Hong Kong Movies: You Hongxingzi, what the hell is the charity king?

Chapter 883 Domestic Side Story 4: Computers, the Decline of ConnectedCart, Five Stars Reign Supreme!

2000 years,
The dawn of the new century has just illuminated the land of the East.

On May 19th, a major event that garnered nationwide attention occurred!

Following friendly consultations, the University of Tokyo and the European Union reached a bilateral agreement in Beijing on joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). It was decided that the University of Tokyo would officially become the 143rd member of the WTO on December 11, 2001.

From the signing of the agreement to the formal joining, there was a year and a half for the University of Tokyo to prepare.

From the very beginning of the agreement, the University of Tokyo began a wide-ranging reform.

On the one hand, there are local policies and regulations...

There's also industrial upgrading, eliminating outdated production capacity, and increasing investment in technological transformation...

On the corporate side, they are leveraging joint ventures, collaborations, and technology transfer to enhance their technological capabilities and international competitiveness... um, this...

In terms of the education system, efforts have been intensified to cultivate professionals in fields such as international trade, international finance, law, and foreign languages ​​in universities…

In short, this is a very big deal for the University of Tokyo.

From top to bottom.

The wheel of history is rolling forward.

At this time,
China's internet sector is also undergoing a quiet transformation.

According to data from the Southeast University Internet Information Center, the number of Chinese internet users had reached 8.9 million in January 2000.

By July, the number of internet users had surged to 16.9 million.

The rate of increase is terrifying.

……

Zhongguancun
The August sun scorched this vast area of ​​East China Silicon Valley.

Baidu was founded at the beginning of that year, with Robin Li carrying his dream of a search engine and choosing Zhongguancun as its location.

Jinpin Group was also established in Zhongguancun.

In addition, Zhongguancun at this time already had companies such as Lenovo, Founder, Yonyou, Sina (98), Sohu (96), Times Guanghua, Tsinghua Unigroup, etc.

At this time,
Dongzi returned to Zhongguancun from Hong Kong Island and founded JD.com, which is currently an agent selling products such as VCDs, DVDs, optical discs, floppy disks, USB flash drives, computers, and cameras.

After graduating, he interned in the middle and senior management of the Five Star Group for several years.

Then Guan Zu sent him back to the capital to establish JD.com, specializing in the agency sales of various electronic products. Guan Zu's explanation was that he should first accumulate experience.

JD.com's approach is clearly different from Taobao's.

JD.com primarily operates on a self-operated model, positioning itself as a "quality e-commerce" platform, much like a large online "boutique mall." JD.com directly participates in product procurement, sales, and after-sales service, giving it strong control over product quality and service. While third-party merchants also participate, its self-operated business is its core strength. For example, JD.com's self-operated 3C digital products select brands and products directly from the source to ensure quality.

Taobao, a typical C2C (consumer-to-consumer) platform, also has some B2C (business-to-consumer) business, positioning itself as a "universal marketplace." It acts like a giant online marketplace, building a bridge for transactions between a vast number of third-party sellers and buyers. The types of merchants are diverse, ranging from individual entrepreneurs to small businesses, and the variety of goods is virtually endless.

In the 00s and 10s, JD.com's quality control of electrical appliances was widely trusted.

Netizens are willing to buy appliances on JD.com, but less willing to buy them on Taobao (a non-official platform).

"Boss~~~"

"I want to buy a computer, do you have any recommendations?"

A young man named Su Hua, looking travel-worn, walked into the JD.com store.

He was admitted to Tsinghua University's School of Software this year and will register in September, but he arrived in Beijing in August to get used to the place in advance.

Buying a computer is naturally the most important thing.

"When buying a computer, I would definitely recommend Five Star Computers. They are known for their strong quality control, high cost-performance ratio, and superior technology compared to other computers..."

Dongzi then began to introduce the situation.

"As for other brands, there are Great Wall, Tsinghua Tongfang, Shida, Hisense, Lenovo, Haier, Inspur, 7UP, TCL..."

"According to the national computer sales data for the second quarter released yesterday, domestic computer shipments reached 612 million units, of which Five Star Computer accounted for 63% of the market share, followed by Great Wall, Tongfang, Shida, Hisense, and Lenovo... This list is ranked according to sales volume..." Historically, Lenovo should have been the number one seller in the country, but after Guan Zu poached Academician Ni, a large number of technical personnel went to Five Star Computer's R&D center in Hong Kong, and Lenovo's sales plummeted.

"Another brand is HEDY computers, whose sales have surged in the first half of the year and have now entered the top 8 in the country."

Dongzi introduced the details as if they were his own.

Su Hua: "Could you tell me about Five Star computers?"

Why choose five stars?
With a 63% market share, we can trust the judgment of the masses.

On the other hand, Five Star Group has an excellent reputation in China. Two years ago, when his hometown was also affected by the floods, he received a lot of aid supplies from Hong Kong, many of which came from Five Star Group.

Furthermore, Five Star Group has invested heavily in computer science departments of major universities across the country, subsidizing tuition fees, investing in laboratories, and facilitating study and exchange programs in Hong Kong...

Su Hua was one of the beneficiaries.

So it would be strange not to choose five stars.

Of course, there is an additional clause to the Five Star Group's investment – ​​the service in Hong Kong Island and the mainland must exceed 10 years, otherwise there will be a large penalty for breach of contract.

Dongzi: "Of course... Five Star Group currently has two models, one is the standard version, and the other is the professional pro version..."

Su Hua: "Boss, is the computer genuine? It's not a modified pirated copy, is it?"

Dongzi smiled and took out photos of himself with Guan Zu and others from when he worked at the Five Star Group: "Don't worry, I am a member of the Five Star Group."

Su Hua used a tactical lean back.

He looked at Dongzi with surprise.

Dongzi chuckled but offered no explanation.

Soon, Su Hua compared several computers with other brands and finally bought a Five Star Pro computer.

……

……

And a building 50 meters away from the shop.

The president of the LinkBrain Group, Boss Ba, felt a wave of dizziness as he looked at the second-quarter sales figures that had just been released yesterday.

"They've actually fallen to sixth place!"

Lenovo was once incredibly successful in the domestic computer market, holding the top sales position for many consecutive years.

The boss of the company was even more ambitious, wanting to make computers made in China.

However, since Guan Zu poached Academician Ni and a large number of core technical personnel a few years ago, Liannao has stagnated.

The products that were once a source of pride are now far behind their competitors in terms of technological innovation.

With its strong technological research and development capabilities, Five Star Computer has continuously launched high-performance, high-quality, and cost-effective products, rapidly capturing a large market share.

Meanwhile, the four brands Great Wall, Tongfang, Shida, and Hisense have all made technological breakthroughs and successively surpassed Lenovo.

Boss Ba leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He was once full of vigor and had countless fans.

Now, he's starting to question the meaning of life.

Was I wrong?

Trade, industry, and technology were clearly the best choice for Lenovo at that time.

What did I do wrong?!

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P.S.: I originally intended to write more words, but I haven't thought of any content to write yet, so I have to stop here. There will be a next chapter.

(End of this chapter)