Chapter 287 New Products: Rice Cookers and Microwave Ovens
Wang Zhiqun also followed up and said: "Yes, this is also the sales volume promoted by the media in a short period of time, and it is also a new product itself. The first wave of interested people ran away Come and buy it.”
“Yes, just take your time and sell it through other channels besides Carrefour.” Yang Wendong nodded.
Carrefour only has 6 stores now. Although they are all in prosperous areas, and the surrounding population may be hundreds of thousands, but compared with the total number of people in Hong Kong, it is still far behind.
Unless one day Carrefour has nearly a hundred stores spread across Hong Kong and Kowloon, selling any product in Hong Kong will still need to rely on other channels.
"Okay." Wang Zhiqun said again: "Yang Sheng, our products, like other electronic products, still need to rely on overseas markets to achieve success;
These days, the transistor production factory has also Trial production has begun, and our production capacity of electric mosquito swatters can continue to increase, so I think we should directly enter the European, American or Japanese markets.”
“Well, yes, it is also the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere.” Yang Wendong naturally agreed and asked: "As for the transistors, we made them ourselves, so there won't be any problems, right?"
At the beginning of this year, Honor Electronics introduced an old production line from the United States, which lasted almost half a year. After that, it can be produced.
For something in this purely technical field, Yang Wendong's advantage as a time traveler can't help much, so he only understands the progress, and can only rely on the technical team for the rest.
Wang Zhiqun said: "We are still doing initial testing, and there are no problems so far. The transistors we produce are not the latest ones, but older ones with mature technology;
Fairchild Semiconductor engineers have also been participating in debugging. There will be no problem in conducting various experiments.”
“Okay, the European and American markets won’t be developed that quickly.” Yang Wendong added, “It happens to be near Hong Kong or Bay. The sold electric mosquito swatters can also be used as preliminary tests.”
Although it is not good to use the products of the first batch of customers as trial tests, this is not a car, so it will not cause any big problems. Safety hazard.
And if a problem does occur, I will compensate the customer. Under normal circumstances, the customer is also willing.
In fact, many products operate in this way. After various tests are completed, some will be released to the market first, so that many users can test them while using them. The same is true for cars. Many brands will sell new cars at a cheap price before releasing them. Sell new models to your own employees or supplier employees, etc., just to get more data.
“Yes, in Hong Kong and Wanwan markets, it is estimated that selling tens of thousands a month is not a big problem.” Wang Zhiqun said: “It’s just time to test it in small batches, otherwise we will have to use our own manpower and time to do it. Less than tens of thousands of products have been tested."
"Well" Yang Wendong thought for a while and then said: "Then do you have any ideas about developing the European, American and Japanese markets?"< br>
Wang Zhiqun replied: "The simplest way is to go through the foreign trading companies in Hong Kong, especially Jardine Matheson, Swire and Wheelock. They all have their own channels overseas;
Follow They have negotiated well, and since the positioning and quality of our products are good, we can easily get orders that are dozens of times higher than those in the Hong Kong market.”
"It's true. Many radio or toy companies in Hong Kong have passed through them, which can be regarded as achievements." Yang Wendong said with a smile: "But in this way, the channel is controlled by them, and life and death are completely controlled by them. "In hand."
Wang Zhi Qun agreed: "It is indeed the case. I just want to develop overseas channels on my own. This is very difficult."
Yang Wendong nodded: "There must be difficulties. If we are a small company and don't have the ability, Next, naturally we will find a trading company, first Survival is the most important thing;
But now we are not. Although Honor has just started, I hope that even if it takes more time, it will need to gradually build its own channels in several major overseas markets. relations, especially the United States, Japan and several major European countries, you can find trading companies in other places."
Wang Zhiqun thought for a while and said: "I understand what Yang Sheng means, then I will start with Japan. They are close to Hong Kong, the market is not small, and the culture is great. It’s almost the same as us.”
"Yes, the Japanese market is indeed good." Yang Wendong agreed: "But I also have some connections in the United States. There is a person there named Lin Youjing, who is the person in charge of multiple businesses of Changxing Group in the United States.
