?"

Good heavens! He knew that fleece was a fabric, the same kind of fabric as cotton. Theoretically speaking, it could be made into any kind of clothing, including shoes.

However, it is furry, like a towel.

Well, his simple-minded Russian compatriots might not care about this, but he found it hard to imagine that a Japanese person, who is meticulous to the last detail, would go out wearing a towel.

Of course, these were all his internal thoughts; he would never openly question a lady's taste. This was his most basic quality as a gentleman.

But though he didn't say it, his face said it all.

Wang Xiao gave him a look that told him to figure it out himself, and said irritably, "Fleece is just one type of item; we make others too."

Ivanov showed no sign of guilt, only chuckled, and asked, "What are you doing?"

“Make basic styles.” Wang Xiao cited Sachiko Ito as an example, “Japanese people are sophisticated and fashionable, and they are very good at dressing themselves. High-quality basic styles are suitable for various combinations, allowing everyone to dress sophisticatedly and fashionably without hurting their wallets.”

Sachiko Ito sat up straight to make sure everyone could see that her outfit, though seemingly unassuming, was actually the result of careful thought in every detail.

Ivanov admitted with some doubt that she was indeed well-dressed, but he had a question: "Are we only going to make basic styles? Shouldn't we be making our signature, eye-catching outfits?"

Wang Xiao sighed, "I'd like to too, but it's basically impossible. We have no brand recognition in Japan, and our brand doesn't have any premium value. We can't make customers feel that wearing this dress enhances their status. Customers won't choose our brand for their main purchase of the final piece."

Simply put, as a brand store with Chinese and Russian capital, both countries have lower levels of economic development than Japan, and their cultural influence is far weaker than Japan's.

What all the luxury brands have in common is that they tell (or craft) your story.

If your culture doesn't inspire any pretentious attitude, then be honest, figure out your positioning, and get in on the action first. Once you've established yourself and built a loyal customer base, then you can start crafting your brand story.

She didn't need to explain these things; Sachiko Ito and Ivanov could easily understand them.

The former is humble and obedient, always aware of their status as an employee, and never shows any arrogance in front of the boss.

The latter touched his nose and nodded: "Then let's find a good shop."

As for the fact that their fleece fabric is nowhere to be seen yet, and that they haven't even shown any basic clothing styles suitable for Japanese people, these are not problems.

Finding a suitable shop takes time, renovations take time, and the smell of the food also takes time to dissipate.

With all these overlapping periods, isn't that enough to produce clothing?

Oh, right, at the same time, we also need to recruit store managers and staff, and conduct training.

Time can only be used efficiently when it is used comprehensively.

That's what he thought, and that's what he said.

As a highly ambitious young executive and head of regional affairs in Japan, Sachiko Ito didn't feel overwhelmed by the pressure. Instead, she immediately asked, "What are the requirements for hiring store managers and staff?"

Ivanov was momentarily speechless.

He knew how to train shop assistants in Russia; simply put, just make sure they weren't like the sales clerks in state-owned stores.

Smile, be enthusiastic, and make customers feel that they are receiving meticulous and sincere service.

However, in his view, any shop in Tokyo, or any service industry worker, has already achieved the ultimate in these aspects.

To be honest, every time he came to Tokyo, he had a fear that he would get drunk and confused by her gentle smile.

This kind of service ecosystem in the Japanese retail industry left him with absolutely nothing to criticize. They genuinely embody the principle of "the customer is king."

Should we ask people to laugh less? That would be nitpicking.

Ivanov gestured directly to Wang Xiao, "You speak, you speak."

The bodyguards kept a close watch on the surroundings and were responsible for maintaining order; the assistants, on the other hand, all focused their attention on Miss Wang.

Anyway, everyone's already used to it, and in the end, the person responsible for finalizing the whole plan is definitely their female boss.

“Autonomy is essential; the store manager of a new store needs to be able to operate independently,” Wang Xiao explained. “Normally, a store manager just needs to follow company rules and manage their staff. But in our store, that’s not enough; they must be an independent businessperson.”

She emphasized this point because of different cultural backgrounds.

Japanese culture emphasizes collectivism and does not highlight individual ability.

Service industry workers in Japan, in particular, are extremely obedient, but they can also be quite rigid, a bit like abacus beads, moving only when prompted and never taking an extra step.

Wang Xiao doesn't need a store manager like that.

Neither she nor Ivanov could stay in Tokyo for long. Sachiko Ito still had work to do with Love Power and Iyuu, and at most she could reluctantly take on the role of regional manager. Where would she find the time and energy to direct the store manager?

