Siheyuan: I eat melons while doing scientific research

Chapter 1259 Making money isn't important, leaving a name is (4k)

"An opportunity to make money?" Lou Xiao'e really didn't understand.

"Hmm, come here, take a look at this invitation..."

Lou Shouxing took out the invitation and pointed to the words, "Each guest may purchase two items from any exhibit with this invitation..."

After hearing Lou Shouxing's explanation, Lou Xiao'e suddenly realized: "No wonder they were fighting so hard, they were afraid of selling out!"

Although it sounds silly, it hits the nail on the head. What if there are quotas? Some things might not be available, but for others, it's hard to say. For example, those big things, at least in their own countries, let alone providing enough production capacity, they might not even be able to produce them.

Of course, these little guys aren't necessarily capable of producing them, such as the established products now facing them—electronic watches and quartz watches. For most countries today, producing these two little gadgets is no less difficult than producing large steel products, because they require some level of semiconductor capability.

If the last exhibition was just the first attempt by these two young guys, then this one has really taken things to a whole new level.

The last edition focused on selling features, while this edition focuses on selling styles.

As it turns out, given the right conditions, our comrades are not rigid at all. Now, more than one factory is producing electronic watches, and they have come up with a wide variety of styles. Some have even continued the old practice from the previous session and gone to professional institutions such as art academies to cooperate.

——Mass-produced Chinese trendy style!

However, the Guochao (national trend) at this time was different from the Guochao of later times, after all, the times were different and the trends were different.

"Serve the People"

"Liberate all mankind"

"..."

These kinds of slogans are everywhere on watches. Of course, there are people who don't like them. That's okay, you can buy other things too. Ceramic, enamel, gilded... all kinds of cases are available.

Technology is all about changing the shell.

These items are very popular, and the limit of two items has even been lifted here. The Ministry of Foreign Trade generously granted five items!
Whether it makes money or not doesn't matter; the point is to make the customers happy and leave a lasting impression.

Our staff is introducing the top-of-the-line model to a customer.

"Comrade, this watch is not only accurate in keeping time, but also waterproof. It can show the date and day of the week, and can also be used as a stopwatch and a timer... See this button? Press it, and there's a little light inside that can illuminate, so you can use it at night too..." It seems this customer is one of our own; our staff is really good at calling someone "comrade."

If Gao Zhendong were here, he would probably exclaim, "Wow, you guys have actually replicated a sports watch!"

The guest's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly.

"...And most importantly... hey, by the way, comrade, where are you from?"

"The Indochina Peninsula, near your border..." the guest said, indicating a location.

"That makes things even more convenient. While electronic watches are very accurate, they can still have errors over very long periods. But you don't need to worry about this watch; it automatically synchronizes time! We've deployed some longwave time stations within our territory, and your location can directly use these stations to synchronize time! Not just along the border, but throughout your entire territory." After all, it's not a very large country, and the coverage of longwave technology is quite robust.

"Great, great! Five of each kind of watch!" The customer held out a hand, turning it over and over.

This thing is small and easy to carry, but if you can bring it back, the premium is not low, and the profit margin is extremely high.

So this customer didn't hesitate to exploit the "5 pieces per item" bug in the electronic watch category, bringing as many as he could! That's all money!

He doesn't even plan to sell these top-of-the-line watches; they're meant for gifting and are practically priceless.

For us, whether these watches make money or not is a minor matter. The main thing is that the phrase "Made in China..." engraved on the back of the watch can accompany them to all corners of the world.

In this matter, everyone has a bright future.

To be honest, Lou Xiao'e and He Wu were quite tempted by these little gadgets, mainly because there were so many different kinds and they were so fun. As for the watches themselves, Zhenxing Electric Technology also manufactures them, but just like clothes, having one doesn't mean you can't buy a second one.

Lou Xiao'e bought several pieces, intending to take them back to the courtyard house to give to people.

It's common for old products like digital watches to be revived, since customers are mainly from economic aid organizations and third-world countries, and these kinds of products are genuinely in short supply.

Not to mention small countries, even the people of the White Bear, Gaul, and John all had their eyes shining.

The former are mostly government-sponsored, while the latter are mainly private individuals.

As for who's missing, whoever's missing will be in an awkward position!

Several Gauls are now gathered around a booth, their interest piqued.

In front of them was a machine that looked like a printer, but with many more components, making a "whooshing" sound as it spat out a piece of paper.

They took the paper, flipped open the top of the machine, and took out another piece of paper to compare.

"Exactly the same! Exactly the same!"

"It can even be used as evidence!"

"It's very similar to the Xerox 914 copier, but the results are better..."

"I would be more satisfied if the smell wasn't so bad when this machine was working."

"Can you please stop having that damned germophobia at inopportune times? I think this smells really nice..." Clearly, the same Gallic armor-piercing shell can produce a hundred different kinds of people.

"Let me correct you, I have rhinitis, not because of my obsessive-compulsive disorder..."

The Gauls were very satisfied with the product and then looked at the price.

Then they faltered. It was too expensive; for an individual, the price was simply astronomical. "My God, apart from computers, I've rarely seen such expensive consumer electronic devices."

"Yes, this price is unacceptable to me personally."

Our staff smiled and said, "Sir, this copier uses the latest laser technology, and the copying effect is excellent. Of course, the price will be a bit higher because they are also very valuable, aren't they?"

Gao Zhendong didn't work on laser printing, but the semiconductor lasers he prepared for optimizing laser guidance and researching laser communication were used here first. Laser communication is still under research, but laser printing has been put into practice first.

