Chapter 498: Wholeheartedly Convinced
Winston Lowell understood that Adrian Hawthorne had saved face for him this time, but he wouldn’t be so courteous again. It was his own fault for getting carried away and giving away so much fabric as favors. He had thought Adrian wouldn’t notice such a small amount, but the man had tallied it up on an abacus, calculating the exact amount down to the last thread, as if he had X-ray vision.
Winston Lowell subconsciously wiped the sweat from his brow, his admiration for Adrian Hawthorne reaching a new peak. He resolved never to try any petty tricks again. He would follow his Boss wholeheartedly.
The others felt the same way. Only by following the Boss could they live a good life and reach the pinnacle of success. They couldn’t let themselves be blinded by trivial gains, throwing away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed.
"Don’t worry, Boss. It’ll never happen again. We won’t give away a single inch," the men chorused, terrified that Adrian Hawthorne would grow tired of them and cut them loose.
"Not giving away a single inch is also a mistake," Adrian Hawthorne said, his tone softening slightly. "You have to let the customers feel like they’re getting a little something extra. For example, if a customer buys ten feet, it’s fine to give them an extra two or three inches. If the customer is happy, they’ll come back to buy more fabric and even refer other people to us. It’s a win-win for everyone."
Winston Lowell and the others nodded repeatedly and heaped on some praise, which finally eased the tense atmosphere.
Adrian Hawthorne finished checking the accounts and assigned new sales tasks.
"Boss, someone was asking me about a television. Can you get your hands on one?" Winston Lowell asked, eager to prove his worth. He wanted Adrian Hawthorne to recognize his value.
"What size?"
Adrian Hawthorne’s expression was placid. Winston Lowell couldn’t read his thoughts at all, which only made him admire the man more. ’I could never do that,’ he thought. ’Everything I feel is written all over my face. But the Boss, he could be facing the end of the world and he’d still have that same deadpan look. He’s not like a kid at all, more like an ancient demon who’s lived for thousands of years.’
’Although, the Boss does change his expression when he’s with that chubby girl, Tang Xiaonan. He’s very expressive then, not like the permanent poker face he shows us.’
"A 14-inch. It’s for a relative of mine. His family is quite wealthy. As long as you can get a TV, my relative will definitely buy it."
Adrian Hawthorne thought for a moment, then said, "Tell your relative it’s six hundred yuan a set. He’ll need to pay a three-hundred-yuan deposit. If he wants it, I’ll bring it with me next time."
At the department store, a 12-inch model sold for five hundred yuan, and you still needed a TV ticket. His price of six hundred wasn’t expensive, but he stood to make a profit of nearly half. Madman Feng had plenty of televisions, even color ones, all brought in from Port Krol. A 14-inch black-and-white TV cost only three hundred yuan from him.
Winston Lowell was so happy he nodded vigorously. "Done! I’ll tell my relative right away. They’ll definitely be pleased."
Six hundred yuan was cheaper than the department store. How could his relative not be pleased?
"Quote the price as is. I’ll give you a thirty-yuan commission for this television," Adrian Hawthorne added, worried that Winston Lowell might try to pocket the difference. He didn’t want him disrupting the market.
Winston Lowell’s face reddened with embarrassment. He mumbled, "It’s for my grand-uncle. He’s helped my family in the past. I don’t need the thirty yuan."
"If I’m giving it to you, then take it. It’s your service fee."
"Alright..."
Winston Lowell didn’t dare refuse again, afraid of displeasing Adrian Hawthorne. He was still thrilled, though. Thirty yuan was more than his sister’s monthly salary, and all he’d done was arrange a single deal. He had to ask around and see who else wanted a television; this thing was even more profitable than radios.
Adrian Hawthorne went to the department store to buy some high-end pastries before heading back to Millstone Peak with Goldie Thorne. He was in an excellent mood. His initial two-thousand-yuan investment in goods had yielded a profit of just over one thousand. Selling fabric, of course, didn’t have such high margins—the profit came mainly from the children’s clothing.