1928: The rise of giant merchants

Public Settlement, Automobile Trade Association.

In the huge conference room, more than a dozen foreigners from various countries were sitting in their seats.

They are all the bosses of various automobile companies, and are also the founders of the Shanghai Automobile Trade Association. Sitting at the top is Galt, the boss of the American Yunfei Automobile Company, and the president of the association. Next to him is the British businessman. Henry, the owner of Taylor Automobile Company, is the vice president of the General Assembly.

Today, the members of the Automobile Trade Association were summoned to the headquarters for a meeting to coordinate and discuss the follow-up arrangements for the recently emerged Chinese businessman Ye's Automobile Company.

Originally, Galt had no interest in taking care of a small Chinese businessman.

The automobile industry has long been monopolized by foreign companies, and the Chinese businessmen who survive in the cracks can only do business of selling jobs, which does not pose any threat to them. Even if more than a dozen companies merge together, so what?

But last night Henry from Tai Lai Company called him specifically and asked him to meet with Ye Luo, the boss of Ye's Automobile Company. Galt was very unhappy until Henry told him that behind Ye Luo there might be John, the consul of the public concession. George, he understood.

It turns out that this Chinese businessman is also a foreign comprador.

It was probably Consul John George who wanted a piece of the cake.

He is the grandson of Sir Jordan, so he must be given this face.

So Galt held this internal meeting very unwillingly.

"The time is almost up." Galt looked at the Rolex in his hand with an unhappy expression.

Just then, the door was pushed open.

A tall, handsome young Chinese man walked into the conference room, followed by a short, fat man.

"Sorry everyone, there was some delay on the way." The young Chinese showed no stage fright, and his fluent English surprised the foreigners present. The translator he had prepared long ago seemed useless, "I am from Ye's Automobile Company. Boss Ye Luo."

"Hello, Mr. Ye Luo, please take a seat." Galt nodded and pointed to the last corner.

Ye Luo was not angry, and just sat down next to a Jew. Zhou Xiangsheng was not qualified to sit down, so he could only stand behind him and listen.

Today I came to the Automobile Trade Association with Ye Luo, hoping to learn from him how to deal with foreigners.

This is not the first time Zhou Xiangsheng has been here, but basically every time he has a good experience.

These days, just like in movies, the status of Chinese people is not as good as that of foreign trash. In the eyes of these foreign bosses, the wealthy middle class like them are no different from the Chinese servants at home.

"Mr. Ye, is this the first car your company will sell?" Galt threw a copy of Liangyou Pictorial on the table.

A group of automotive industry tycoons leaned over to take a look, and were immediately attracted by Anna May Wong on the cover.

Such bold and hot attire is not common in foreign countries where the culture is more open!

Galt asked his secretary to distribute a Good Friends Pictorial to everyone.

Turning to the first page, there is an advertisement for Chevrolet 490, which also comes with a car coupon.

"Yes, this is our company's first product." Ye Luo nodded.

"Chevrolet 490? Haha, isn't this an antique car that was eliminated in the United States ten years ago?" Someone sneered, "Now no one wants one for $200!"

"Yes, I have seen its model in the Grand Times Department Store. It is really interesting. Those Chinese people have probably never seen a good car. This kind of junk is not worth mentioning at all."

For a time, there was endless slander and ridicule.

They have always been discriminatory towards Chinese businessmen and feel that in backward countries, businessmen's ideas and abilities are also backward.

The Chinese are trying their best to become compradors of foreign companies, but self-employed entrepreneurs are rare and vulnerable.

I saw that Ye Luo actually designated the first car as the dregs of the era, the Chevrolet 490.

It turns out that they still had a little bit of dissatisfaction about not wanting to share the cake, but now it’s all gone!

Because their mainstream customer base, whether buying or leasing a car, will never look down on garbage trucks like the Chevrolet 490!

Henry thought so too.

He knew that John George was not good at business, and he was probably deceived by the Chinese, and a large amount of money would be wasted.

However, John George still had to give face, and since there was no conflict of interest, Henry was the one who supported Ye Luo the most and was most willing to help him.

"Mr. Yeluo, we have businessmen from Britain, the United States, Germany, France and other countries here. The car brands they are responsible for include Malis, QIM, Oskin, Buick, Dodge, Citroen, Renault, etc. According to the regulations of the Automobile Trade Association, , only domestic businessmen are qualified to hold the general distribution rights of domestic automobiles in China."

Galt was holding the car coupon and wanted to laugh a little.

"Chevrolet is a General Motors car and an American car. Sales of American cars in China have always been handled by our Yunfei company."

