Chapter 377 - 366: Crushing the Competition with Schemes
Chapter 377: Chapter 366: Crushing the Competition with Schemes
Upon returning to Deep Blue Residence from the Association headquarters, Allen immediately began drafting a launch plan for the World Commerce platform.
"Jarvis, pull up the complete data for Weisren Heavy Industry’s entire product matrix."
"DSeek, begin scraping and analyzing data on all Level 1 to Level 3 war Golem products on the World Commerce platform. Establish a competitor database."
[Command confirmed.]
[Scraping data... Building analysis model...]
Inside the study, a massive light screen unfolded. The left side displayed Allen’s product tree—from the Spider Slayer to the Gabriel—all logically organized with detailed parameters.
On the right, a waterfall of countless data streams cascaded down as DSeek systematically stripped bare the one hundred and eighty-six competitors on the platform.
Half an hour later, a complete market analysis report was presented to Allen.
He discovered that the war Golem market on the World Commerce platform was extremely polarized.
One end was dominated by old, top-tier suppliers. Their products were mostly classic models passed down through families or large organizations, boasting excellent performance and solid materials. Each one was the culmination of generations of Wizards’ hard work.
But with individual units starting at a hefty five hundred thousand Magic Stones, and some even reaching tens of millions, their clientele consisted mainly of rulers of large Planes.
At the other end were countless small workshops run by Alchemy Wizards, all engaged in a brutal race to the bottom.
Their prices were low, sure—you could get a Golem for one or two thousand Magic Stones—but the quality was purely a matter of luck.
After-sales service? Nonexistent.
If it broke, you could only chalk it up to bad luck or try to find a local Alchemy Wizard to fix it.
The middle ground—the mid-range market for standardized, high-value products—was an almost completely barren vacuum.
He casually clicked on a shop page called "Ironclad Workshop," his brow furrowing slightly.
Crude.
Far too crude.
The page had nothing but a dry block of text accompanied by two static images shot from odd angles in dim lighting.
There were no demonstrations, no detailed parameter comparisons. Some listings didn’t even bother to provide basic information like dimensions and weight.
As for critical parameters like Magic Power consumption, Magic Furnace lifespan, and a list of perishable parts—the creators themselves probably had no idea.
In the Wizarding World, business still seemed to be stuck in a rather primitive stage.
’This kind of shopping experience wouldn’t even hold up against a farmer selling produce on a budget e-commerce site in my past life,’ Allen mused.
[DSeek: Analysis indicates that current suppliers on the World Commerce platform universally lack concepts of product display and marketing. Their business model is centered on passive waiting, with no proactive marketing tactics. Areas such as customer relations, brand building, and after-sales service are in a state of chaos.]
’This is our chance,’ a glint of insight flashed in Allen’s eyes.
The World Commerce platform had no shortage of good products, and certainly no shortage of wealthy customers.
What it lacked was a supplier who knew how to sell.
’They’re still operating on the old adage that a good product sells itself. In that case, I’ll just have to teach them how to do business with an e-commerce mindset.’
Allen’s gaze sharpened. "Jarvis, begin formulating the launch plan."
"The traffic-driver will be the Spider Slayer II. Set the platform price at 2,800 Low-Level Magic Stones."
[Cost analysis: Unit production cost is 2,200 Low-Level Magic Stones, for a gross profit of 600 Low-Level Magic Stones. With the platform taking a 30% cut of the profit, the commission is 180 Low-Level Magic Stones, resulting in a net profit of 420 Low-Level Magic Stones per unit.]
The Spider Slayer II integrated close combat, sniping, and reconnaissance capabilities, and even came with a [Shadow Travel] module. At this price point, no other product could compete.
This price would be enough to make all his competitors question their existence.
The profit margin could be slim, but the market had to be won.
The mission of a traffic-driving product wasn’t to make money, but to act as a sharp knife, tearing through the psychological defenses of the Wizarding World’s consumers in the most brutal way possible.
By offering a price that seemed like a loss but was actually profitable, he would give customers their first taste of what a user-friendly, affordable war Golem felt like.
"Additionally, every Spider Slayer II will come with a beautifully printed copy of the *Weisren Heavy Industry General Product Catalog*."
This was a tactic to drive traffic to his other products.
As for the core, high-volume products, he decided on three to start:
One: The Purgatory Fire Support Platform, standard configuration of twelve Red Lotus-II tracking Magic Missiles.
Platform Price: 9,999 Low-Level Magic Stones. A Legion Starter Pack of six units will be priced at 58,888 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Red Lotus-II Ammunition Refill Pack, a set of twelve, priced at 4,800 Low-Level Magic Stones.
[Cost analysis: A single Purgatory Platform with twelve munitions costs a total of 5,800 Low-Level Magic Stones. Gross profit is 4,199 Low-Level Magic Stones. Net profit per unit is 2,939.3 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Two: The Peacekeeper PX-1 Mass Production Model.
Platform Price: 39,999 Low-Level Magic Stones.
