https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-50-The-Big-Case-of-the-Nineteen-Copper-Wheels/12969555/
Chapter 49: The Wealth of the Richest Man
Chapter 49: The Wealth of the Richest Man
The Char Department Store headquarters... that's probably about twenty-two kilometers away, right?
Upon seeing a big business opportunity, the steam carriage driver suddenly felt energized and tossed away his cigarette, lightly cracking his whip at the horse's rear.
"Giddyap!"
"Neigh~"
As the two short-legged horses neighed in unison, a thin trail of smoke rose from the small boiler at the back of the carriage, following the chimney along the carriage wall upwards. The water tank hidden beneath the carriage also emitted a gurgling sound.
Then, with the squeaking of the engine and the clacking of the axle as it spun, the entire bottom of the carriage was lifted by the airflow, and by the time the sound of the horses' hooves tapping against the street began, this noisy steam carriage had already darted out seven or eight meters ahead.
"Sir! There are so many people at the Char Department Store!"
It seems that no matter which world you're in, people in this line of work are always talkative. Even with the roaring of the boiler echoing in his ears, the steam carriage driver couldn't contain his enthusiasm for conversation. After taking a glance at Leon through the rearview mirror, he shouted in a hoarse voice:
"Did you also hear about the promotion and plan to go on a shopping spree? Or does someone at home have an illness from drinking public water and is going to register for compensation?"
Promotion and compensation?
Leon, who initially had no interest in chatting, suddenly felt a jolt upon hearing the driver's question. Instinctively, he hugged the folder in his arms tighter and asked with a puzzled expression:
"The Char Department Store is already starting to compensate the victims? What's this about a promotion?"
"Hahaha, these two things are actually related!"
Seeing that Leon had taken the bait, the talkative carriage driver laughed heartily and replied loudly:
"You know, the public water pipes had issues recently! The water company that took over the water pipes is a joint venture with the Char Department Store, but it seems like their business is not going well, and they still haven't made a profit. This has left the Char Department Store without funds for compensation, and their madam boss nearly lost her breath from the stress.
This situation has left the owner of the Char Department Store at his wit's end. He directly put up a sign offering to sell goods at a loss, displaying all the store's merchandise on the street with discounted prices. The prices were so low that they were almost scary, and it's estimated that half of the capital city's residents went to grab the bargains!"
Apparently, the driver felt that merely describing the scene with words wasn't enough to capture its grandeur. He let go of one side of the reins and used his hand to gesture, "With gongs and drums, firecrackers, red flags fluttering, and a sea of people," before continuing to explain to a stunned Leon:
"Also, they brought a large box with two open sides. As soon as the money from the sales was stuffed into the box, the people lined up to receive compensation could take their money directly. Except for those counting the money and verifying the patients' identities, the entire process didn't involve the company's hands at all!
The most impressive part was that the box was completely transparent. Everyone could clearly see how much money was inside, ensuring that every copper coin put in was returned. In short, the water company's issue was his responsibility, and he was determined to compensate until the department store went bankrupt!
Hahaha! Sir, you wouldn't believe it, but that old man, even though his company isn't doing well and he keeps losing money, has handled this matter with such transparency! Now, many people are worried that they'll go bankrupt too quickly, and before they can take advantage of the situation, they're all rushing over there like crazy!"
"..."
He's going to lose his fortune! If you keep buying like this, he'll probably become the richest man in no time!
After hearing about the Char Department Store's bold move, Leon couldn't help but feel an immense sense of respect for the unseen "Old Char."
As someone who has experienced the full gamut of commercial tricks, he was well aware of the vast possibilities for manipulation within this system.
The prices at the department store were already inflated, and the production costs during the Industrial Age were so low that those who hadn't lived through it couldn't even imagine it. A pack of Gaote cigarettes, priced at three silver coins, had a production cost of just five copper coins. He would willingly twist his own head off and offer it as a ball for them to kick!
So, this so-called big discount was still profitable in the end! It might even be a huge windfall!
Moreover, the buyers were already mindlessly stimulated, and the sellers could still make a profit. Who decided on the final prices if not the department store? Those items with originally inflated prices, old stock that had been sitting in storage for too long, could be negotiated with the factories for incredibly low prices. They just needed to pile them up outside, and it was done! Even at a 50% discount, the cigarettes were still profitable, and they would be snatched up as soon as they were displayed. Why wouldn't they go all out?
As for the payment... Nonsense!
The buyers could simply pay and leave, but those seeking compensation should verify their identities, right? With the rapid inflow and outflow of money, the cash box, no matter how big, would eventually fill up. Could the department store staff not take away the excess money?
For those seeking compensation, the worst-case scenario was having no money to pay and no response. Char Department Store had been honestly paying out, repeatedly promising to compensate until the company went bankrupt. With such a large, full cash box on display, even if there were some skeptical voices, those seeking compensation wouldn't dare to cause a fuss.
After taking away the excess money, Char Department Store would likely place urgent orders with the factories, even relying on their massive shipping volume to 'half-force' the factories to accept payment after delivery and further suppress the prices.
In the Commercial Era, anyone who could sell goods was a king!
This 'Compensation Sale' needed only a week to deplete the purchasing power of the Capital City, excluding Char Department Store. All other department stores would suffer significant losses on paper, and those with thinner margins would be directly squeezed by the payments and storage costs.
If Char Department Store survived, it would successfully occupy over 90% of the retail market and use its position to hold most of the related factories hostage. It was estimated that for at least the next few years, no one could compete with Char Department Store in the retail business.
Regarding the ruthlessness of their actions, would they not attract the attention of the kingdom's authorities... Was this some kind of international joke? Was he making money? No, he was losing money! Losing money ruthlessly!
Listen up, everyone waiting for compensation. We genuinely want to compensate you, and we've even started fundraising at a loss. Haven't you seen that our Madam Boss has fallen ill due to the losses? But the XXX from the Kingdom's XX Department and the XX Noble, stood up and accused us of unfair competition and disrupting the market, saying we couldn't sell like this. So, everyone waiting for compensation, please leave, and we'll talk again once we've raised funds through regular sales. As for when we'll have the funds...
Hmph, that depends on when you can smash those XXX!
(End of Chapter)
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