"Rules are made by people. As far as I know, the real regulations of the General Automobile Dealers Association on automobile general distribution rights are to implement a general underwriting system by region, and the automobile dealers and manufacturers enter into underwriting contracts: that is, only one company is entrusted in a certain area. Automobile dealers underwrite cars of a certain manufacturer or certain brands." Ye Luo replied with a smile, "It's just that generally no auto dealer will interfere in the sales of cars from other countries, so it has evolved into the situation you mentioned, President Galt. "

"Indeed." Galt nodded. This is a clearly stated legal treaty. "GM has no dealers in China."

As for why not, everyone present knew it.

Alfred Sloan approached them many times, but no one was willing to sell GM's junk cars.

Even Galt in his own country didn't want to sell that thing.

"President Galt, I think the Automobile Trade Association really needs a Chinese member to show that we are not a foreign company that has a complete monopoly on this industry. Since Mr. Ye has reached an agreement with General Motors, why not let him be responsible for General Motors' operations?" China’s general distributorship is ready.”

Henry smiled and spoke for Ye Luo. He was also an Englishman and naturally wanted to please John George.

"I think you all have no objection to this."

"I agree."

"I agree too!"

"Very good, representative of the Chinese car dealer. In this way, with Mr. Ye Luo, we can also shut up the Shanghai Bund General Chamber of Commerce!"

The big guys raised their hands in approval.

Zhou Xiangsheng looked aggrieved from behind.

This group of foreign devils clearly despise their Chinese businessmen for making cars.

Agreeing to put them in charge of General Motors seems to be seeking their interests, but in fact they just want a mascot to shut up the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce!

"This way." Galt's biggest dissatisfaction is actually that even if it is trash from his own country, he does not want anyone to sell American cars in Shanghai, because that is his industry.

"President Galt, as long as I am allowed to distribute General Motors cars in Shanghai, I am willing to have all the pricing and expenses of the cars be the same as your company's, without any specialization."

Ye Luo suddenly said something.

Everyone was in an uproar.

"Mr. Ye Luo, do you mean that Ye's Motor Company's sales and maintenance of General Motors are based on Yunfei Company's pricing?" Galt suddenly became energetic. This is courting death.

He originally thought that Yeluo's sale of Chevrolet garbage trucks would stimulate consumption with small profits but quick turnover. For example, it was priced at US$490 and sold for US$400 in China. Such a price might be attractive to some Chinese.

Mainstream customers don’t conflict with them anyway.

Galt also doesn't think many cars will be sold this way.

But this has always been the consistent style of Chinese businessmen, compressing their profits and seeking survival in the cracks.

But Ye Luo actually offered to compete with Yunfei Company and do business according to the standards of American cars!

That means he will price the Chevrolet 490 at its original price of $490.

If we don’t compress profits, isn’t it just seeking death?

"Since Mr. Ye Luo is so sincere," Galt was very happy. This Chinese didn't understand cars at all. "Then it's settled! The Automobile Trade Association will announce in the afternoon that Ye's Automobile Company will join the General Assembly. Yes, responsible for GM's general automobile dealership in China, and all prices refer to Yunfei Company's standards."

In other words, Yelo got a real American car seller's sign.

If Ye's Automobile Company and Yunfei Company are of the same standard, then their treatment at the Automobile Trade Association, external publicity, etc. are also on the same level.

Another reason why it is difficult for Chinese car dealers to do well in China is that most Chinese today admire Western culture, including Western-style weddings, clothing, food products, Western medicine, etc. They are proud of studying abroad and pursue fashion as a trend.

And even if the Chinese car dealers are outside and sell foreign cars, they can't compare to the foreign car dealers because their specifications are not as good as the foreign cars!

Things are different now. After the Automobile Commerce Association issues a document, everyone will know that this is a foreign company run by Chinese!

The products, services, specifications, and models inside are all integrated with Yunfei Company!

It doesn't matter whether it is, the key is to attract those Chinese customers who just admire foreign things but don't really understand the differences.

This is something that Chinese business enterprises cannot do.

Of course, Galt didn't care about this small benefit at all.

Because even if some of his customers see Ye's Automobile Company, so what?

If you order a garbage truck at the original price, whoever buys it will be a fool.

Throughout the meeting, although everyone had their own agendas, the atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious.

Everyone seemed to get what they wanted.

After seeing Ye Luo and Zhou Xiangsheng leave, Galt, who was sitting in the front seat, felt happy and suddenly took out his checkbook: "Everyone, how long do you think it will take for this Chinese to go bankrupt?"

"I don't think it will take half a year."

"I think about a year."

