TIFFANY: We have the capital ready. Right now I am looking at three different companies to produce our products.! D4 S- J3 I1 w/ F, P; d; ?
And your company, Mr. Chen, seems to me to be the best for what we want.: j+ Z, L- b9 z1 L* j& k2 Z. q
TOM: I appreciate your remarks. And we are always happy to do more business.
* _$ k% p' M: ?# L5 z But, you know, if we take on a contract to produce new products,6 v5 f2 L7 X4 |; N7 Q: D K
we want to be confident the product is marketable.
4 p1 l! `: x8 p5 X Because, to start producing new things requires a lot of preparation.
' w8 \2 W9 `; f: |4 x It requires a lot of investment for us.. A# ^4 e3 u8 Z7 T& g- [) u
TIFFANY: You have some doubts about our products, I understand.
$ x4 T$ m7 }8 E0 e' t6 ^ TOM: I would like to offer you a good price.
/ q7 G8 |8 _4 `$ N% g: ~5 c But I won't be able to do that if I think this is a one-shot deal.& j+ n/ b& ^9 }1 X6 @
So I would like to have some confidence in your idea.
; n- m; ]7 R5 r( X TIFFANY: Of course. Let me tell you in some detail about our idea.
* G& t3 y8 i0 Q+ r, s! W You know the popular “Hello Kitty” products.
3 h8 j1 [8 t% I( d* Q2 E ` B2 G TOM: Yes, of course.
6 h9 Z' l+ |) s4 X1 T1 H" x TIFFANY: Well, the products in themselves are very simple.5 N' p" z( j8 u0 d+ S2 A
It is the logo that is successful.
/ k2 I' x4 h3 V. f So, “Hello Kitty” is successful because of the logo, but the products are very simple.3 m5 x5 y. T4 X9 N! b' Q
TOM: And I would say the logo is successful mainly because it comes from Japan.1 K) f h$ ^. J# h5 ]9 K9 W
It is the Japanese that have made it a fad.7 w; R! x; t# e/ e# Q) V
TIFFANY: That might be true.5 f; j6 c! {% J4 x
But we have a logo concept that is great. It is really great.2 j5 |6 C: N& u7 R/ x5 L( m
I think it will catch on in Taiwan at least. Young people will love it.; h+ D j5 R8 v; H5 C1 e# w
It is because of our logo that our products will sell.0 S6 H0 H0 m. s
We just need someone to produce the products for us.- T( W h4 V" s3 E' e2 f
We have the backup and people to do the marketing.
2 K' p1 g! H; g4 G x5 T TOM: So what you are really trying to sell is a fad.
- |8 P# X3 y a. c0 w( v! u! O9 z# @. a TIFFANY: Yes, we would like to make things like key chains,9 N" f; o5 [6 a! s A5 n
plastic pencil sharpeners, plastic rulers, watches, wallets, things like that.
' ~* B0 ?- w$ b( a7 A4 \% N- U Little accessories for young people. But the reason these will sell is the logo.! z) ~1 T, x# o) |0 E
Just like “Hello Kitty.”
, h& M! ^3 R: Z: ^& ? TOM: I understand. But why won't you show me the logo?
6 R4 e$ t* e8 K, ]6 W7 ?; g0 ~ TIFFANY: Because it hasn't been copyrighted. We want to get some protection for it.
O8 g/ }! b1 a9 x1 Q; F& R, V But while we wait for copyright, we are investigating companies to produce the products.; S: k$ {$ l3 v2 Q
TOM: I see. The problem, however,
% L4 u4 V- l t8 E9 [ is that I can't be confident in giving you a good price
8 Y& d8 ]) l7 a6 }! J: | unless I am confident your product will last.2 ]. }& Q# z T7 q8 b0 N; @' p
TIFFANY: I understand. For now, though, you could just give us an estimated price.
* |9 ?. @9 O* ]. s! Q We aren't going to sign a contract yet. We are just investigating.& k% Z* O% [% b4 ~+ U* f3 Z
I only need to know that your company is capable of producing the products.
" M& m$ D' u: n/ P) | And then, I only need a very rough idea of how much it might cost.
! t t6 A# u* z" p" z, C TOM: Alright. I understand. Right now you just want estimates.
/ P; w: [/ p# t4 g! R: n TIFFANY: Yes. |