TIFFANY: We have the capital ready. Right now I am looking at three different companies to produce our products.
% I5 _) e. q a+ |5 v And your company, Mr. Chen, seems to me to be the best for what we want.& n. x% Z2 l3 V7 R' z) S
TOM: I appreciate your remarks. And we are always happy to do more business.
0 x0 j v6 {0 A6 { But, you know, if we take on a contract to produce new products,+ S) j8 l" y+ l3 F2 J4 j
we want to be confident the product is marketable." `( I+ {) u6 z2 o
Because, to start producing new things requires a lot of preparation.$ F9 t) E1 Y. Q2 G7 H; d
It requires a lot of investment for us.
1 k0 N) u& C7 p0 O- J' U TIFFANY: You have some doubts about our products, I understand.
2 i0 V2 ]: `6 a9 o: F8 {* B TOM: I would like to offer you a good price.9 H/ e5 x$ ]0 n( T" @8 ?* b5 Q, }; u
But I won't be able to do that if I think this is a one-shot deal.
0 Q8 W. Z; s5 Z E- Z So I would like to have some confidence in your idea.
/ F/ `( d1 f% B' Q, l# F TIFFANY: Of course. Let me tell you in some detail about our idea.7 _* Y5 z0 B, W
You know the popular “Hello Kitty” products.6 x+ S3 k0 [7 B! f" i
TOM: Yes, of course.
! D! n/ O4 r8 Z& {! x% m TIFFANY: Well, the products in themselves are very simple.
0 o0 x. c) V. S# e. F: _$ B, N It is the logo that is successful.# e* y. g8 _9 X# X; ]6 W6 K3 q5 t
So, “Hello Kitty” is successful because of the logo, but the products are very simple.
$ k- R' }: @+ k2 w! W$ E/ F TOM: And I would say the logo is successful mainly because it comes from Japan.) N3 I% D. s; I; Z
It is the Japanese that have made it a fad.
$ j* a: w. n( F5 c, b/ Q+ w9 K9 M TIFFANY: That might be true.2 J0 \6 ]/ R- T
But we have a logo concept that is great. It is really great.
4 y7 p/ W& d# h5 k" r7 x7 T I think it will catch on in Taiwan at least. Young people will love it.& _: ^' E- i M( |! I4 \1 D1 R
It is because of our logo that our products will sell.
' E. U* b2 b! `" _) h We just need someone to produce the products for us.
; c' L* V2 z5 e' w2 { We have the backup and people to do the marketing.+ u! X, K8 [0 H/ R* @
TOM: So what you are really trying to sell is a fad.& k+ v, e% s3 y
TIFFANY: Yes, we would like to make things like key chains,
4 F/ Y6 }8 z' _' e9 h plastic pencil sharpeners, plastic rulers, watches, wallets, things like that." G$ S8 X# b1 z' Z, L
Little accessories for young people. But the reason these will sell is the logo.
3 S: m7 c. H' A Just like “Hello Kitty.”
9 e$ Y' m* j! \1 l$ P1 q TOM: I understand. But why won't you show me the logo?6 j. K+ ?# M+ `! S+ u: u7 z9 {
TIFFANY: Because it hasn't been copyrighted. We want to get some protection for it.4 b- i! R- u' f# Y6 T
But while we wait for copyright, we are investigating companies to produce the products.
- ]- R7 p9 ~) S TOM: I see. The problem, however,- S6 C/ I. B" e# b
is that I can't be confident in giving you a good price
! B5 N+ V% d1 W0 v8 _$ O6 ~1 e4 r0 | e unless I am confident your product will last.
, }* }8 o6 t# l) X5 ?& n TIFFANY: I understand. For now, though, you could just give us an estimated price.
4 Y( y: t4 b" b& Z* G' f+ | We aren't going to sign a contract yet. We are just investigating.
; U: Q1 D1 k1 ~ I only need to know that your company is capable of producing the products.
7 L* y. _( l0 N e And then, I only need a very rough idea of how much it might cost.
0 k$ h! \1 o2 }+ | B TOM: Alright. I understand. Right now you just want estimates.
2 [5 h2 P# R" V# U$ w/ o TIFFANY: Yes. |