< br>He has been dealing with the retail industry in the United States. If you contact him, he will develop the market in the United States, and you will be responsible for Japan, and the two big markets will be operated together. "
Beauty. The United States and Europe are the two largest economies in the world today, but there are too many countries in the latter, and the total economic scale is not as large as that of the United States, so this will be a major market for any business;
Therefore, early In 1959, Yang Wendong sent a team to the United States. At first, they cooperated with 3M Company to sell sticky notes, and later gradually helped Yang Wendong complete some tasks, such as checking Wal-Mart and finally reaching investment.
Over the past few years, the team headed by Lin Youjing has also gotten acquainted with many retail channels, which can be regarded as preparing for the future self-built channels of export-focused industries such as Changxing Industrial and Honor Electronics.
"Okay." Wang Zhiqun took the business card.
He also knows that Changxing Group has begun to expand into the American market a long time ago, and there are also dedicated personnel there.
Yang Wendong added: "In the future, electric kettles can also be developed in this way. Once one channel is opened, everything can be used universally;
So work harder in the early stage and wait until the channel is opened. , then as long as our products have quality and technology, it will be easier."
Wang Zhiqun said with a smile: "I understand."
"Okay, that's it." Yang Wendong said again: "Let's make achievements in these two products first. When the funds return, we can also develop other electronic products."
Wang Zhiqun asked: " Does Yang Sheng have any new directions? "
"Yes, it is, but it is more difficult to develop." Yang Wendong said with a smile.
Wang Zhiqun asked: "Can you tell me first? I can check the information first, and Honor's R&D personnel can also prepare it first;
Now the two existing products are also mainly Entering the production stage, the R&D team is relatively free except for tracking quality issues. ”
"Yeah, that's okay." Yang Wendong asked again: "Which electronic industry do you think is the largest now?"
Wang Zhiqun thought for a while and said: "The largest is definitely the home appliance industry, TVs and refrigerators. , washing machines, or electric fans."
"Yes." Yang Wendong nodded. Before the outbreak of the computer industry, the largest electronics industry was the home appliance market, which was a gold market.
Then he said: "The technical content of these things is not low. Even an electric fan may be made in Hong Kong, but it is a bit difficult to make a good one;
And the most important thing is What’s more, the most important thing about these home appliances is brand promotion. Otherwise, no one will buy them even if they are sent to European and American channels.”
"Yes, this requires brand power." Wang Zhiqun also agreed: "In recent years, Japanese home appliance brands have tried to enter the European and American markets;
Small home appliances such as electric fans and radios can easily open up the market, while large appliances can easily open up the market. It’s more difficult. Without brand promotion, most people won’t buy it. ”
Generally, the more expensive something is or something related to safety, the more consumers will value the brand when buying it, such as a car. ;
Even if the two cars have the same configuration and performance, the one with the brand can easily sell for 15% more. The same goes for the home appliance industry. When people buy air conditioners and refrigerators, they attach great importance to brands. They would rather be more expensive than more stable.
Relatively speaking, the washing machine may be a little worse. It doesn't matter what the electric fan is, as long as it can rotate.
Yang Wendong followed up and said: "Yes, Japan's technology is not bad, but it takes a long time to achieve results, so in the short term, I am not going to make these conventional products. I will consider it later.
What I am more optimistic about now is kitchen appliances. There are many varieties of this type of products and the prices are not expensive, so consumers’ brand requirements for these products are not that high.”
The same is true for kitchenware. There are brands, but people don’t know much about them and don’t care much about brands. Especially in this era, advertising investment is far less than in previous generations.
Wang Zhiqun nodded and said: "Yang Sheng is right. When I buy small household appliances, I usually don't care about the brand, as long as they are cheap;
However, there are not many types of kitchen appliances. There are some ovens, bread machines and the like in Europe and the United States. We Chinese have very few. Counting our water boilers, there is also a rice cooker? "
Yang Wendong smiled and asked: "Are you sure about making a rice cooker? "
Wang Zhiqun thought for a while and said: "The rice cooker I bought at home is from Panasonic, and the price is more than 400 Hong Kong dollars. If we make it, the cost will definitely not be higher than 200;
But this Things have certain techniques In terms of content, if you want to control the temperature in the rice pot evenly to ensure that the rice on the outside is not boiled and the rice on the inside is cooked, this requires research and development for a period of time. As far as I know, Japan has developed several Years later, we launched products that were liked by the market. "
Yang Wendong nodded and said: "Yes, it looks simple, but it is a bit difficult to do it well, but I am still ready to do it. I can tell you that an electronics factory in eastern Guangdong Province is already doing it. Well, even if they can develop it, there’s no reason why we can’t do it, right? ”
The rice cooker actually came out in the 1940s, and today the patent has expired.
