From knock-off old-man's electric vehicles to industrial giant

Chapter 11 What does it mean to "surround the cities from the countryside"?

Cao Xiaowang, a seasoned angler, was browsing through the group chat.

I happened to see the information in the motorcycle enthusiast group, and the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this motorcycle was "What an awesome old man's electric bike!"
To be honest, he had never seen this kind of old man's car before.

The design is so daring!!

Since his motorcycle was scrapped, he had been planning to buy another vehicle for commuting. He originally intended to buy a motorcycle, but the recent ban on motorcycles has made him hesitate.

Although I was only traveling to rural and mountainous areas where the chances of being caught were slim, it was still a bit of a pain, unlike the freedom I used to have.

Moreover, with the increasing variety of fishing equipment, it's not easy to carry everything on a motorcycle.

So when he saw this old man's car, he was immediately interested.

Immediately afterwards, a message was sent.

"Is Brother Zhao there? This car looks pretty interesting..."

soon.

Zhao Lutong replied, "Yes! The new car just arrived at the store, it's still hot, and I'm waiting for you anytime!"

Half an hour later, Cao Xiaowang arrived at the store.

"Brother Zhao, is this your new car?"

Upon arriving at the store, Cao Xiaowang's eyes were immediately glued to it.

He carefully examined the old man's car, which looked almost 80% like a "Porsche," and began to scrutinize it.

Whether we admit it or not, humans are creatures of appearance.

Whether it's a mobile phone or a car, these well-designed industrial products always attract more attention immediately.

Cao Xiaowang had seen some ordinary electric vehicles for the elderly before, and the designs were really weird and ugly. They were not only ugly, but also small.

He genuinely looked down on it.

In contrast, this car has an exquisite exterior and a spacious interior, exuding a sense of design.

Although it is obviously a counterfeit.

But so what?
Everyone knows that cosmetic surgery is bad.

But then again.

If your girlfriend looks like Liu Yifei after plastic surgery, would you still complain?

...

"This car has air conditioning, right?" Cao Xiaowang asked.

Zhao Lutong said, "Hey bro, you can sit on it and try it out. The wind is strong and it's very cool!"

"Can I take a test drive?"

Of course you can!

……

After a test drive, Cao Xiaowang was even more surprised.

This car—it runs flawlessly!
It's the kind of thing that's flawless in a macro sense.

It drives very smoothly.

He was truly moved!
"Brother, this car is only selling for 20,000?" Cao Xiaowang asked uncertainly.

Seeing that business was in the air, Zhao Lutong pressed his advantage and said, "The price is 21399, which includes windshield washer fluid and sunscreen window tinting. The car comes with a one-year warranty, and the manufacturer will also be responsible for repairs on subsequent parts!"

"Okay, I'll take this white one!" Cao Xiaowang felt a surge of excitement and immediately decided to buy it.

Zhao Lutong was overjoyed.

The "Starry Sky 01" is selling even better than he expected!

One unit can be shipped out on the same day it arrives.

"Brother, did you buy this car for yourself, your wife, or your parents/father-in-law?" he couldn't help but ask.

“I drive this car myself. I go fishing in the mountains, and I just haul some things when I’m not busy,” Cao Xiaowang said.

Zhao Lutong was taken aback: "Don't say I didn't warn you, when you're driving, try to avoid the transportation management area. You young people who have driver's licenses still need to be careful."

He offered his advice out of kindness.

"Thanks, bro, I definitely knew that, but it's okay..."

"My driver's license was revoked last year because I was caught driving under the influence on my motorcycle. I haven't taken the test yet, otherwise I wouldn't be thinking about buying a car."

Cao Xiaowang said casually.

After saying that, he took out his card to pay the bill.

Upon hearing this.

Zhao Lutong was also numb inside.

Well, another outlaw!
……

……

Two days.

Xu Yi visited seven offline car dealerships in total, and handed over the remaining nine to Yu Nian, the marketing manager.

We negotiated with twelve companies in total.

A few other companies gave rather lukewarm responses, saying they would consider it first.

Xu Yi didn't care much about this.

They have their own specialized businesses, so it's normal for them to look down on vehicles like the "old man's car".

"Old Yu, there are still some townships and towns below. I'd appreciate it if you could take some people to visit them and try to make sure they're all there."

Xu Yi called Yu Nian to his office.

He values ​​stores in rural towns more than those in urban areas.

“We should pay special attention to those rural stores that were originally operating old-age entertainment. We are willing to offer more profit sharing if we can acquire them.”

Xu Yi pointed to the landmark that had been circled in advance.

He had previously conducted research to determine which regions had the best-selling elderly care products, which was actually quite easy to identify.

All you need to do is look for stores that specialize in selling electric vehicles for seniors; the market for these has already been established.

This approach is similar to how Mixue Ice Cream frequently tracks Luckin Coffee.

As for location selection, there's no need to think too much about it. You just need to know where the best-selling competitors usually appear, since market research has already been done.

Xu Yi's short-term plan is to first expand the distribution channels in the surrounding urban and rural areas of the province, aiming for monthly sales of at least 800 units.

This allows the factory to proceed with the next step of production expansion.

"Why is it called 'Old Man's Joy'? Because it's specifically designed for old men..."

"Yes, it should be said that it's rural areas, mainly targeting low- and middle-income groups. In terms of pure consumption power, they can't compare to those in the city, but that doesn't mean they don't consume. They still have basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. The potential of this consumer market is enormous. Therefore, the next step of the strategy of 'encircling the cities from the countryside' must be followed well."

Xu Yidao.

This can be seen from the development path of old people's cars in the previous life.

From its emergence to its rise, the "old man's car" only took one or two years to become popular all over the country, even spreading from the urban-rural fringe to cities. At its peak, it even had considerable sales in first- and second-tier cities.

Later, as the country developed motor vehicle standards and several major domestic manufacturers gradually discovered the market potential of vehicles in this price range, they began to vigorously launch "mini models," continuously encroaching on the original market share of "old man's cars."

And at this point in time...

The manufacturers of "four-wheeled mobility scooters for the elderly", such as Reading (Bidevin), Zongshen, and Hongri, can each achieve annual sales of tens of thousands.

This is actually quite terrifying!!

In terms of gross profit per vehicle, it even exceeds that of some established domestic car manufacturers.

The key point is that he eventually succeeded in becoming a full-fledged employee.

Compared to those brands that invested billions in the new energy vehicle sector and ended up losing everything, these elderly people's car brands are definitely winners.

"Boss, I specifically checked the offline channels of Bidewen and Zongshen, and I've already compiled a list of these stores. I'll talk to them one by one and make sure we get them."

Yu Nian nodded, feeling equally excited.

Currently, most offline channels are still in the agency stage, with many stores acting as agents for multiple brands simultaneously, rather than developing into a situation where all stores are directly operated.

Previously.

They hadn't yet learned about the situation in these offline channels in detail, and only after understanding the sales figures did they realize that it was a bit exaggerated.

Take these leading brands in the low-speed four-wheel vehicle market, for example; they're really not cheap!

A car can cost more than 30,000, or even 40,000.

However, in terms of configuration and appearance, there are not enough highlights; to put it bluntly, it is a case of overpriced and under-equipped.

Even so, they managed to sell over 10,000 units per month, which is quite exaggerated.

……

(End of this chapter)