Chapter 418: Chapter 251: Cutting Off the Source
Wang Yan and Han Qiang were chatting and laughing when they noticed Zhang Yang’s expression change and instinctively raised their heads to take a look.
"Damn it!"
After seeing the name on the advertisement poster, the hot-tempered Wang Yan couldn’t help but curse, using a slew of expletives.
Just as he finished cursing, Han Qiang grabbed Wang Yan, who was about to rush over and overturn their booth.
"Wang Yan, calm down! Boss, what should we do?"
Han Qiang looked at Zhang Yang; when the guys were together, there wasn’t much to worry about, but when it came to company matters, Zhang Yang, as the boss, needed to make the decision.
Zhang Yang’s face was sullen and looked very unpleasant, but he managed to suppress the anger in his heart.
When he had taken people to the Weihai factory to take the molds, blueprints, and carbon cloth, he had also negotiated with the other party, prohibiting them from breaching contract and pirating the products for exhibition. At that time, the fishing rod factory owner had readily agreed.
But now, they had changed the name of the fishing rod factory, keeping the equipment coating and product positioning unchanged, and shamelessly put it in the N pavilion of the fishing gear exhibition brand hall.
What’s even more infuriating is that their exhibition pavilion is very close to Zhang Yang’s, less than thirty meters in a straight line, just around the corner from Zhang Yang’s pavilion at the end of the corridor, at the intersection, a spot that is geographically much better than Zhang Yang’s location.
"Brother Chu, you and little Dai go over there and snoop around, see if it’s the original factory people setting up the booth! Brother Qiang, Brother Yan, let’s not go over yet! Let’s find out the situation first!"
With a steady personality, Zhou Chu’s approach was more meticulous, ensuring they wouldn’t get into a conflict at face value.
"Alright!" Zhou Chu responded and took the market department’s little Dai for a stroll towards the opposite exhibition hall.
"Damn, these bastards really treat our contract as decoration! If we don’t make a fuss, they’ll think we’re easy to bully!
The product positioning and coating names are exactly the same, surely not a coincidence!
If you don’t believe me, just wait for Brother Chu to come back, and everything will be clear!" Wang Yan muttered discontentedly.
Zhang Yang nodded: "No matter what, let’s get a clear understanding first! If it really is those deceitful people, we’ll need to reconsider our product positioning and pricing!
Launching new products is a very serious matter, affecting the whole brand image and subsequent promotion and marketing plans!"
"If it’s them, do we just take it lying down? Or find some people and wreck their exhibition booth! At worst, spend a few days in custody!"
Wang Yan’s anger hadn’t subsided, still considering using violence to solve the problem.
Zhang Yang shook his head: "Let it go, we can’t handle things this way; if we do, we’ll end up being the aggressors!
Such a large fishing gear exhibition, trashing the booth wouldn’t be just a few days in custody, there could be serious charges like creating a disturbance, enough to get sentenced! Let’s wait for Brother Chu to return!"
The group stood not far away, quietly waiting for Zhou Chu to return after scouting the situation.
After about five minutes, Zhou Chu was back.
Walking up to Zhang Yang, Zhou Chu shook his head: "Among the people setting up the booth, there wasn’t the crowd from the previous fishing rod factory!
I casually chatted with them, and they claimed to be an old factory that’s been around for seven or eight years, saying their rods are newly launched by the company’s boss this year! They’re hoping to cash in on the booming black pit market!"
Zhang Yang nodded: "Alright, I got it, let’s go back and talk!"
"Just like that? They’re definitely in cahoots!" Wang Yan was still indignant.
Zhang Yang shook his head: "Probably not; Zou Yaohua wouldn’t dare be so bold. I suspect he sold the samples and part of this new business to peers, or did some shell cooperation or something!
You can’t possibly change all company employees for this bit of business!"
Zhou Chu also agreed: "The boss makes sense; if it’s as we suspect, we need to be cautious about the formal opening tomorrow! If the other party engages in a price war, it will be tough for us!"
"Damn it!" Wang Yan spat heavily on the ground.
Originally, after finishing their own matters, they came out happily to stroll, but when returning to the exhibition hall, everyone’s faces looked quite unpleasant, and the atmosphere became unusually heavy.
Old Zhao was sitting on the booth seat talking on the phone with a client, not noticing Zhang Yang and the others; after finishing the call and looking up, he saw Zhang Yang and their unusual expressions.
Without needing to be asked, Zhang Yang proactively said: "Zou Yaohua transferred the samples and cooperation development blueprints of the first phase to another fishing rod factory brand, just in that exhibition hall at the street corner! King Halberd, the name and coating are exactly the same!"
"What the hell! Has that bastard gone mad?" Zhao Bingguang couldn’t help but curse with an incredulous tone after hearing Zhang Yang’s news.
If the previous contract breach loss amount was debatable, this breach had now caused substantial damage; if pursued, the other party might find it hard to bear!
"The other party has already come to exhibit, holding them accountable is something to consider after the exhibition; right now, we need to study how to handle the product pricing and subsequent promotion!" Zhang Yang continued.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Bingguang was slightly stunned, then said: "You’re afraid they’ll take over our product positioning and wreck our brand’s cost-performance ratio?"
"Exactly! With the same quality stuff, whoever prices higher will be awkward! The industry attendees here are sharp-eyed! The exhibition hall is close, and the product style and positioning are completely overlapping; it’s hard not to make comparisons!" Zhang Yang nodded.