Chapter 223 Self-built supermarket: Carrefour
Yang Wendong nodded and said: "Okay, in terms of funds, I have prepared it. As long as you agree, I will give it to you immediately;
But I I have a suggestion. In the future, for the operation of Wal-Mart supermarkets, it is best to build your own property. In fact, you just need to find a piece of vacant land to build your own house, or buy a large warehouse. In the long run, this will be more cost-effective, otherwise the rent will be high after more than ten years. When it expires, there will be more problems.”
In the previous life, many supermarkets in the mainland were trapped by the property management.
In the previous life of RT-Mart, in the early days of business, the property was half-owned and half-leased. After the lease period expired, it was difficult to replace the property due to long-term operation, and the landlord desperately sucked the blood.
Other Wal-Mart, Carrefour, and Auchan, because they are foreign-funded, used leasing in the early stage. As a result, after the expiration, they were cheated and had to close their doors and leave. Foreign-funded supermarkets failed to leave the mainland, and most of the reasons were due to rent;
On the contrary, Metro insists on building its own supermarkets. Although its scale is developing very slowly, it is still living a comfortable life.
Although it is a little different in the United States, the capital characteristics are the same. If you do not build a property by yourself, you will lose a large number of regular customers if you move out after the expiration. If you don't move, you will still be sucked by the landlord.
Sam Walton nodded and said: "Well, I understand the pros and cons, but I really can't build properties in the early days; if our cooperation is successful later, I will seriously consider this issue."
"That's fine, I'm just suggesting it." Yang Wendong smiled.
He is planning to open a supermarket in Hong Kong, or in Asia or even the mainland after opening in the future. In fact, his greatest confidence does not come from his knowledge of the future, nor his understanding of the future retail industry. This has nothing to do with current supermarket operations. Too useful.
But because he started very early and has enough funds, he can hold the property by himself. As long as he holds enough properties in Hong Kong or other Asian cities, he can later become a supermarket or other service industry. , it is difficult to lose money.
The current housing prices, even in Tokyo and Hong Kong, are still very low compared to their futures.
This is the biggest advantage of the time traveler in retail;
Of course, other aspects cannot be too bad, so in terms of management, he will invite experienced talents within Wal-Mart to cooperate with his own vision and capital.
After chatting for a while, Yang Wendong left Walmart. The purpose of coming to the United States this time seemed to be basically the same.
European and American companies do not exclude investment from external capital, especially such small companies, which are not large technology companies, and the US government will not care about such things.
However, the only thing you need to pay attention to is whether this company will cheat investors in the future. This kind of case is also very common in the business world. It is normal for investors and entrepreneurs to cheat each other. .
The next day, three middle-level cadres from Wal-Mart came to the hotel where Yang Wendong was staying:
"Mr. Liu, Feilun and Barney, I am very happy to meet you." Since they all dig Since they were here, Yang Wendong naturally knew the names of the three of them, and he welcomed their arrival.
Among them was a Chinese-American, which surprised Yang Wendong. This person was named Liu Huayu, and he had started his business with Walton in the early to mid-term.
"Hello, Eric." The three of them were polite.
"Please take a seat." After Yang Wendong signaled, a few people sat down next to the swimming pool downstairs of the hotel, and a waiter brought drinks here.
After chatting casually for a while, Yang Wendong asked: "Three of you, since you can come here, I think you are at least not excluded from going to Hong Kong. That is the price issue. I can follow the general rules of large American companies. , to pay for the expenses of sending people overseas.
In Hong Kong, I will prepare a house, a car, etc. for you, but you have to be careful with the car because the road rules are different.”
Liu Huayu, the only Chinese, said: "Mr. Yang, we have some other requirements, namely residence and return time."
Yang Wendong also listened to some conditions, which are normal, even if they are not Because he is optimistic about the future of the supermarket industry, he doesn't need to negotiate such small matters at all.
In the end, Yang Wendong agreed to these not-too-excessive conditions, and then said: "Mr. Liu, you are also Chinese. Let's communicate more easily in the future. I am planning to open a supermarket chain similar to Wal-Mart in Hong Kong.
The first store is in a large shopping mall, and its location is..."
Yang Wendong also told the general situation of Changxing Plaza.
After listening to this, Liu Huayu said: "This location is indeed good. There is a lot of people flow, and there are many rich people around. When the supermarket opens, the business will definitely not be bad."
"I have never seen the flow of people in a supermarket." "Don't worry." Yang Wendong said: "But how to purchase enough supplies for a supermarket is the biggest problem."
Supply chain is needed in any industry, not just manufacturing and retail. Same thing.
