I'm a Master in India

Chapter 257: Buying Spree

Just as Ashish said, the launch of Sur Electrical Appliances television sets would inevitably cause a major earthquake.

In just a few short days, the advertising slogan "Everyone can afford it" spread throughout the streets and alleys.

Newspapers, magazines, and television stations were all discussing this matter, and various social commentators were speculating on the final price of Sur Electrical Appliances television sets.

Everyone was looking forward to it, as if waiting for a Bollywood actress to reveal her mysterious veil.

Even Maharashtra Minister Naval couldn't contain his curiosity and called Ron to ask what he was up to.

He had personally endorsed the Sur Electrical Appliances television set project in front of the media, and if it failed, he would also be affected.

Ron told him with a smile that the answer would be revealed after he slept.

That's right, things came so suddenly.

When people in Mumbai woke up in the morning, they found that the entire city had put on new clothes again.

"3999 rupee, take a Sur Electrical Appliances television set home!"

Housewives opening their windows to welcome the fresh air forgot to go back to the kitchen to heat milk.

Men standing on balconies smoking were unaware that their fingers were being burned by cigarette butts.

Only the children who went to the door crack to get the newspaper shouted loudly; the newspaper also revealed the price of the Sur Electrical Appliances television set.

Wow, people started to stir. They were first in disbelief, then they couldn't help but engage in heated discussions with their neighbors.

They were as enthusiastic as if they had heard the city's most secret and irresistible gossip.

Less than four thousand rupee, how could this be possible? They thought six thousand was a luxury.

But the posters outside, the newspapers at home, all told them this was the truth.

And Sur Electrical Appliances television sets went on sale today, available in major shopping malls in Mumbai.

Many people immediately picked up the phone and called the mall's order hotline, only to be told that the goods had already been reserved.

They then rushed to the second and third stores without stopping, or simply went out and rushed to the nearest mall as quickly as possible.

They were crazy, this price directly wiped out people's rationality.

It was too cheap; even people who had no plans to buy a television set joined the buying spree.

3999 rupee, what more do you want? Even if it exploded, everyone would praise it for exploding loudly.

The fact is, the high-end texture on the poster almost eliminated this possibility.

At the commercial center in Bandra, in front of the Erke Mall, a long queue had already formed early in the morning.

People were excitedly talking to each other, clutching large wads of cash in their hands. They occasionally looked at the front of the line, with anticipation and anxiety in their eyes.

"The whole of Mumbai is talking about your television set." Mary walked over and handed him a glass of milk.

"This is good news, isn't it?" Ron withdrew his gaze from the balcony.

Mary and her friends' apartment was near the Erke Mall, which was the busiest street in Bandra.

"You succeeded again." Mary sighed.

"Don't worry, dear, we've already made a profit this time." Ron comforted her.

The first movie Sun Entertainment invested in, "love when the beacon fires rise", flopped at the box office.

The movie was released in July, with a first-week box office of just over ten million rupee.

Anyone familiar with Bollywood rules knows that such a movie is almost impossible to make money at the box office.

Indeed, after two months, by mid-September, the total box office was only forty million.

It was a complete flop; to be profitable, the box office would have to exceed 150 million rupee to be possible.

Because cinemas take a portion, and the entertainment tax in each state is also a big deduction.

Fortunately, the movie's music rights sold well, 300 million rupee, and Sun Entertainment got fifty million.

Chopra was also preparing to release this movie overseas, maybe he could earn some dollar.

Perhaps Sun Entertainment could ultimately earn sixty million rupee from this movie.

Very good, at least Ron was satisfied.

Mary was just regretful, she had been very optimistic about this romance movie.

The dismal box office made her start to doubt her own judgment.

"I guess you'll be busy again next?"

"You've seen what's outside, I have to go back to Sur Electrical Appliances to oversee things."

"This advertising campaign was very successful, even Bollywood is discussing your marketing methods."

"Do you think this is the end?" Ron smiled mysteriously.

"What do you mean?"

"Look outside." Ron pointed out the window.

Mary turned her head. Under the clear Mumbai sky, a huge and colorful hot air balloon was extremely eye-catching.

Equally eye-catching was the super-large red banner hanging below it.

"3999 rupee, Sur Electrical Appliances television set is within reach!"

A hundred-meter-long advertising banner hung under the hot air balloon, flying low over the city.

Crowds on the streets let out gasps and cheers, and many children chased the hot air balloon below.

This was too novel; there had never been such sky advertising in India.

"How much did you spend on this marketing frenzy?" Mary couldn't help but ask.

"More than thirty million rupee." Ron shook his head in a very Indian way.

"Wow, a big spender."

A million dollar advertisement, and in India, it was definitely an exorbitant price.

"Everything is worth it." Ron looked out the window.

Some people had already come out of the Erke Mall, holding brand new television set packaging boxes, looking excited.

The large "SUR" logo was conspicuously printed on the front, visible to everyone.

Ron quickly finished breakfast, then rushed downstairs without stopping, where Anil was waiting.

Incidentally, the Mercedes S600 he had ordered earlier had arrived.

The black body looked extremely grand, and the three-pointed star was still standing up, very impressive!

Anil opened the car door for Ron. Because it was bulletproof, the door was very heavy, which was a strenuous job.

