FENG WUKUDI

By Ning Ken

In the early 1990s,there existed a large number of small CD shops along the streets and alleys in Zhongguancun,together with some larger computer companies which rented frontage stores in the Yibinlou Building and Sihai Market.

Just Make 5 Yuan

“Feng Wukuai’s back here again.”This is the pet phrase uttered by bosses of most of the computer shops in the Yibinlou Building and Sihai Market.Wukuai means 5 yuan in Chinese and Feng is a surname—Feng Wukuai was the nickname of Feng Jun,a young businessman.At that time when Feng started his business,there was a terrible case of a murder of an old night watchman who provided security for the market.The case shrouded the market with a horrible atmosphere.But Feng Jun,who seemed puny and runty at that time,was not scared.He insisted on carrying out his petty business,carrying computer keyboards and cases every day to shuttle between more than 100 customers operating in the Yibinlou Building and Sihai Market.Feng didn’t care about the murder;all his attention was on his business of PC keyboards and cases.

At the very beginning,as a mobile vendor he was often thrown out by the shopkeepers.However,he wasn’t embarrassed at all.He thought if they chased him out,they would definitely chase out other guys like him—his competing vendors—who would also deserve a chase-out.Once they began trusting him,he reasoned,they would become his loyal customers and would no longer accept others.He surely needed to win over these kinds of customers.Once they were won over,they would be easy for him to maintain in the future.This was Feng’s business philosophy at that time.That was 1993.

20世纪90年代初，中关村那一片，除了颐宾楼及四海市场临街最大的几个门面被当时的二线品牌电脑占据外，更深的胡同里面分布着数量众多的光盘小店。

就赚你5 块钱

“冯五块又来了。”这是颐宾楼与四海市场装机老板的口头禅。那时候发生了守夜老人被害这样耸人听闻的事，市场笼罩着一片恐怖的神秘气氛，但瘦弱的冯军仍没停止每天提着键盘、机箱，穿梭于颐宾楼与四海市场的100 多家客户之间。冯军根本不关心谋杀案，只关心手里的键盘与机箱。

一开始，流动推销的他时常被赶出去。他没任何不好意思，心想，他们这么赶他，肯定也赶别人，他的竞争对手（提包小贩）也会被赶出去。有一天，他们相信了他，就不会再接纳别人，这种客户他一定要拿下，一旦拿下，今后维护起来省心。这就是冯军的逻辑，这是1993年。

“看一眼，今天的最新款。”冯军将机箱杵到老板的眼前，满脸堆笑。冯军已来这家问过好几次，装机老板无法再不理他。

“你这东西还不错，什么时候我的用户需要，再找你吧。”

冯军不听这句套话，站着不走。他知道，走了就没机会了。另外，老板既然搭了话，就说明有机会。

冯军眯着眼睛对老板说：“如果有客户要，他看不见货，怎么可能要？”装机老板笑了，答应冯军可以将机箱放下代销。

代销就是东西先放这儿，卖出去了再给钱。每个摊子都压上货，冯军没这个钱，而且他拿货都是先付钱，凭什么给别人就先压着？他必须拿回现钱才可以周转。他站着不走，说：“我只赚你5 块钱。一个月之内，你卖不出去，我保证退款。你看，我每天都来，不会跑掉的……”

冯军的诚恳与直白是打动人的，事实上，他的机箱与报价出现的一瞬间，几乎所有摊位老板的心都被他手里这种既优质又优价的货品击中。接下来的事，顺理成章。留下机箱，留下联系方式，冯军也得到最想得到的现金。尽管对那些“道行”很深的攒机一族来说，那点现金微不足道，但对冯军则是活命的流动资金，他每回给人现金，才能拿到质优价廉的货。

“真的，我就赚你5 块，包退包换。”他说的是真的，没一点虚。每到一个摊位他都这么说，不厌其烦。

于是，“冯五块”的名字不胫而走。

从最底层干起

冯军是西安人，1987年自西安育才中学以总成绩第一名考入清华大学土木工程系。大学毕业后，冯军口袋里只有26 元钱，他跑到中关村，决定做个体户，从最底层干起。

“You guys,look,this one,the latest model for you today.” Feng Jun came to a shop,smiling,and showing off a PC case in front of the boss.Feng had made a number of visits to the shop for peddling,so the shop boss could no longer pretend not to notice him.

