A chilly autumn wind swirled through the city streets, carrying sycamore leaves. Lin Wanqiu stood at the entrance of the western branch, her brow furrowed as she gazed at the long queue outside the "Yue Tian Xuan" pastry shop across the street. The shop's sign, made of gleaming acrylic, reflected a blinding light in the sunlight, its decor resembling an exquisite jewelry box, a stark contrast to the simple, rustic style of her own branch.
"Boss lady, it's almost noon, and we've only had a handful of customers in our shop. On the other hand, across the street, the line stretches all the way to the corner." Shop assistant Xiao Li walked over anxiously, unconsciously twisting the rag in her hand into a ball. "They're not only having a buy-two-get-one-free promotion, but they're also giving away free small gifts. A lot of our regular customers have been attracted there."
Lin Wanqiu walked into the store. The once bustling hall was now somewhat deserted. Although the pastries on the shelves were still neatly arranged, they lacked the vibrancy that customers used to vie for. She picked up a freshly baked cranberry cookie. It was still crispy and sweet as usual, but why were there fewer customers? She was full of doubts, but she also knew that the impact of modern chain enterprises was far more intense than she had imagined.
"Xiao Li, show me the sales figures for the past week," Lin Wanqiu said in a deep voice, trying to calm herself down. The more difficulties she encountered, the less she could panic—this was a lesson she had learned from years of entrepreneurship.
Xiao Li quickly brought over the account book, which Lin Wanqiu took and carefully examined. The data clearly showed that since "Yue Tian Xuan" opened, the sales of the western branch had plummeted, almost halving. Her fingers tapped lightly on the account book, her mind filled with countless thoughts.
"Yue Tian Xuan" not only has an advantage in decoration and marketing, but also boasts a rich product line, offering a variety of new desserts and drinks in addition to traditional pastries, catering to the needs of different customers. While its own food shop has won over many loyal customers with its high-quality ingredients and authentic flavors, it has indeed lagged behind the times in terms of product innovation and marketing methods.
In the evening, Lin Wanqiu dragged her tired body home. Shen Tingzhou had already prepared dinner and rushed to greet her, "Why are you back so late? Did something happen at the shop?"
Lin Wanqiu told Shen Tingzhou about her predicament in detail. After listening, Shen Tingzhou frowned and said, "These modern chain enterprises are coming on strong, and we can't just sit and wait to die. But don't be too anxious. There's always a way out. Let's think of a solution together."
At the dinner table, the family was somewhat silent. Shen Nian'an put down her chopsticks and said earnestly, "Mom, I think we can advertise at school and get our classmates to buy our pastries. Many of my classmates love our peach shortbread!"
Shen Nianxi nodded, her little face full of seriousness: "Mom, I can help you spread the word! I can bring our family's snacks to the kindergarten so the children can try them. They'll definitely love them!"
Looking at the children's innocent yet determined faces, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She smiled and patted the children's heads: "Great, thank you, my darlings. But that's not enough; we need to come up with even better ways to defeat our competitors."
At night, after the children had fallen asleep, Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou sat in the living room, their shadows stretched long under the lamplight.
"Tingzhou, what do you think we should do?" Lin Wanqiu leaned on Shen Tingzhou's shoulder, her voice tinged with weariness.
Shen Tingzhou held her hand and said softly, "Wanqiu, I think we can approach this from two angles. On the one hand, we must stick to our strengths and continue to ensure the quality and taste of our products, which is the foundation of our business. On the other hand, we should also learn from their strengths and make changes in product innovation and marketing methods."
Lin Wanqiu nodded; Shen Tingzhou's words had enlightened her. She recalled her experience as a food blogger in her previous life, where she was always able to keenly capture market trends and constantly introduce new dishes. Now, she could apply this innovative spirit to the operation of her food stall.
“You’re right, we can’t be complacent.” Lin Wanqiu’s eyes lit up again. “Tomorrow I’ll go to the market to do some research, see what kind of snacks customers like now, and then develop new products. At the same time, we also need to improve our marketing methods and do some promotional activities to attract customers back.”
Shen Tingzhou smiled and said, "Okay, I support you! I can give you some ideas on marketing. I learned some publicity skills in the army, which might come in handy."
The next morning, Lin Wanqiu rode her bicycle through the streets and alleys of the city. She went into one pastry shop after another, carefully observing their products and business models; she chatted with customers, asking them about their taste preferences and needs for pastries.
After a day of research, Lin Wanqiu discovered that today's customers not only value the taste of snacks but also their health and nutrition. Young parents, in particular, pay close attention to whether the ingredients are natural and low in sugar and fat when choosing snacks for their children. While many of Yue Tian Xuan's products offer novel flavors, they contain a significant amount of additives, which is precisely their weakness.
Back home, Lin Wanqiu immediately began developing new products. Utilizing the agricultural skill library within her space, she researched a wealth of information on healthy ingredients and decided to launch a series of low-sugar, low-fat, and additive-free healthy pastries.
She selected high-quality whole wheat flour, oats, nuts, and other ingredients, and after numerous trials, she finally succeeded in developing several healthy snacks, including whole wheat bread, oatmeal cookies, and nut energy bars. These snacks are not only delicious but also nutritionally balanced, perfectly suited to the needs of modern consumers.
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