If there are already other supermarkets in a place, then you can roughly build a retail system by following the gourd's pattern, but being the first one is a bit difficult. The source of supply of any product depends on it. It needs to be developed by yourself.
Liu Huayu said: "I'm not very familiar with Hong Kong, but it is a city, and it can operate normally, and the supplies can satisfy millions of local people. Then supermarkets can also buy these supplies. .
What’s more troublesome is that the purchase volume of many products may be relatively low, so it is difficult to lower the price. In addition, individual transportation will also take up a lot of cost. ”
“I know a trader in Hong Kong who does local business. He can help. Yang Wendong added: "However, it cannot cover all the products that supermarkets need. You still have to go to the site to understand how to operate it in the future." "
Liu Huayu said: "It would be much more convenient if a local trader helps. Even if he can't buy it, he at least knows where to buy it conveniently. "
"Well, when you arrive in Hong Kong, I will introduce you to them. "Yang Wendong nodded and said.
Zhao Chengguang is now Changxing Industrial's partner in Hong Kong, such as sticky notes, sticky hooks, sticky mouse boards, trolley cases, etc. He is the only distributor, which is also This is Yang Wendong’s reward for his early partners.
Zhao Chengguang's own resources are not bad. Before he met Yang Wendong, his main business was to supply various commodities to many grocery stores and small supermarkets, which was somewhat in line with his future supermarket needs.
"Okay, Mr. Yang." Liu Huayu said.
Yang Wendong added: "There is another special situation in Hong Kong, that is, domestic stores, which specialize in importing cheap domestic goods and then selling them to locals;
In the case of the mainland, You should also know something about the main purpose of these stores. Just to earn foreign exchange, so many times, they would rather sell at a loss. "Selling at a loss?" This was the first time Liu Huayu had heard of this kind of thing, and he thought about it and asked, "These supermarkets. Is there a lot? Is there a full range of products? ”
Yang Wendong replied: "There are quite a few, but where our first supermarkets are located, the rent is relatively expensive and there are not many domestic supermarkets. As for commodities, they are all produced by light industry or agricultural products."
Myself The initial supermarket development plan is in some economically developed areas of Hong Kong Island;
< br>One is that these places have strong consumption power and large population; the second is that they can make high returns by investing in properties and reduce the rental costs of supermarkets;
The third is to avoid domestic stores as much as possible; I don’t want to compete viciously with them, and it’s difficult to compete with similar products.
Liu Huayu asked again: "Can we purchase goods from the mainland?"
"It should be possible." Yang Wendong said: "Behind the domestic supermarkets is China Resources Group, but if China Resources wants to maximize its profits in earning foreign exchange, it cannot only rely on its own channels. Their products are also sold to many stores in Hong Kong, including Food, vegetables and light industrial products.
How to cooperate here in the future, you have to discuss it with China Resources after you go to Hong Kong. "
After preparing to build a supermarket, he asked Zhao Chengguang and learned that it would be fine. It's Zhao Chengguang's goods, and many of them are purchased from China Resources.
And China Resources cannot cover all daily necessities, because not everything can be made domestically, and factors such as transportation costs must also be considered. Otherwise, so many foreign companies in the import trade will not survive. So moisturizing.
"Okay." Liu Huayu agreed.
Yang Wendong asked again: "Then when can you go to Hong Kong?" Liu Huayu said: "It will take about a month. Not only do we work at Wal-Mart, we also have families in the United States. A sudden long-term business trip to Hong Kong also requires There is a buffer time."
"Understood." Yang Wendong said, "Then you will do it in one month. When I go to Hong Kong, I will go back earlier and try to buy property nearby. If I can buy it, I can open several stores together, so that the cost of procurement and logistics will be shared evenly.”
The expansion of supermarkets must not be one in the east or the other. Instead, it needs to start from one point and slowly radiate to the surrounding areas. Wal-Mart also developed in this way.
The location around Changxing Building is very expensive. If you want to acquire a large property nearby to build a supermarket, you may not be able to succeed in a short time.
Liu Huayu said: "Okay, I will try my best to make some preliminary preparations and summarize some of my experience data."
"Okay, that's it." Yang Wendong said: "I hope that when we meet in Hong Kong next time, we can make preparations together to do a good job in this business."
Liu Huayu asked again: "By the way, Mr. Yang, the name of our new supermarket is What?"
Yang Wendong said with a smile: "I am going to call it Carrefour, which means that the whole family is happy and healthy, which means that our supermarket can provide all customers with all the things and services that families need."
< br>The word Carrefour is actually the transliterated name of the French company Carrefour when it invested in China in the 1990s. I have to say that this name is still good, much better than Auchan, RT-Mart, and Metro.
