Kapitel 11: The Beginning Of Brutal Competition

In June, Vienna was adorned with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, resembling a fairyland on Earth - a sight rarely seen in the 21st century. However, this picturesque scene was soon overshadowed by the intensifying retail business competition.

After June, the struggle among major supermarkets extended to local businesses, leading to the closure of traditional grocery stores. The once lively streets of Vienna now bore relocation notices, and only a few small stores remained open. Numerous businesses faced the choice of transitioning to other ventures or closing down.

As the retail industry faced challenges, the unrest spread to financial markets, resulting in a small-scale economic crisis in Vienna. Speculators, as expected, seized the opportunity, and a storm was brewing.

However, these events were on the horizon. The current turmoil was confined to the struggles within the retail industry. Gottfried, backed by ample funding, became more ambitious. Unbeknownst to Ruprecht, a formidable opponent had set sights on him.

"Mr. Cameron, how long do you think it will take to end this war?" inquired Ruprecht with determination.

"If the current situation persists, it's possible that by next month, the number of supermarkets in Vienna will be reduced by a third. In six months, it may be reduced by half again. At that point, only the strongest will survive. With fewer players, the price war will come to an end!" analyzed Cameron.

"No, shareholders will not view prolonged losses favorably. Moreover, it has now affected the department store, jeopardizing our plan to go public!" Ruprecht vetoed the idea.

"In that case, we may have to intensify the price war. We will incur significant losses!" frowned Cameron.

"Then we will proceed to lower it, and I hope to end the battle within three months. At all costs, eliminate that bunch of competitors and recoup the losses we've suffered!" declared Ruprecht firmly.

With a cunning grin, Ruprecht devised a plan, "The retail price of goods in the supermarket is now lower than our current purchase price. You can secretly send people to other supermarkets to buy it."

"That is, we can undercut the other side and reduce the cost of purchase! Keep in mind to do it discreetly. If they find out, it would be a problem if they adopt the same strategy."

"Yes, sir. As you wish. I'll lower the price by another ten percent today; maybe I can scare off a few stray fish!" Cameron responded with a smile.

The retail market was once again in a state of distress. The Volvo brand became ubiquitous on most items due to its sheer size.

Efforts to repackage goods from Volvo to avoid detection proved futile, and other supermarkets soon realized the ploy. Ferdinand, however, noticed that they reduced purchases from the Schienbein Food Group.

Ferdinand smiled wryly, thinking, "Ruprecht is digging his own grave. He'll soon learn the consequences of becoming a target for all of us!"

Volvo's size allowed it to withstand the repercussions, and Ferdinand was ready to withdraw if necessary. The smaller capitalists, however, lacked the strength. If they united, even Ferdinand might face challenges.

Ferdinand wasted no time and leaked the news that Gottfried's purchases were reduced. He believed that anyone with common sense would recognize the problem.

It didn't take long for smart capitalists to imitate the strategy, sending people directly to Gottfried supermarkets to buy goods, turning Cameron's plan into chaos.

Capitalists with influential backgrounds utilized their connections to create additional challenges for Gottfried, such as cutting off power and water supplies to their stores.

Ferdinand, with secret support, orchestrated a campaign against department stores, leaving Gottfried Department Store in a vulnerable position.

In just a half month, Ruprecht's home was bombed twice, and he faced three road ambushes. Even the Helder family members were not spared from scrutiny.

Gottfried Department Store workers endured physical attacks, leading to injuries and requests for leaves of absence. Those not granted leave chose to resign.

Competent capitalists, the Helder family had faced such challenges before and responded swiftly. They ramped up security measures and used connections to pressure the police department, quelling the chaos quickly. Yet, their reputation took a severe hit.

In one month, Gottfried paid a high price of two hundred thousand pounds to quell the disturbances. The supermarkets suffered an average loss of only forty thousand pounds. However, the department stores faced a significant drop in customer numbers and entered a deficit.

Public affairs became the most substantial expense. To secure favorable connections, the company had to spend heavily. In just one month, Gottfried found itself two hundred thousand pounds poorer.

Jakobus, the veteran of the Helder family, was forced to step in and secure the department store. He quickly identified the target and concluded, "Ruprecht, get ready to shut down the supermarket; we're losing!"

"Why, Uncle? They're all going mad because they can't hold out any longer!" Ruprecht said reluctantly.

"The other side has not made a significant move yet, and we've been badly hurt. If we persist, the Helder family might cease to exist!" Jakobus said with sadness.

"Are you saying that the Koháry family has taken a move against us?" Ruprecht asked uncertainly.

Jakobus shook his head and said, "Not yet, or this would have been our end. I suspect it's mostly the work of that guy named Franz, and I can't predict what happens next!"

Ferdinand might not be making a move, considering his reputation, but Franz was certainly not sitting idle. If he failed to strike, it would be fatal. The struggle was far from over.