How the work is done is entirely up to the store manager.

"Under the basic premise of abiding by company rules, as long as it is not illegal or criminal, he (or she) can use all means, and must rack his brains, to increase the store's sales. The store manager's income is directly linked to the sales. If he does well, the store manager's income will not be lower than that of the company's senior executives; 10 million yen is normal."

"The store manager also has a task: to cultivate their own deputy or agent, who can take over all the responsibilities of the store manager when the manager is not present. Our goal is to open stores all over Japan, all of Asia, and even the world. Therefore, we need countless excellent store managers."

"The store manager must have three years of experience working in a retail store; part-time experience is also acceptable."

As she said this, Sachiko Ito blinked rapidly.

Wang Xiao laughed: "Have you thought of a suitable candidate?"

Sachiko Ito was slightly embarrassed: "I have a junior who has been working part-time selling clothes in a store since she started university, but she won't graduate until June this year."

The next second she thought of it, she realized it was inappropriate.

A recent graduate who hasn't even left school yet, and has never worked as a full-time employee, becoming a store manager? It just seems too outrageous.

“Sure.” Wang Xiao didn’t think it was a big deal at all.

Before she transmigrated, she was already her own boss with a whole team under her, even before graduating from university.

Wang Xiao glanced at the time: "If things go smoothly today, and she's interested and can make time for us to have dinner together tonight, I can also interview her while we're at it."

She added, "Don't worry too much if her English isn't great; you can just act as her translator. When hiring a store manager, we value her leadership and creativity."

Sachiko Ito was stunned. She never expected that a slight lapse in concentration would help her junior win the final interview, and the opportunity to be interviewed by the big boss himself.

Wang Xiao looked at her with a smile: "Believe in yourself, and I trust your judgment."

Starting in the late 1980s, mobile phones gradually became popular in Japan, and Sachiko Ito bought a Motorola J-51 this year.

Compared to the bulky mobile phones, it is small and lightweight, weighing only a little over half a pound.

Looking at the phone's brand-new folding design, Wang Xiao felt quite intrigued and couldn't help but admire Japan's advanced technology in the electronics industry.

After Sachiko Ito finished her phone call to her junior, the car arrived at its destination.

Toray is a giant in the Japanese textile industry. Its business has long since expanded beyond textiles, with over a hundred subsidiaries and 12 research institutes, not including factories.

Such a powerful configuration has created its amazing R&D capabilities; fleece raw materials are not a remarkable product for them.

After all, the artificial silk made by Toray can produce the unique "rustling" sound of real silk. Their star product, Sillook Royal, not only has the luster of real silk, but the results of the sound wave test are also similar to those of real silk, leaving everyone speechless after seeing it.

In addition, their microfiber technology, three-dimensional crimped hollow fiber technology, composite spinning technology, and so on, amazed Wang Xiao, a textile layman.

But no matter how well Toray does, it doesn't stop Wang Xiao from nitpicking.

Looking at the fleece material, she asked in English with particular sincerity, "Is this made from recycled materials?"

The Japanese staff member in charge of receiving them was slightly embarrassed: "No."

Wang Xiao sighed regretfully: "It should be recycled. Environmental protection is very important. I heard that the United States has already started using recycled materials to make fleece."

The receptionist at Toray couldn't refute her affectation.

During Japan's period of rapid economic growth, environmental pollution led to four major public health lawsuits: the Minamata disease lawsuit in Kumamoto Prefecture, the Itai-itai disease lawsuit in Toyama Prefecture, the asthma lawsuit in Mie Prefecture, and the Minamata disease lawsuit in Niigata Prefecture. These lawsuits are considered the four major public health pollution lawsuits and represent a heavy burden of pain for the Japanese people.

Since then, reducing environmental pollution has become a top priority for all companies, regardless of whether they truly agree with it.

Talking about environmental protection is politically correct, and anyone who thinks it's unimportant will definitely be criticized.

Wang Xiao sighed heavily again, but still reluctantly said, "That's it. We look forward to your company being able to use recycled materials to make fleece as soon as possible."

She ordered 20 million pieces of raw materials at once.

Are you being too impatient, trying to get rich quick?

Actually, it's not too bad. The two commercial cities in China and the two commercial streets in Moscow have enough daily sales volume to handle this number.

What if it doesn't sell well?

Uh, we can continue making fleece fabric next year.

She refused to believe that she couldn't make a difference in a year, let alone in two years.