The boss responded plainly:“Your case is not bad indeed.

Whenever my users need it,I will find you.”

Feng knew this kind of courtesy.He stood still.He knew that there would be no more chance if he left.In addition,since the boss had spoken to him,it meant there was a chance.

Feng squinted at the boss,lobbying convincingly:“If a customer wants it,but he can’t see the goods,how can he make the decision?” The boss laughed and promised Feng that he could put his goods in the shop for consignment sales in the future.

Consignment sale means you deposit goods to a consignee first,and then you get paid when your goods are sold by the consignee who in return will receive a commission from you.If he was to consign goods to lots of shops at Zhongguancun,it meant that Feng Jun would need a large sum of capital that he was short on,as he had to pay for the goods first by spending his own cash.So why did he have to consign the goods to others? Feng had to get the cash back to improve his petty capital turnover.He stood still and said,“I only earn 5 yuan.If you can’t sell it within a month,I guarantee you a refund.See,I come here every day and I won’t run away.I will not break faith with you.”

Feng’s sincerity and straightforwardness were touching.In fact,the moment the shopkeepers saw his computer cases and heard his pitch,their hearts were hit by the highquality and well-priced goods in the young man’s hands.So the next step was routine procedures.He left the cases and his contact information,and he got the cash he wanted most.Although the cash was insignificant to those who had been deep-rooted in the market,it was a lifeline for Feng as he had to pay cash to his suppliers if he wanted to purchase premier goods at a low price when he purchased.

“Honestly,I earn only 5 yuan.And I promise a return and a replacement if it is bad.” He meant what he said.He said that every time he was at a booth,time and time again,tirelessly.

As a result,the nickname “Feng Wukuai” was spread widely.

Starting from the Bottom

Feng Jun was born in Xi’an.In 1987,he was admitted to the Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University at a score ranking No.1 from Xi’an Yucai Middle School.After graduation,Feng only had 26 yuan in his pocket.He went to Zhongguancun and decided to become a selfemployed entrepreneur,starting his career from the bottom.

冯军租不起门面，也租不起柜台，就在别人的一个6 平方米小店里摆一张桌子，占三分之一面积，分担人家二分之一的租金。那时无论在四海市场还是在颐宾楼，租个摊位可不容易，有钱都租不上。有了这一落脚之处，冯军开始采货、进货。虽然初入市场，但野心很大，他瞄准的是柜台、门面，这才是他的客户，他要给他们供货，建立自己的客户群。彼时，绝大多数柜台店面都在做电脑配件生意，一般键盘、机箱的利润在15 至30 元，由于机箱沉，不易搬运，许多店铺不愿做这样的生意，正好给冯军留下机会。要想挤进市场，只能做别人不愿做的生意。

冯军开始给他的客户送货，每天骑着自行车，一手夹着机箱，一手握着车把，车后还夹着键盘，七歪八扭地避让着行人，有时一不小心撞到别人，摔倒的一瞬间还会拼命用身体保护机箱，使劲给人赔礼道歉。无论刮风下雨，烈日炎炎还是冰天雪地，冯军穿梭在颐宾楼与四海市场之间的客户中，任劳任怨。

“冯五块来了。”开始人们这么说有些轻慢，但当许多店铺发现冯军已是他们稳定的供货商时，便不再小看他。

坚守信条

冯军卖了自行车卖了三轮车。用三轮车拉货拉得多，但也有麻烦，三轮车一次可载四箱键盘和机箱去电子市场，但他只有两只手，一次只能搬两箱上楼，剩下的就只能放楼下车上。但是没人看着怎么行？东西多半会丢。这可让冯军犯愁了。

