: Half of the Pit for Strangers, A Grand Slam of Acquaintances

Once the configuration list is finalized, the next step is shopping.

"Where should I buy these parts? At a computer mall or a digital plaza or something?" Chen Sui asked naturally.

"Computer mall? You've been to a computer mall?" Chen Che was a little surprised that Chen Sui could name several computer malls. She didn't look like someone who could outsmart unscrupulous merchants.

"My laptop was bought by my dad at a physical store during the summer vacation," Chen Sui said.

"With online shopping so advanced these days, why are you still going to the computer mall to buy things?" Chen Che asked again.

"Yes, my dad prefers to buy things from physical stores, especially expensive items like laptops. He even makes a point of finding a store that someone he knows."

Chen Che understood what Chen Sui said. Although online shopping is greatly changing people's lifestyles, the consumption habits of the previous generation are still based on shopping in malls. It is not so easy to change, nor is there any need to change it.

Online shopping has its advantages: it eliminates the distribution chain, allowing direct access to consumers and resulting in lower prices. Offline shopping, on the other hand, offers advantages: in case of malfunctions, repairs and support are more convenient.

But as soon as Chen Sui mentioned the word "acquaintance," Chen Che became wary and asked her to show him the computer's specifications. Then he asked about the price, and after comparing them, he started to lose his composure.

"Hey, class monitor, have you ever heard the saying, 'Strangers can trick you halfway, but acquaintances can make you a master's man"? Chen Che grinned.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Chen Sui looked puzzled, apparently she hadn't heard of it before.

"With this setup, the boss made at least three or four thousand more money off you guys," Chen Che said.

"Oh no, I checked the official website later, and it is a bit more expensive than the retail price, but it's guaranteed." Chen Sui still had an incredulous expression.

"Then their purchase price must be cheaper than the official retail price. It's not like it's some rare item that you have to pay extra to buy. Besides, I think you must have misread it. He sold you the low-end version at a high price." Chen Che immediately saw through the trick.

"Ah~ why is that? That uncle even asked me which one I liked, and said there was no stock, and he'd go get it for me right now." Chen Sui suddenly became a little angry, and her little face puffed up.

"That's for sure."

"You young girls don't understand computer configurations, you just care about the appearance. When you find one that catches your eye and you like it, you're not willing to give it up easily. Then the seller says they went to great lengths to get it for you, and you're so touched that you just pay for it without a second thought." Chen Che countered with a line of reasoning, suppressing a laugh.

Chen Sui thought about it and it seemed to make sense. "A moment of patience brings peace, and a step back opens up a vast sky," but instead, "taking a step back only makes me angrier the more I think about it" turned into "a moment of patience leads to breast hyperplasia." Her face was full of frustration and resentment.

Who knew that someone could remain calm after being scammed, especially since they had been ripped off so badly? The uncle's originally kind smile turned into the expression of a cunning businessman about to be swindled.

Chen Che could only comfort her: "That's how business is. The core issue is information asymmetry. If you knew everything, would you still buy from there? Besides, the higher the profit, the higher the cost. The same bottle of mineral water sells for 2 yuan at a roadside shop and 5 yuan at a scenic spot. The rent for shops is different. Not to mention, if it breaks and needs repair, it's more convenient to go offline for warranty repair."

The only thing to worry about is getting beaten up.

"So, we just bought the parts on our configuration list on Taobao. The prices are all clearly marked, so we don't have to worry about others taking advantage of our lack of computer knowledge to overcharge us. We can also compare prices from different vendors to see who is cheaper and who has a better reputation. And if you talk to other vendors, you might even be able to get a better price."

As for the specific steps of communicating with the Taobao store to place the order, that naturally fell to Chen Sui.

Chen Sui browsed through several shops, added items to her cart, and then opened the chat to ask if they could avoid using X-Da or X-Tong, because some courier companies not only didn't deliver to the nearest courier point north of the school, but also didn't deliver to the comprehensive courier station in the middle of the school. Instead, they wanted to deliver to the courier point on the commercial street outside the south gate.

Students rely on walking to collect the package, guaranteeing at least an hour's round trip, to the point that they strongly demand that online stores not use XX Express, threatening to leave negative reviews if they do.

"Boss, can we not send X-cards?"

"Honey, we don't accept requests for specific courier services."

"Oh, then I won't buy from you. I'll go to another store; it's cheaper there."

"Honey, in principle we don't support designated courier services, but then again... rules are rules, but people are flexible..."

............

During this time, Chen Che went over to take a look and saw that she had bought a more expensive one for the same computer case, so he asked her why: "Class monitor, why did you buy this more expensive one?"

Chen Sui calmly explained, "Although this one is a bit more expensive, it comes pre-installed with more fans. If you factor in the savings on the fans, this one is still more cost-effective."

Chen Che was stunned. He had just figured out what the components of the host were all about, but he didn't expect to have mastered the skill so quickly.

Everything was proceeding smoothly according to plan, but after a while, Chen Sui shouted with a displeased expression, "Chen Che, this store actually ended the conversation with me on its own initiative!"

"Let me see." Chen Che was playing on his phone, but when he walked over and took a look, he laughed: "Class monitor, if you tell people you overpriced your product, who's going to bother with you?"

"Ah~ but I just think he overpriced it, I want to negotiate the price with him." Chen Sui had the attitude of "once bitten, twice shy," a typical overcorrection mentality.

"It's best to find a bargain, but if you buy something expensive, it's expensive. That's unavoidable. After all, no one can find bargains forever, right?" Chen Che said with a smile.

After spending several hours, Chen Sui finally selected the accessories and placed the order, then locked her computer screen with satisfaction.

"Is everything done?" Chen Che glanced at her and asked.

"Hmm~ I did the math, and I actually saved four hundred yuan compared to my budget." Chen Sui nodded with satisfaction, her tone tinged with pride.

"Wow, I even saved you money, that's awesome." Chen Chehao gave her a thumbs up without hesitation.

"That's right." Seeing Chen Che's praise and feeling happy about saving money made her feel a little elated.

"Alright, class monitor, we've solved the main unit problem. We still need the mouse, keyboard, and monitor." Chen Che said while pressing his phone to calculate how many items were missing.

"Oh, I know a little bit about that," Chen Sui said cheerfully, still in high spirits. "I once visited my cousin's house, and he had a lot of keyboards, like brown switches, blue switches, mechanical switches and stuff. Anyway, I didn't understand what the difference was."

I thought Chen Che would explain it in detail, but he just waved his hand and said, "There's no difference. As long as you can type and use WASD, it's fine."

"Oh~ then which store should we buy it from?"

Chen Che pointed vaguely: "The internet cafe near the school gate."

"Internet cafe? Isn't it supposed to be bought online?" Chen Sui was taken aback.

"Monitors are big and heavy, so some stores don't cover shipping costs. Plus, they're very easy to break if they're handled roughly during transport. Even if they don't break, it's still annoying to see a few dead pixels."

I went to an internet cafe the other day, and the owner was clearing out old equipment, including monitors, mice, and keyboards. It was a perfect one-stop shop to buy everything I needed.

"When are we going?" Chen Sui asked.

Chen Che waved his hand dismissively: "There's no time like the present, let's do it now."

"Oh, then I'll push a small cart so it's easier to carry." Chen Sui said, preparing to find a rope to tie it up so it wouldn't bounce around. She's quite thoughtful.

Chen Che stopped her: "What's the rush? If you're not going to buy anything, you have to negotiate the price first."

The beginner level mission is over; now it's time to move on to the intermediate level mission.