It's a pity that due to poor management capabilities, it eventually withdrew from the mainland market. Before Yang Wendong crossed over, this name was almost no longer mentioned.
“Carrefour? This name is indeed very good.” Liu Huayu also praised it.
Yang Wendong took out another business card and said: "This person's name is Lin Youjing. He is the general person in charge of my business in the United States. If you have any questions, you can contact him.
Including your air tickets to Hong Kong in one month and the basic subsidy funds, he will be responsible for it."
"Okay, thank you, Mr. Yang, then we will leave first," Liu Huayu took the business card. , and left with the two American ghosts.
Another three days passed, and news finally came from Sam Walton. He agreed to Yang Wendong's request for a 15% stake, but also required Yang Wendong to borrow US$300,000 at low interest rates from Wal-Mart for future expansion.
Yang Wendong naturally agreed. This investment is not as good as the original cost of acquiring China Bahrain, but the high future returns will definitely blind all other investors, including Buffett.
Witnessed by lawyers from both parties, Yang Wendong signed his name on the contract and took a photo with Walton shaking hands. In the future, this will be a good historical memory.
After signing the contract, both parties will hold one copy for each other, and the other copy will be sent to the local business agency for filing.
Yang Wendong said: "Sam, the funds will be transferred to the company account before tomorrow afternoon. I think you will be able to work hard in the American retail industry soon."
"Haha, Eric, you are joking." Sam Walton said: "I will be very happy if I can achieve something in Arkansas."
"I believe that capable people are not It will only satisfy a small place," Yang Wendong laughed.
Today's Walton probably wouldn't dare to dream that he could become the richest man in the United States in the future and that his supermarket could monopolize the United States.
This is actually normal. Few of the world's super-rich people could see their future clearly when they started their businesses in the early stages. They could only take it one step at a time.
But maybe I caught the trend, and then took off smoothly step by step, and I couldn't stop even if I wanted to.
Walton didn't care and said: "Then I'll lend you a good word."
"You're welcome." Yang Wendong said again: "Sam, don't forget, this contract has an annual Audit requirements.”
This is a friendly reminder and a way for Yang Wendong to protect his rights and interests.
These entrepreneurs that I want to invest in every possible way, such as Walton, Wang Yongqing, etc., are all extremely capable.
But the more this happens, the more Yang Wendong needs to protect his own rights and interests while investing.
Walton is also a smart man, so he said: "Don't worry, I understand, I will definitely do a good job in the accounting matters, and I am willing to check with you at any time."
"Okay." Yang Wendong nodded and said .
......
One day later, a total of US$476,400 was remitted to Wal-Mart's bank account. With the remittance of funds, the contract officially came into effect, and Yang Wendong also owned Wal-Mart Supermarket 15 % shares.
At the same time, the joint venture company of Wal-Mart Supermarket also owes Yang Wendong, the second shareholder, US$300,000.
After everything was settled, Yang Wendong stayed with us and once again chartered the Pan American Airways business jet to return to Hong Kong.
On the plane:
Bai Yushan asked with some confusion: "Brother Dong, I think Wal-Mart is quite short of money. If you are really optimistic about them, why don't you buy more shares? ? But only 15%? Instead, he lent them money.” The more non-shares, the better. Another possibility is that if you want too many shares, the founder will be wary of you or unwilling to work for you.
When you are short of money, you can say anything. But after going through the difficult period in the future, it will not necessarily be the case. Many times, you need to find an appropriate way to do things.”
"I know this." Bai Yushan asked: "But you only asked for 15%. I think 25% should not be a big problem."
"Maybe." Yang Wendong didn't pay much attention. Said: "If you want to obtain shares in the future, there will be opportunities, and you don't have to get them all at once now."
Although he doesn't know how Wal-Mart succeeded in its early days, the Walton family has been able to start the business for decades. After the year, the entire family will still own 50%+ stocks, which is enough to show that they attach great importance to equity.
Having a major shareholder with too many shares will be bad for Yang Wendong, whether it causes confrontation or Walton will find ways to transfer assets in the future.
Instead of having such a risk, it is better to invest less and wait until there is an opportunity in the future, such as after Wal-Mart goes public, and then acquire the stock, or you can find other shareholders to acquire it in the future.
The advantage of this is that it can hide its identity in a low-key manner and avoid attracting the attention of the U.S. business regulatory authorities when Wal-Mart gets too big.
"Well, yes, American companies still like to go public." Bai Yushan nodded and said.
Yang Wendong said with a smile: "Don't think too much. This time I came to the United States, all my expectations have been fulfilled. Come, celebrate, double happiness."
"This is on the plane. Oh...”
PS: Please give me a monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)