Chapter 22: Conquer the American Market!!
"And one more thing. I have a proposal for you, boss."
"Hmm? If it's something I can do, I'll help however I can."
"Please take charge of the store right now and become the manager of our first MinTenDo Premium Store."
"What did you say...?"
Kang Junhyuk, the protagonist, was about to make a strategic move in the American market. The opportunity arose when a vacant building was available right across from Toy World, making the lease process smooth. With a substantial workforce, we swiftly transformed the interior into a sleek white-themed space. We imported a massive collection of character merchandise from D-Kingdom and Super Marriage, creating a beautiful dedicated store for MinTenDo characters.
Kamakuchi, the company's CEO, had ventured into the character business using their existing toy manufacturing lines. Thanks to the success of Super Marriage, character merchandise was also selling like hotcakes.
I utilized all my knowledge of accessories and toys, from keychains to plushies, contacting Japanese suppliers. As a result, our product range would gradually expand in the future.
The market was already in chaos as M.E.S's stock was completely sold out. Over the past month, I had been contacting cooperative companies here and there, reducing the number of stores but increasing their loyalty.
"Having such a beautiful store... It's like a dream. Meeting Kang Junhyuk was really lucky."
"While your title has been demoted from boss to store manager, your income will be much better."
Yamashita-san, who was preparing for the grand opening of the Premium Store tomorrow, looked at the store and asked Wilson with his jaw dropped.
"In the heart of New York, a Premium store of this size... Wilson-san, you must be very wealthy."
"Huh? No, this is all thanks to Mr. Kang."
I poked Wilson's side and winked.
"It's all thanks to fate that I met Mr. Kang. Hahaha."
In reality, I had invested a significant amount of my own capital into this Premium store. I could have asked Kamakuchi, the CEO, to use company funds to pay for the store, but it wouldn't be easy to squeeze money out of that penny-pincher. Plus, having my store in the middle of New York would be a big help in the future. Since I'm a foreigner, I co-owned the store with Wilson and had Ellis serve as a witness. At least in the United States, these two were the most trustworthy people.
On the opposite side, Toy World employees and the manager stood uncomfortably, observing us. I smiled broadly and greeted them first. They spat on the ground and went back to the store. Let's stick together for once. I'll show you that I can talk about money as well.
The opening of Premium Store 1 was a moment that exploded all the stock we had accumulated so far. Thanks to the massive advertising in the newspapers for the past two weeks, customers who had been waiting flocked to the Premium store. As a result, Ellis, Wilson, and I had to assist as sales staff in the store.
I continued processing payments along the long queue, and a familiar face was looking at me with a smile. It was Smith, the Toy World employee from across the street. Behind him, I also spotted Jason, who had been giving customers a hard time. I felt emotional for a moment, but I kept a cheerful expression and spoke.
"Hello. Are you here to buy M.E.S products?"
"Yes. I'd like to order 100 M.E.S units."
"Ah, 100 units? But, sir, have you seen this?"
I casually pointed to a small sign nearby with my chin. It had the following phrase written on it:
- Our M.E.S can be purchased by each person for up to two units only to ensure that more users can enjoy it. Thank you for your understanding. -
"So, you're saying you won't sell the product now?"
"Oh no, we will sell them, but only up to two units per person. Mr. Smith may be a fan of our MinTenDo game, and we can't refuse to sell to him."
"Ugh... Fine. Just give me two for now. I'll come back later..."
"Since you can buy two units per day, feel free to come back tomorrow. Thank you."
I retrieved M.E.S units from behind the counter and placed them on the counter. With a cheerful tone, I spoke to Mr. Smith.
"That will be $398. Thank you, sir."
However, Mr. Smith was merely staring at the box without even thinking about handing over the money.
"What is this...? When did they start putting this on the box?"
- M.E.S is priced at $199. If you purchased it for a higher price, you have been scammed. If you encounter such a store, please report it to the contact information below. We will immediately reimburse the difference and take action against the store. MinTenDo is here for our customers. -
Under the text was the price of $199 printed prominently on the package. I raised an eyebrow and asked Mr. Smith.
"Excuse me, sir? Are you going to make the purchase? There are other customers waiting behind you."
"That damn monkey's offspring!!"
"If you're not buying, then get lost. You moron."
Korean insults were truly mysterious. Could they make the other person feel bad with just the tone, even without raising their voice? In the end, Smith and Jason gave up on purchasing M.E.S units and left. Shortly after that, a consumer group in the United States rose against Toy World. Enraged customers initiated lawsuits and boycotts against Toy World due to our massive advertising effect.
I also considered filing a lawsuit as an initial alternative. However, I decided to leave it alone, as suing a well-known corporation in the United States would harm the image of MinTenDo, a relatively new startup. Instead, my idea of inserting the price and text into the package to stimulate consumers turned out to be splendid. Toy World, which had seemed invincible, saw its reputation plummet in the eyes of American citizens, thanks to their power. Serves them right, these guys~
Four months passed from that incident, and with an increasing number of membership franchise stores, I barely had time for lunch. I was eating a late-night McDonald's burger in my office.
Ding-dong Just then, Ellis, who was about to leave the office, answered the phone and asked me.
"Hey, Mr. Kang Junhyuk. The Toy World CEO is on the line. Should I connect the call to you?"
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