[Store Bulletin Board: A dynamic communication tool for the store. Use it to announce new products, promotions, and events. Customers can also leave comments underneath each announcement. A specialized artifact that will bind to the customer is required to view and comment on it]
Lin Mo's mind raced as he absorbed the implications of the Store Bulletin Board through its detail.
This wasn't just about announcements. If customers could access it remotely with the right artifact, then it meant something else. Communication.
A way to keep customers engaged. A way to push promotions, notify VIPs of exclusive deals, or even influence trends in the cultivation world.
This was more than just an information board.
It was the first step toward something that didn't exist in this realm yet. Marketing through a network and an internet forum.
He could already see it:
"Limited Time Offer! Buy Two, Get One Free Spicy Taihao Noodles!"
"Exclusive to Golden Card Patrons: New Inventory Sneak Peek!"
"Today's Featured Item: Lightning-Imbued Energy Drink! Warning: May cause spontaneous breakthroughs!"
Then beneath those store announcements, customer-posted threads would be listed where they could discuss anything they wanted as long as it was not something like plotting a conspiracy.
With the specialized artifact becoming bound to the customer, no fake accounts would be made.
This would change the game entirely.
Taihao possibly took a glimpse of this kind of community when he went to Earth but even he, with all his centuries of wisdom, probably didn't realize what this could become.
Lin Mo smirked. "This… this is actually huge."
Taihao raised a brow, intrigued by his reaction. "Hoh? What is that sly mind of yours thinking now?"
Lin Mo crossed his arms, gears turning in his head. "You know, old man… This Store Bulletin Board could be a turning point. Not just for us, but for the entire market. If used correctly, we won't just be selling convenience anymore. We'll be set in selling a culture."
Lihua's golden eyes shimmered with interest. "A culture, you say?"
Lin Mo nodded. "Think about it. Cultivators, sects, and merchants alike will come to rely on our store not just for its products, but for information. If we control that, we control what's relevant, and what is valuable. We shape trends. If we push a product, it'll become a must-have overnight. If we announce a limited-time sale, customers will rush to buy. And it won't just be about sales. Our store's influence will also expand further than it already has."
Liu Xiaoyu's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Boss, are you saying… we can make people line up outside the store before we even open, just because of an announcement?"
Lin Mo smirked. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
Yangyang's lips curled into a knowing smile. "That's… diabolical."
Taihao let out a hearty laugh. "You never cease to amuse me, young man! You're not just thinking about expanding the store. You're planning to make it indispensable."
Lihua's smile was warm, but there was an unmistakable hint of admiration in her gaze. "A fascinating approach. But be mindful, Lin Mo. Power over information is a double-edged sword. Wield it wisely. So, do you have more ideas up your sleeve?"
Lin Mo nodded as he grinned.
"Taihao, Zhenren Lihua, can this Bulletin Board be upgraded? Like allowing customers to post their own threads?"
Taihao and Lihua exchanged glances before the old man let out a deep chuckle. "You're already thinking ahead, aren't you? A forum-style board where customers can interact, share experiences, or perhaps… leave reviews of our products?"
Lin Mo smirked. "Exactly. If customers can share their experiences. Regardless of good or bad, it'll generate even more engagement. People trust other people more than just a seller's word, after all. If a product gets highly praised, demand skyrockets. If someone asks for recommendations, other customers will chime in. It will create an organic cycle of promotion."
Lihua's golden eyes flickered with an unusual light as she looked at this young man before her. Even though she styled herself as the Custodian of Commerce and Harmony, the ideas coming from Lin Mo were revolutionary.
Or in this case, it's something that came from a foreign realm. It wasn't her but Taihao who wandered into a mortal realm that had been dried up of its spiritual energy spring that civilization developed through scientific discoveries and not mysticism.
"An intriguing proposition. However, such a system requires moderation. Left unchecked, misinformation, rumors, or even sabotage could spread. Competitors could exploit it to discredit the store."
"Yes. It is absolutely needed. That's why… opening the forum shouldn't be implemented before finding the right moderators. I believe we can screen them through the comments that will be made through announcements."
He didn't want to see the board spammed with useless threads, after all. And with him busily managing the store already, he could only look at it occasionally.
Yangyang could become a moderator but with her job as the customer service representative, it might be difficult for her.
Or so he thought. Yangyang caught him staring at her and already surmised what was in his head.
"It is possible for me to do moderation, however, I cannot be the only one, Shopkeeper."
"Of course, Miss Yangyang. I wouldn't dare drop more workload on your shoulder."
Yangyang looked at Lihua who nodded at her, giving her permission to do so.
Taihao stroked his beard, his amusement not diminishing. "I'm thoroughly impressed, you're not letting the Divine System Interface dictate everything for you, you're the one shaping it and now… you're going to revolutionize the way information works in this realm."
Lin Mo smirked, crossing his arms. "You're overpraising Taihao. It's simply the perks of being someone from Earth. I can bring some innovative ideas that are present in that world. However, I'm not so confident to know everything about them… so, I will rely on you and everyone to implement it."
Lihua nodded approvingly. "Do not worry, our Divine Pantheon is your backing. You're helping us as much as we're helping you."
She then produced something from her hand, a small artifact in the shape of a shimmering jade tablet, engraved with delicate golden inscriptions that pulsed softly with spiritual and divine energy.
"This is a prototype of the Viewing Jade," Lihua explained, holding it up for Lin Mo and the others to see. "It is the first artifact that will allow access to the Store Bulletin Board. Customers who purchase one will be able to receive store announcements remotely and view promotions. Later, we can refine the design to incorporate additional functions."
Lin Mo took the Viewing Jade, feeling the smooth, cool surface under his fingers. If Yangyang's equipment for her job was like a PC, this felt like a modern tablet device but the screen was naturally not LCD. It's a simple holographic projection quite similar to the store's system interface.
"If we distribute these to our Golden Card Patrons first," He mused, "it'll create an air of exclusivity. We don't need to make it different from the one that's going to be sold, we only needed to add a little something that would make it more valuable for the Golden Patrons like… a badge or a banner next to their name."
Liu Xiaoyu gasped. "Boss, you're so devious. I'm starting to get scared of you!"
Taihao let out another booming laugh. "Hah! This mortal understands business better than some old cultivators who've lived for millennia!"
Yangyang furrowed her brows though. "We will need a way to prevent tampering or unauthorized replication. If a competitor tries to produce counterfeit Viewing Jades, it could compromise our system."
Lihua smiled knowingly. "That has already been accounted for as mentioned in the detail of the Store Bulletin Board. Each Viewing Jade will be soul-bound to its first user. It cannot be transferred or altered without divine intervention. Any attempt to create a counterfeit will result in immediate failure."
"Good. That means we control the entire market for this. Once people realize how convenient it is, it'll become a necessity rather than a luxury. Now then, I wonder how much we should price this. Too expensive, and it'll stifle the growth of the community and too cheap will make it lose its perceived value. We need to strike a balance."
Lin Mo tapped his chin thoughtfully as he brainstormed on how to make it feel more valuable without compromising its novelty, "Customers can buy this for a premium price of 1 high-grade spirit stone or… they can get it for 5 intermediate-grade spirit stone after accumulating 2 high-grade spirit stones amount of purchase. It may be difficult for mortals to acquire but without spiritual energy to activate it, it'll just be a useless trinket for them. So it's better this way."