The soft leather seats made Ron so comfortable he almost groaned, and the cool air from the air conditioner was already blowing gently.

"To the park." He sighed contentedly.

"Yes, Boss." The driver started the car.

A luxury car is indeed a luxury car; not only was there no bumpy ride, but not a single trace of noise from outside the window penetrated.

When he arrived downstairs at Sur Electrical Appliances, Ron was shocked. It was also crowded with people, not people buying television sets, but dealers who came to pick up goods.

They blocked the gate so tightly that Ron's car couldn't get in at all.

There was no other way, they had to detour through the construction area of the park to enter the factory.

"Boss, you're finally here!" Ashish was covered in sweat.

"How is the situation?"

"Big explosion! A big explosion! Our five operators haven't even had a glass of water until now."

"Are those outside all local dealers from Mumbai?"

"Yes, other cities are contacted by phone."

Two days before the sale, Sur Electrical Appliances television sets had already been sent to major cities in India.

Today's launch was synchronized nationwide, with great momentum.

"We prepared about thirty thousand units, are they rushing to urge delivery so quickly?"

"Oh dear," Ashish was so anxious he was almost slapping his thigh, "Boss, this amount of goods isn't even enough to fill a gap in Mumbai."

"Already sold out?" Ron was stunned.

"Many malls hadn't even had time to put the goods on the shelves before they were reserved."

"How many television sets can the current stock in the factory still produce?" Ron asked.

"Twenty thousand units, we altogether imported fifty thousand sets of picture tube components, they're all here."

"Not enough, add more! Contact East University and add an order for one hundred thousand sets, we need spot goods!"

"Boss" Ashish looked at him pitifully.

"What's wrong?"

"Dollar, our dollar is not enough."

Ron paused, he almost forgot, international trade uses dollar.

This rupee thing, even if Ron was willing, East University wouldn't want it.

He had desperately scraped together money these past two years, and his small dollar treasury only had a reserve of 1.25 million.

Because of the cooperation with NEC, the Maharashtra government approved him an additional 2 million dollar quota.

Public and private combined, it was only 3.25 million, this was all the dollar Ron had on hand.

Paying the deposit to NEC cost 600,000. Buying two production lines from East University, plus some accessories and personnel expenses, cost 500,000.

Ordering fifty thousand sets of picture tubes, at 20 dollar a set, was another 1 million.

After deducting various expenses, Ron's small dollar treasury only had 1.1 million remaining.

100,000 sets of picture tubes are worth 2 million dollar, the money he had on hand was not enough at all.

"Buy as much as you can, spend all 1.1 million. We'll pay cash, ask them to prepare spot goods, and ship them immediately."

"Then... then what about the future?" Ashish was a little worried.

"I'll figure out the future."

Still lacking dollar ah, the whole of India is lacking. The stock on hand, the more you spend, the less you have.

This can't go on, Ron must find a path of sustainable development; living off past gains won't last long.

The most stable method, of course, is to engage in international trade, such as selling Sur Electrical Appliances products abroad.

This kind of business is all settled in dollar; as long as the path is cleared, Ron will have a continuous supply of dollar in the future.

However, the idea is beautiful, but reality is cruel.

All that Indian products can export are raw materials; electronic products do not have the qualification to participate in international competition.

Sur Electrical Appliances, relying on the low parts prices provided by East University, might be able to give it a try.

Before joining the WTO, the West basically excluded East University from international trade.

India, however, was not. As the literal "largest democracy", the international market was completely unguarded against India.

Especially after the collapse of the polar bear in the north, in order to win over India, Western countries extended olive branches one after another.

This is a great opportunity; Sur Electrical Appliances can completely act as a middleman, selling relatively cheap goods overseas.

The more Ron thought about it, the more excited he became; this was a path he had never considered.

Who said being a comprador couldn't last long? Before East University joined the WTO, Ron felt he could do it.

But not now, distant water cannot quench a nearby fire.

The urgent task is to seize the domestic market in India and make Sur Electrical Appliances grow stronger.

Dollar ah, Ron racked his brains.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, perhaps he could ask Hella for help first.

She was preparing to do passport business for foreigners and also acted as an international diamond broker, all of which earned dollar.

She got more than a hundred thousand from that Brazilian corrupt official last time, Ron didn't believe she didn't have other reserves.

At most, he would eat a few more seafood meals, he was all in.

However, when Ron found Hella and explained his purpose, she was quite puzzled.

"You want dollar?"

"Yes, my recent business needs turnover, I can't do without dollar. I have rupee, if you need it."

"How much do you want?" she asked directly.

"The more the better, that big business."

"Wait, are you talking about millions, tens of millions of dollar?"

"Uh... if there's a way, of course no problem."

"There's someone who can help you." Hella smiled mysteriously.

"Who? Let's be clear, I don't want to do this deal with the Black Gang." Ron hadn't done business with Hader Khan for a long time; he was consciously cutting ties.

"Not the Black Gang, it's Ellie."

"Who?" Ron was confused.

"Ellie, the girl you rescued from The Palace."

"Oh, it's her," Ron remembered, "But what does this have to do with her?"

"Didn't I tell you? Okay, that's my bad. You know, she's Swiss, her family is very powerful."

"So?"

"Her family has a say in Swiss banks," Hella shrugged, "Come on, let's give her a call."