This thing was made by the comrades of Factory 1201. The main source of technology was the famous Xerox 914—the world's first electrostatic copier, but the biggest difference was the application of laser.

Interestingly, laser printers actually have little to do with the actual printing process, specifically the "fusing" stage. Laser printers use lasers in the exposure phase, while the fusing process, whether laser copying or printing, is the same as earlier electrostatic copiers, using thermal toner. This is quite different from the naming conventions of dot matrix printers and inkjet printers.

This slight difference determines the superior performance of laser printers, which means higher dpi and faster speeds.

The Gauls had nothing to say about this; they understood perfectly well the principle that in the high-tech field, you get what you pay for, even if you only pay a penny.

Seeing their expressions, our staff smiled and pointed to several machines nearby: "Dear guests, this machine is indeed more expensive because it integrates printing, copying, faxing, and scanning. If you only want one or two of these functions, you can take a look at these. They have fewer functions, and of course, the price is cheaper."

Four-in-one printers became a must-have in every office in later generations. Of course, fax machines were not necessarily available later on, which is a characteristic of the times. However, scanning was rarely used these days, mainly because the images were too large. A 15cm floppy disk couldn't hold too many, and magnetic tape was also not enough.

However, whether or not to use it is one thing and whether or not it exists. This is why Gao Zhendong suggested that the comrades at Factory 1201 should develop this function. At least it sounds good, so let's reserve the spot first.

Although scanners appeared in the 50s, commercial scanners that connect directly to computers came much later.

The Gauls turned their eyes to the various machines, their eyes shining, and walked up to them, looking at them as if they were treasures.

They can all be directly connected to a computer, and they have laser printers, laser copiers that can work independently of a computer, and of course, machines with scanning functions—they are very complete.

A Gaul quietly slipped away from the crowd and approached our booth staff: "Sir, I represent my company and would like to sign a letter of intent to purchase. Also, where is the gentleman in charge of the foreign trade department for this product? I think I have a lot to discuss with him."

This machine is undoubtedly useful, but what he saw went beyond its practical value...

"I am your esteemed guest," our staff member said with a smile.

The lone Gaul spoke even more softly: "Sir, what should I do if I want the agency rights to this machine?"

This device is groundbreaking and disruptive in the office field, and it has a very promising future.

Our staff member replied quietly, "Sir, these are our terms of intent. You can take them back and review them first. Also, I must remind you that, in the most optimistic scenario, you will only receive a sole agency right in your home country and a non-exclusive agency right for Citibank. This is our policy. Of course, your region is somewhat special, and it depends on the final outcome."

These things bring benefits, and the foreign investment sector is now more experienced. They involve not only economic interests but also communication, exchange, and friendly relations; naturally, it's impossible to let someone take everything away so easily. However, the situation is different in the Oceania Convention countries, so it can only be done in principle.

The cake still needs to be divided, and as for Citibank... let Gallo John and the like fight it out in that market.

The Gaul became anxious upon hearing this: "Sir, if I absolutely desire a wider range of agency authority, what can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I'd like to try my best to meet your request, but rules are rules. Also, if you really want to put your idea into action, then I'm afraid I'll have to call the security guard over." Our words were a mix of firmness and humility, clearly stating our position.

"Please don't, sir," the Gaul quickly begged.

"Guest, if you are interested, my suggestion is that you bring the materials and figure out as soon as possible what you need to do to get what you want. After all... our Gaulish translators at the exhibition are limited and very busy. Due to my work, I cannot explain everything to you point by point. And I am sure that you are not the only guest who thinks the same way."

It means I'm also very busy, and you'll probably face competition.

The Gaul laughed; he was actually quite confident about the matter.

After thanking our comrades, he took the documents and handed them to a Gaul standing nearby.

“My friend, now is the time for you to shine. I hope you will live up to every penny I have paid you.”

1 Gaul = 100 Sandin.

Thinking about the price he had paid for this translator, every muscle in his body ached.

His invitation came from the French Ministry of Commerce, which was responsible for distributing the invitations within Gaul.

As a small-to-medium-sized trader, he spent a considerable sum to obtain this invitation. His goal was far more than simply reselling a small quota of products for a meager profit; his ambitions were far greater. The moment he acquired the invitation, he paid a painfully high price to hire the translator.

Unfortunately, the rapid development of trade with the East in recent years has driven up the price of translators in Gaul who are fluent in the East. Moreover, there are not many such people in Gaul, indicating a lag in talent cultivation that has not kept pace with the development of the times.

This cost him a lot of money to find a translator he was satisfied with, and he hoped to earn back every penny he spent on him.

But when he thought about how a significant portion of the people who came here didn't even have a translator for the Eastern language, his mood improved. Trade, after all, is all about information asymmetry.

Compared to them, the people from the White Bear organization were much calmer—because such tasks were handled by state agencies, and individuals played a very small role and received very little benefit, or rather, very little economic benefit. They were more concerned with how much of their luggage they could bring back.

Fortunately, based on the previous situation, the comrades from the south should be able to send their purchases back via diplomatic parcels. However, this increases the risk of damage or loss compared to carrying them with them.

There's definitely no problem within the Southern comrades' territory, but once it enters their own postal system, things can get complicated.

In fact, this is the case in almost all of the countries covered by the Economic Assistance Council, not just the White Bear.

Besides these countries, some other interesting guests also came here.

Several guests stood near the booth showcasing the flagship product—computer equipment—looking at the bustling crowd with expressions full of curiosity.

In fact, this has been the case ever since they set foot on our land. Apart from the 19th century, the main exchanges between this ancient country before the mid-20th century were limited to a small number of arms deals, such as the "side-opening Mauser C96".

(End of this chapter)