It’s just that the early rice cookers were really hard to use, so they didn’t become very popular. It wasn’t until recent years when electronic control technology improved that they were gradually accepted by the market.
Of course, no external patent is needed to do anything in the Mainland.
Wang Zhiqun said: "Okay, I will arrange for someone to buy some small Japanese rice cookers and come back to study them."
"Well, this is the simplest research and development method." Yang Wendong nodded and said.
It is indeed the easiest way to study other people's products in turn, but this is just for reference, not direct plagiarism.
After all, the creative patent for the rice cooker has expired, but new patents can be registered for various technologies and appearances developed by subsequent companies.
And even if it is legal, Yang Wendong will not agree. He is not just starting a business and needs to make quick money. The most important thing is that his team has the ability to develop new products.
Wang Zhiqun added: "Actually, the more important thing is to learn its time control logic. How can I ensure that the rice is cooked and not burnt? Even if I can't design the internal control unit, it will cost money. It’s also possible to find designs from the United States.”
"Okay, you decide how to do professional things yourself." Yang Wendong paused, and then said: "But even if the research on the rice cooker is successful, its market is in Southeast Asia, which is not small, but Can’t go to Europe and America;
So, in addition to rice cookers, I want you to research another kitchen appliance. ”
For a capable company, it is impossible to develop only one new product. It usually develops multiple types at the same time.
After all, other bosses are not time travellers. If they only develop one , then if it doesn’t sell well, then the company should stop?
Besides, simple product development requires time and research, not a lot of manpower. If the company is stronger, it can carry out multiple projects at the same time. .
“What kitchen appliance? "Wang Zhiqun asked.
Yang Wendong said: "Have you heard of microwave heating?"
"Microwave heating? You mean radar heating?" Wang Zhiqun thought for a while and then asked: "It's the radar used in some factories or restaurants in Europe and the United States. Furnace? "
"Yes, but I want to miniaturize this product," Yang Wendong nodded.
Microwave heating was accidentally discovered by an American radar engineer during World War II.
Later, based on this principle, the first microwave oven was built. However, due to technical limitations, this thing was very large, with a mass of up to 300 kilograms, and the life of the microwave tube was not long, so it had little commercial significance.
After development and optimization, it was gradually bought and used by some restaurants and factories. Its specific feature is that it heats very quickly and has no open flame.
To this day, Yang Wendong has checked the European and American markets, and there is no civilian microwave oven.
Wang Zhiqun said: "I have seen this thing before. Whether it can be miniaturized or not, I can't say yet, but the heated magnetron inside can never be developed in Hong Kong."
Yang Wendong said: "Then set up an R&D center in the United States and do research there. From now on, we will develop in the United States and produce in Hong Kong. This will be our short-term operating model."
Everyone has their own advantages, and everyone has their own advantages. The same goes for countries.
Here in Hong Kong, the electronics industry has just started. It’s okay to make small things, but it’s impossible to engage in complex research and development. Electric mosquito swatters and electric kettles, these things are actually creative ideas with very low technical content.
The United States has strong R&D capabilities, but workers’ wages are high and there are union troubles.
Therefore, R&D in the United States and production in Hong Kong is the best model.
Wang Zhiqun agreed and said: "Okay, I think we should choose Los Angeles, where there are a lot of talents in the electronics field and there are many universities nearby."
"Okay." Yang Wendong also knows the future. Silicon Valley, and then said: "The United States needs to set up a R&D center, but Hong Kong also needs to send people there to learn more and help;
In the long run, Hong Kong still needs to have certain R&D capabilities. Even if it cannot do high-tech R&D, it still needs to be at a certain level. "
"Understood. "Wang Zhiqun said: "I will go to the United States right now to find some technicians related to magnetrons. ”
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(End of this chapter)