Return to 78: Why are all the Americans panicking about doing scientific research?

Hearing this, Lin Kaifeng hesitated for a moment and said, "I can lower the FOB export price of the air fryer to US$240. As for the induction cooker..."

"Since it uses a more advanced chip, the room for price reduction is limited. The most I can reduce it to is $450."

"The air fryer is $200 each, and the induction cooker is $400 each."

After Lin Kaifeng finished his quotation, Joseph gave Best Buy the price they could afford.

The total amount of the two transactions must not exceed US$120 million.

Best Buy is one of the top home appliance chains in the United States, but that doesn't mean it has endless funds.

Quite the opposite.

Best Buy's financial situation is not healthy right now.

Due to the large amount of discounts given to consumers, Best Buy's sales are higher every year, but its annual net profit is gradually declining.

At the same time, other chain stores are also engaged in a frantic price war to compete with Best Buy for business.

If Best Buy wants to break through, it must find a few flagship products.

What is a flagship product? It is an advanced product that other companies cannot produce yet and only Best Buy has.

This is called a flagship product.

Induction cookers are not uncommon household appliances in the United States. Many American families have used induction cookers many years ago.

However, the induction cooker in the United States is very large, equivalent to half the size of a refrigerator.

The operation is complicated and there are many safety hazards.

The household induction cooker launched by Northern Machinery Company is about 40 to 50 centimeters in size.

Small and convenient, suitable for use in various environments.

A semiconductor chip is installed inside, which has functions such as automatic adjustment of firepower and automatic timing.

Once launched, it will surely become popular across the United States.

Lin Kaifeng said, "Mr. Joseph, may I ask what your position is at Best Buy?"

Hearing this, Joseph took out a business card and handed it to Lin Kaifeng.

Vice President and Purchasing Director of Best Buy.

Seeing this, Lin Kaifeng raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly, saying: "My company can agree to the price proposed by Mr. Joseph, but you have your additional conditions, and I have mine."

"Please say."

Joseph stretched out his hand to signal Lin Kaifeng to tell him the additional conditions of the machinery company.

As long as it is within the scope of fairness and reasonableness, Best Buy can give it appropriate consideration.

Lin Kaifeng said playfully, "The details I am about to tell you will do more harm than good to both Best Buy Group and Northern Machinery Company. If you want to further develop and become the largest chain enterprise in the United States and surpass Wal-Mart, you must help me."

Ah!

Joseph's brows tightened.

Best Buy does have the ambition to become the largest chain store in the United States, even surpassing Walmart.

It's more or less unrealistic.

Lin Kaifeng seemed not to notice Joseph's complicated expression, and said to himself: "I am more confident than anyone else about the products produced by my company. If the air fryer and induction cooker are sold to your country, there will be a buying frenzy immediately."

"However, everything should be viewed from multiple perspectives. Your company needs to do exclusive business and enhance its market competitiveness through induction cookers and air fryers, which will bring in a lot of profit and capital."

"Will other competitors allow you to do exclusive business? The answer is obviously no. They will rack their brains to crack the technology of induction cookers and air fryers. Once the technology is cracked, your advantages will be gone."

"No way, this is absolutely impossible."

Joseph shook his head and said, "Mr. Lin's joke is not funny. The products are protected by patent law. Air fryers and induction cookers are not something they can copy just because they want to."

"I'm sorry, but our country doesn't have relevant patent laws yet."

In one word, Joseph was completely stunned.

“You Dragon Country doesn’t have a patent law?!

Joseph, who always remained calm, felt the great irony.

The Dragon Kingdom does not even have a patent law.

God.

Either Lin Kaifeng was joking with him, or...

At this moment, Joseph didn't know how to describe his feelings.

Without patent protection, once air fryers and induction cookers are targeted by interested parties, as long as the other party is willing to spend money and invest a large number of scientific researchers.

There is absolutely no problem with cracking technology.

After all, household appliances are not military weapons.

To ordinary people, technology imitation is extremely difficult.

For experts, it's just a matter of time.

Joseph was dumbfounded and said, "I can't imagine that a big country like your Dragon Country doesn't have a patent law...

Lin Kaifeng shook his head and smiled bitterly.

It would take another five years before the first patent law was promulgated.

It was promulgated in 84 and officially implemented in 85.

Prior to this, there was no patent protection for either domestic or export goods.

The lack of legal and regulatory protection means that anyone can obtain the relevant technology.

Anyone can imitate and crack the technology of Longguo’s export products.

No one has done this before because the technological level of Dragon Country’s export products is relatively low and Western industries are unwilling to decipher them.

Air fryers and induction cookers are different.

Two products can have a direct impact on the home appliance industry.

Even if Western companies do not copy it, the island countries are probably sharpening their knives.

Previously, Lin Kaifeng supplied air fryers to Andrew in small batches.

Tens of thousands of air fryers are unlikely to have a big impact on the market.

Once a supply partnership is reached with Best Buy.

The number of orders in the future will increase from 200,000 to 1 million, 2 million, or even hundreds of millions.

When the quantity of goods reaches a certain scale, it will have a profound impact on the entire market.

Imitation has become the top priority for competing companies.

"I need Best Buy to help me patent the two technologies worldwide. If your group is willing to help, Northern Machinery will sign an exclusive supply contract with you."

"At the same time, I will give back your help by giving you a new home appliance every year."

"The household appliances we produce must be market-leading. You Westerners are used to talking about things in the spirit of contract. We can sign a contract. Starting from next year until 85, the machinery company will exclusively supply you with a household appliance that is not available on the market every year."

"This is equivalent to a bet agreement. If I lose, I am willing to pay ten times the compensation."

“The only price your group needs to pay is to register these home appliances globally.”

Five years later, it was the time when Longguo’s first patent law was implemented.

Before this, Lin Kaifeng had to rely on foreigners to help him register global patents for his products.

As for the five-year period, five exclusive products were supplied to Best Buy.

Lin Kaifeng can name more than a dozen just by counting on his fingers.

Ceramic stoves that are superior to induction cookers, air purifiers, floor scrubbers, home game consoles, VCD players, and fully automatic washing machines.

There are too many.

Pay a little bit of profit and obtain the patent registration that is currently lacking.

This is the real win-win situation!