冯军把东西卸下，车锁好，然后提着两箱东西搬到能看到的地方，折回头再搬另外两箱。东西凑齐了，再搬两箱到能看到的地方，折回头搬另外两箱，如是反复。就这样非常原始地将货物从一楼搬到二楼，再从二楼搬到三楼，把键盘、机箱一一送到店面的客户手中。

一个人来来回回，满头大汗，浑身湿透。

经过两年的努力，冯军的诚信和“只赚5块”的信条击败了许多人，光是“小太阳”键盘每个月的销量就达到3 万只，占了中国北方市场的70%份额。

在中关村，冯军是第一个将彩显、机箱、键盘品牌统一起来的人，统一都叫“小太阳”，后改为“爱国者”。“爱国者”渐渐名满天下。

（摘自《中关村笔记》北京十月文艺出版社）

Feng was unable to afford a counter,let alone a frontage shop.He set up a table in a small coleased shop of 6 square meters,occupying one-third of the shop and sharing one-half of the rent.At that time,whether in the Sihai Market or Yibinlou Building,renting a shop was not easy.Even if you had a pocket full of money,you could not be assured to make rent.With this foothold,Feng began to compare his suppliers and made purchases.Although he was in the market for the first time,he was very ambitious.He set his sight on counters,shops,and stores as potential customers.He wanted to supply goods to them and build up his own clientele.At that time,most of the counters and stores were engaged in the business of computer accessories.Generally,the profit on a keyboard or a case ranged between 15 to 30 yuan.Because PC cases were heavy and uneasy to carry,many shops were reluctant to be in the business,which happened to leave Feng an opportunity.If you want to squeeze into the market,you have to do things that others don’t want to.This is Feng’s business philosophy.

Feng began to deliver goods to his customers.He rode a bicycle every day,holding cases in one hand,holding the bike handlebars with the other hand,and fixing keyboards on the bike’s rear frame.He agilely rode the bike in the noisy lanes and streets.If he fell when his bike rushed to a passerby,he would desperately protect the cases with his body,while apologizing to the person.Whether it was windy or rainy,scorchingly hot or icy,Feng would shuttle among the customers in Yibinlou and Sihai Market,without any complaints.

“Feng Wukuai is coming.” At first,shop owners teased him with this nickname slightingly,but bit by bit,when many shops realized that Feng was already their stable supplier,they no longer looked down upon him.

Honesty Wins

Before long,Feng sold his bicycle and bought a tricycle.Using a tricycle to deliver goods meant more dependable deliveries but it also meant trouble.The tricycle could carry four boxes of PC keyboards and cases to the electronic market,but he could only carry two boxes upstairs at a time as he only had two hands,and the rest would have to be placed on the tricycle downstairs.There was no one to look over the rest of his goods,and he was vulnerable to theft,a possible scenario.How could he face the challenge? This made Feng worrisome.Then he came up with a solution.

Feng unloaded the goods and locked the tricycle.He carried two boxes of goods to a place where they could be seen.Then he came back and moved the other two boxes,until the four boxes were together.Then he repeated the actions.By this awkward and primordial way,the goods were moved from the first floor to the second,and from the second to the third,until finally,the PC keyboards and cases were delivered to the customers in the stores.Shuttling back and forth for the goods delivery,he was often drenched in sweat.

After two years of hard work,Feng’s integrity and his creed of only earning 5 yuan defeated many competitors.His monthly sales of Little Sun keyboards alone reached 30,000 pieces,accounting for 70%of the market in northern China.

In Zhongguancun,Feng Jun was the first person to unify color displays,cases,and keyboards into a single brand—“Little Sun,”which was later changed to “Aigo.”“Aigo,” literally meaning Patriots,gradually became famous all over the world.

(FromZhongguancun Notes,Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House.Translation:Xiao Jiayan)