After the six shopkeepers briefly introduced themselves, Lu Qiqi picked up her teacup and took a small sip of tea.
After putting down her cup, she said, "My paper is made of bamboo. The process is not as complicated as that of plain paper, which is exactly why it can be mass-produced."
"Shopkeeper Xue asked why bamboo paper was priced so cheaply, and that was precisely the reason."
"Furthermore, you can only have a market for this bamboo paper if you sell it at a low price. If the price is too high, I'm afraid no one will be willing to buy it."
Lu Qiqi's words made the shopkeepers reflect. The reason why blank paper is so popular is that it is more pleasing to the eye to draw or leave ink on blank paper.
Even official documents were made of white paper; colored paper was never used.
Moreover, Lu Qiqi had already set a retail price from the beginning. If they were to raise the price rashly, the students might not be willing to pay, and they would end up with a bad reputation.
But this would reduce the profit margin of bamboo paper. Who would want to do a business that doesn't make money?
Seeing that they remained silent, Lu Qiqi glanced at the shopkeepers and said calmly, "This bamboo paper is not something I can make alone. Anyone with a little effort can make it, it just takes a little time."
"If I can keep selling to you at a low price and you don't raise the price, can this business last?"
Shopkeeper Xue's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood what Lu Qiqi meant.
As long as their prices remain unchanged, even if the profit is not high, the Jin Dynasty is so large that the amount of paper used is immeasurable. Even with the addition of carriages, horses, and labor, there is still a chance to make a profit.
Furthermore, according to Lu Qiqi, she can control the cost of making bamboo paper, so the price alone can deter other competitors who want to make paper.
Wouldn't that mean one company would dominate the market?
Thinking this way, Manager Xue felt that his trip was worthwhile and that he had actually made a fortune.
Just as he was about to speak, he heard Lu Qiqi say, "The sales channels for this bamboo paper are naturally not limited to your six bookstores."
What does this mean?
If anyone can sell it, wouldn't there be even less profit?
If you can buy these things anywhere, who would specifically choose to buy them from their store?
Then what I said before was just nonsense!
Manager Xue asked, "If that's the case, wouldn't we have no advantage at all?"
“Yes!” Doctor Huang agreed, “How much money can you make from something that’s available everywhere? The profit margin is tiny.”
Lu Qiqi smiled and said, "Don't be impatient, shopkeepers. What I mean is that the agency sales rights for this bamboo paper won't stay with you forever, but we can sign a one-year contract."
"Within this one-year period, I will only sell this bamboo paper to six of you. As the first batch of wholesalers, you can sell it to the second batch of wholesalers in Heshun Prefecture at the set price."
"In this way, your profit margin will be thinner, but with a large volume, you can still make a considerable profit."
"If you have the channels to buy directly from bookstores across the country, then the money is naturally self-evident, right?"
The six shopkeepers had been running their bookstores for many years. After listening to Lu Qiqi's words, although they knew they were paving the way for her, the potential profits were too tempting for them to refuse.
It's truly a love-hate relationship!
Every bookstore owner here has shops in various places. If this deal goes through, they will gain a reputation in the bookstore industry.
The most important thing for a bookstore is its reputation. With a good reputation, students will flock to it, so how could it not have business?
This is a win-win situation!
Manager Huang's eyes darted around, and he said cautiously, "I wonder if the village head could show the six of us the scale of the paper mill, so that we six managers can have a better understanding of its size?"
Lu Qiqi stood up and said, "This is not difficult at all. Please follow me, shopkeepers."
Led by Lu Qiqi, the six shopkeepers followed behind her as they visited the paper mill.
Lu Qiqi pointed to the four pools and said, "These are the papermaking pools for making bamboo paper. Each worker can make four or five hundred sheets a day."
Upon seeing the four pools, Manager Huang looked pained and said, "Lord, are you kidding us six brothers?"
How much bamboo paper can be produced in a day from these four pools?
I'm afraid even our six bookstores won't be able to supply enough.
Lu Qiqi smiled faintly, said nothing, and led them further inside.
Along the way, I showed the six shopkeepers the process of workers pressing paper, female workers clamping paper, drying paper, and baking paper.
The six shopkeepers were dazzled by the sight; they had been running their bookstores for so many years, yet they had never seen papermaking firsthand.
Paper merchants regarded this way of making money as an impregnable fortress, and no one else was allowed to peek into it.
Unexpectedly, Lu Qiqi directly let them tour the production process, not afraid at all of them learning it by stealing knowledge.
The reason Lu Qiqi felt comfortable letting them visit was because the preliminary preparations for papermaking were the key to its success.
The process of making paper from bamboo pulp, whether it's white paper or bamboo paper, is pretty much the same; it's just a matter of learning how to use the tools.
She wouldn't lose anything; on the contrary, she would gain the trust of the shopkeepers, so why not?
The last place we visited was naturally the place where bamboo paper was stored.
Lu Qiqi led six shopkeepers directly into the accounting office, where Zhao Xiaodong used the key to open the warehouse door.
As soon as the warehouse door opened, a faint scent of bamboo wafted out, which smelled wonderful.
Zhao Xiaodong walked into the warehouse, pulled back the curtains, and the light from outside streamed in.
The light shone precisely on the ground, without falling on the bamboo paper on the wooden frame.
This perfectly avoids the bamboo paper from oxidizing and discoloring, and also eliminates the need to light lamps in the warehouse to prevent fires—a win-win situation.
The six shopkeepers took note of this ingenious idea and secretly praised it.
"so much?"
When Manager Huang saw the shelves piled high with bamboo paper, he recalled his earlier doubts and felt a slap in the face.
He even heard a sneer, but when he turned around, he couldn't see who was laughing at him, and for a moment he felt a tightness in his chest.
Lu Qiqi smiled and said, "This bamboo paper is enough for five days. We plan to build another paper mill soon. The papermaking pools you just visited will be replaced with eight more tomorrow."
"So shopkeepers can rest assured that there will definitely be no shortage of bamboo paper."
The six shopkeepers nodded repeatedly. They needed to notify the bookstores in various places, and it would take some time to send the letters. This would allow some time for the paper mill to produce more paper.
When the time comes, we'll exchange money for goods, and the deliveryman can simply drive the truck to Tianxin Village to pick them up.
What they never expected was that Lu Qiqi could make the six of them, seasoned veterans of the bookstore, sigh in admiration.
Manager Huang was so shocked when he took the contract that Lu Qiqi handed him that his jaw almost dropped. He said, "This agency right actually requires the sale of so many papers!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
