TIFFANY: We have the capital ready.* q0 `" j3 w4 N& c0 j2 F
Right now I am looking at three different companies to produce our products.0 w. C: Y4 d& U
And your company, Mr. Chen, seems to me to be the best for what we want.
+ v) i6 ~* c5 s" _5 s' f" \ TOM: I appreciate your remarks. And we are always happy to do more business.2 T2 A4 v) E P `" b; K
But, you know, if we take on a contract to produce new products,
& E4 Z6 g. z; c; D6 L( v) v. l we want to be confident the product is marketable.* e' D4 c3 T& _. `# A8 ^
Because, to start producing new things requires a lot of preparation.. H/ g& h8 I! x/ Y- T3 p3 w% N
It requires a lot of investment for us.
; h8 A) o/ N1 ]1 m9 r TIFFANY: You have some doubts about our products, I understand.. }3 i/ X$ @" J
TOM: I would like to offer you a good price.1 D$ k( c+ T( F. J
But I won't be able to do that if I think this is a one-shot deal.1 L: }4 p8 Z/ Z3 P, l4 Z, C2 n
So I would like to have some confidence in your idea.$ y* S9 H. x6 D: ?9 O A3 a W
TIFFANY: Of course. Let me tell you in some detail about our idea.
9 B9 p, J0 T2 r: ~/ I You know the popular “Hello Kitty” products.
3 E# l: m% B; h% P TOM: Yes, of course.
: n5 j X& e- d) @+ C4 j TIFFANY: Well, the products in themselves are very simple.
( j' e9 d, T* A3 w5 A I! i It is the logo that is successful.
' F! T6 w, o) u' |% R2 ~! P So, “Hello Kitty” is successful because of the logo, but the products are very simple.; s1 C0 a8 y/ L6 q) \& R
TOM: And I would say the logo is successful mainly because it comes from Japan.9 c& a7 a2 {7 j3 F! `+ J
It is the Japanese that have made it a fad.' \% l, k [/ P- r. h; @; ~
TIFFANY: That might be true.0 T4 ~4 f6 L3 w: a# B8 `
But we have a logo concept that is great. It is really great.: z: ^$ s6 V/ e$ Q7 M2 l+ r+ r
I think it will catch on in Taiwan at least. Young people will love it.+ Q k/ n, }8 n- R7 a+ j
It is because of our logo that our products will sell.
7 r3 q1 t, t& P" K$ V We just need someone to produce the products for us.! T1 [# U9 I+ J t: a
We have the backup and people to do the marketing.
+ O5 H/ J+ v+ u TOM: So what you are really trying to sell is a fad.4 f; X- y' j5 s$ D5 k& f5 O1 f
TIFFANY: Yes, we would like to make things like key chains,9 o/ a) o2 K; A( G. j3 h
plastic pencil sharpeners, plastic rulers, watches, wallets, things like that.
7 I; E1 x& T' G: v9 t; \8 o Little accessories for young people. But the reason these will sell is the logo.6 g+ {4 F7 y9 t" \
Just like “Hello Kitty.”( A* T b2 F/ t: V! C
TOM: I understand. But why won't you show me the logo?
% V, i0 l7 b- p: S0 J9 w2 |* ] TIFFANY: Because it hasn't been copyrighted. We want to get some protection for it.
1 c0 E# @( M$ D5 w& Y( n, P9 J/ N" _2 O But while we wait for copyright, we are investigating companies to produce the products.
/ H: a2 R% e# d5 i+ ?3 Q g9 z: V TOM: I see. The problem, however,7 P1 c2 W8 i4 X9 A5 z) [
is that I can't be confident in giving you a good price
7 V% k/ D/ a% H" D3 X# R unless I am confident your product will last.
$ h/ t. X1 [- G% P# L: f TIFFANY: I understand. For now, though, you could just give us an estimated price.8 c' B8 B3 h5 R" \/ m
We aren't going to sign a contract yet. We are just investigating.7 d; t& h# R$ B, t( q
I only need to know that your company is capable of producing the products. q3 W4 `4 c+ N# N/ q
And then, I only need a very rough idea of how much it might cost.
. z) [: H/ G0 |4 r( K1 R7 K TOM: Alright. I understand. Right now you just want estimates./ m; w7 X/ Q8 [; v; S7 a
TIFFANY: Yes. |