[Cost analysis: 31,000 Low-Level Magic Stones. Gross profit is 8,999 Low-Level Magic Stones. Net profit per unit is 6,299.3 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Three: The ’Storm Falcon’ Air Support Golem.
Platform Price: 19,999 Low-Level Magic Stones.
[Cost analysis: 16,300 Low-Level Magic Stones. Gross profit is 3,699 Low-Level Magic Stones. Net profit per unit is 2,589.3 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Under the current pricing strategy, these three core volume products were all profitable, yet their pricing remained extremely aggressive, far below the market median for products with similar performance.
He wasn’t selling individual Golems; he was selling the "Weisren Warfare System."
Once customers bought into this concept, the subsequent, endless consumption of ammunition, replenishment of combat losses, and model upgrades would bring him a continuous stream of profit far exceeding that of the Golems themselves.
This was called an ecosystem.
Furthermore, he needed specialty and high-profit products.
Shadow Assassin, complete version. Platform Price: 29,999 Low-Level Magic Stones.
[Cost analysis: 15,000 Low-Level Magic Stones. Gross profit is 14,999 Low-Level Magic Stones. Net profit per unit is 10,499.3 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Hive Mothership, standard edition. Platform Price: 699,999 Low-Level Magic Stones.
[Cost analysis: 500,000 Low-Level Magic Stones. Gross profit is 199,999 Low-Level Magic Stones. Net profit per unit is 139,999.3 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
These were prepared for customers with special needs and deep pockets. They would be Weisren Heavy Industry’s true cash cows, supporting the healthy operation of the entire product line.
Finally, there were the high-end products.
Freedom Gundam, Gabriel, and Cyclops would all be listed.
"Platform prices: nine hundred thousand for the ’Freedom,’ and fifteen million for the ’Icon’ series."
These products didn’t have an absolute advantage in performance within their class, and their prices were steep. The expected sales rate was zero, but sales were never Allen’s goal for them.
These three magnificently designed, powerful Golems were the flagships of Weisren Heavy Industry, a way of flexing its technological muscle.
’I want every customer to know that not only can we make cheap and effective products, but we can also build high-end ones.’
The pricing strategy was set, but this was only the first step.
The real killer move was yet to come.
He spent two full days on it.
He meticulously edited, scored, and rendered footage from every battle he had personally experienced.
Spider Slayers hunted down Magical Beasts, their precise short bursts and lethal pounces weaving a dance of death.
Dozens of Purgatory Platforms fired in unison from the high ground. Red Lotuses, trailing long plumes of fire, descended like Divine Punishment, instantly wiping a massive Beast Tide off the map.
The Hive Mothership, a mobile sky fortress, circled slowly above the battlefield. Tens of thousands of "Hornet" drones swarmed like locusts, executing a series of complex commands—reconnaissance, harassment, and suicide attacks—demonstrating unparalleled battlefield dominance...
Every piece of footage was filled with a sense of power and the violent beauty of metal.
Every frame was enough to make the blood of any Wizard who yearned for power pump with excitement.
And at the end of every video, the screen would abruptly cut to black.
Against a backdrop as deep as the cosmos, a silver logo formed by an interlocking A and W would slowly materialize, radiating a cold, solid luster.
Beneath the logo, a line of small text would light up:
[Weisren Heavy Industry—Not a single Magic Stone wasted.]
That’s right. He was building his brand from this moment on, not wasting a single opportunity to advertise.
"Value for money," a concept that had never before appeared in the Wizarding World, was the sharpest arrow Allen had loosed upon this ancient market.
Finally, in the after-sales description for all his products, he added the same line of text.
[Weisren Heavy Industry promises: All products sold are covered by a three-month warranty. In the event of a performance failure not caused by user damage during this period, the Control Core will be replaced with a same-model unit, free of charge.]
An after-sales warranty!
Neither Jarvis nor DSeek could find a corresponding business promise anywhere on the World Commerce platform.
[Risk assessment: This measure will increase additional after-sales costs by 5%-8% and may be maliciously exploited by some customers.]
"I know."
Allen leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "But trust is the cornerstone of all transactions. And I will use this promise to build, in the shortest time possible, a bulwark of trust that no competitor can ever surmount."
「Three days later」
When Eleanor received the product launch list Allen submitted in her office, even she, with all her worldly experience, was momentarily taken aback.
She clicked on the product page for the "Spider Slayer II," and a well-produced, thrilling demonstration video began to play automatically.
When she saw the price tag of 2,800 Low-Level Magic Stones and the promise of a "three-month warranty," her fine brows finally knitted together tightly.
She didn’t click on any other products. She simply remained silent for a long while before looking up, her gaze seemingly piercing through time and space to land on Allen in Deep Blue Residence.
"This guy..."
A soft whisper echoed in the empty office.
At the same time, Allen had just completed the final step.
[Product list submitted.]
[Awaiting review by World Commerce...]
[Review passed.]
[Your store, "Weisren Heavy Industry," is now officially online.]