"The Chevrolet 490 has arrived, but it cannot be sold, and the car rental business is not as good as ours. I think he may be finished next month." Henry, who has always supported Ye Luo, smiled and took out his checkbook, "I bet $200 .”

Everyone started laughing.

After Galt calculated the gambling money with a smile, he blinked and said, "Everyone, you don't know, right? This Chinese guy reportedly bought 2,000 Chevrolet 490s from General Motors!"

"sky!"

"Fuck! Give me my money back, President Galt."

"Me too! I don't want to play anymore!"

Laughter could be heard from the conference room. Zhou Xiangsheng could not understand foreign language and curiously asked Ye Luo: "Boss, what are they laughing at?"

"They were betting on when I would go bankrupt." Ye Luo looked relaxed and seemed very happy. "After they heard that I bought 2,000 Chevrolet 490s, they all felt that they had been cheated by Galt."

"This is too much!" Zhou Xiangsheng was filled with indignation!

But he immediately became entangled.

He roughly knew Ye Luo's plan, but he was still uneasy.

As Ye Luo said, the potential market is larger than he expected, as can be seen from the sales of Liangyou Pictorial and the discussion of window advertisements.

These foreigners only serve high-end customers and completely ignore the needs of mid- to low-end customers.

But he is also worried about whether these people are really willing to buy a Chevrolet 490.

After all, it is a luxury product priced at $490.

"Manager Zhou, I know what you are worried about." Ye Luo looked at him with a smile, "Do you know how many people there are in Shanghai now?"

"I don't know." Zhou Xiangsheng shook his head.

I don’t know what Ye Luo means by asking this.

"3 million." Ye Luo opened the car door. "The average monthly income of the high-income workers is 70 yuan. After excluding the family expenses, they can save about 400 yuan in a year. With three years of savings, they can also buy a Chevrolet 490."

"Of course, car ownership and maintenance are a big expense. Even so, there are hundreds of thousands of people who can afford to buy our cars, and there are no less than 100,000 people who can afford them."

This is the first time Zhou Xiangsheng has heard of this data.

"I have calculated that selling seven or eight hundred cars is not a problem at all. We set the price at US$490 and the purchase price is US$290. If we can sell this amount, the business will not be a loss. Besides, we have to do more in the future. It's the car rental business." Ye Luo reassured him.

He hasn't said anything about the US exchange rate rising and car prices doubling.

As for seven or eight hundred vehicles, that is the lowest estimate.

The potential market is far larger than these businessmen imagined.

and the subsequent influx of a large number of wealthy people into Shanghai to bring new consumer groups.

These are future situations that only Ye Luo knows.

"Car rental business." Thinking of this, Zhou Xiangsheng got a headache.

"I'm going back to Xiafei Road in a while, and I'd like to talk to you about how to start a car rental business." Ye Luo started the Ford V8 and drove towards the French Concession.

Zhou Xiangsheng is now in the same boat as Ye Luo, and he doesn't want to think too much. He just works hard with his boss.

For the rest, leave it to fate.

When passing by a bookstore, Ye Luo got out of the car and wanted to buy Liangyou Pictorial, but was told that it was sold out.

"Boss, come back in the afternoon. I've sent someone to the newspaper office to urge you. I think a batch of new goods will arrive in the afternoon! Buy new goods, win big prizes, and win cars! Boss, you must remember to come!"

The bookstore owner escorted him out and watched him get into the car, waving all the way until Ye Luo disappeared from sight, then returned to the bookstore.

Return to No. 32 Xiafei Road.

Yelo's Ford V8 always attracts the attention of many neighbors.

He got out of the car and looked up to see that someone had moved in at No. 33 next door.

On the balcony on the second floor, the April sunshine shines on the woman's exquisite and lazy body curves.

The woman was wearing a red cheongsam and was lying on a white lounge chair, basking in the sun with her back to Ye Luo.

Opposite her, there was a cute little beauty squatting, holding a good friend pictorial in both hands, sticking out her tongue, her cheeks flushed: "Sister Hu Die~ Look, this woman is so boldly dressed, bitch." What a bitch. No wonder people who go to the United States to film movies are not clean~"

"Don't talk nonsense, Ruan. If you talk nonsense, you will go to the eighteenth level of hell. Do you know?" The beautiful woman on the recliner said lazily and yawned, "I'm sleepy. Please read a book and don't disturb my sleep." oh."

Ye Luo listened to them talking and looked up. Unfortunately, Hu Die's back was turned to him, and he could only see the delicate back curve and the pert buttocks tightly wrapped under the cheongsam.

Only then did he remember.

Isn't No. 33 Xiafei Road the famous residence of Hu Die, the most beautiful woman in the Republic of China and the movie queen of Shanghai?