franchises may seem like regular folks in the industry, but for companies, they are crucial partners. It’s their quiet dedication that helps businesses and brands achieve some success and market recognition.
“The Zuliz franchise Series Stories” aims to engage with outstanding Zuliz elderly shoe franchises, reflecting on their entrepreneurial journeys, sharing sales techniques, and exploring promising business opportunities. Within these stories, you might find some success secrets, touching narratives, or discussions about past challenges. Hopefully, these stories will inspire readers and prompt some thoughtful reflection.
Zuliz Elderly Shoe franchise in Fuyang City: Yao Denghui
Yao Denghui operates stores in Darunfa in Yingzhou District, Wanda Hualian in Yingquan District, Century Golden Source Yonghui in Yingdong District, and Wuyue Plaza in Yingzhou District. The young Yao, born after 1995, joined Zuliz for the first time in October 2022 and managed to open four stores within just 8 months. He jokes, “My dream is to achieve ‘financial freedom’ as soon as possible.”
It’s true that “lying flat” is often just a joke; everyone is striving in their own way.
Recently, the phrase “Have salaries increased over the years? Are you working diligently?” struck a chord with many young people, triggering a surge of emotions hidden behind complaints.
Yao Denghui, a 28-year-old Zuliz franchise, is a genuine post-1995 young man. Six years ago, fresh out of university, he faced the dilemma of choosing a career, experienced the challenges of being a “beipiao” (migrant worker in a big city), and went through moments of confusion. Ultimately, under the pressure of reality, he chose to return to his hometown. Back home, he and his parents opened a small restaurant together, leading a prosperous life and achieving the car and house he desired. Despite being able to enjoy a “lying flat” lifestyle, Yao Denghui didn’t stop there. As he puts it, in his spare time, he has always been searching for “new business opportunities.”
Today, Yao is the “boss” of four Zuliz stores. When asked about the prevalent notion of “lying flat” among many young people, Yao responded, “In reality, everyone wishes to ‘lie flat,’ but most of the time, it’s just a playful remark from the younger generation. We are all working hard. Personally, I find joy in the process of turning my dreams into reality. Life is short, and I simply want to shine brighter.”
The journey of Yao Denghui with Zuliz is a mix of chance and inevitability. Talking about why he joined Zuliz, Yao mentioned, “It all started with my family endorsing the brand. My mother has a unique foot shape with a severe bunion, and since we run a restaurant, she needs to stand for long hours. We tried many brands of shoes, but they all squeezed her feet. Then, I bought her a pair of Zuliz shoes, and she found them extremely comfortable. That’s when I realized that this brand was really good, and their products were truly professional.” With the seed of “brand trust” planted, Yao kept an eye on Zuliz, realizing that there was no Zuliz store in his living area. Every time he had to buy shoes, he had to go to a different area, prompting him to question, “Could this be a business opportunity?”
In March 2022, Yao got in touch with the Zuliz regional manager, learned about the brand, product details, and franchise policies, gradually gaining a deeper understanding of Zuliz. However, the lingering concern of “Can it be profitable?” persisted. Over the next few months, Yao conducted market research and discovered that with the aging trend, Zuliz was a business that could thrive in the long term. With the guidance of the regional manager, they found a location, evaluated the feasibility, and eventually, the worries began to dissipate. In August 2022, Yao signed a contract with Zuliz.
Opening offline stores during a unique period required courage from Yao. On October 1, 2022, Yao’s store opened its doors after two months of intense preparation. However, the good times were short-lived as the offline store faced temporary closures repeatedly, causing concern for Yao. Under the franchise policy of Zuliz, the new store was stocked with a lot of merchandise, which seemed advantageous before joining. Yet, during this special period, Yao woke up every day wondering, “With so much inventory, when will it all be sold?”
“Good things come to those who wait.” With policy support and changing circumstances, as the New Year of 2023 arrived, the economy revitalized with a “new vitality.” Approaching the Chinese New Year, Yao’s store welcomed waves of customers returning home for the holidays, preparing to visit relatives, and more. As the Spring Festival approached, everyone came to share companionship and blessings with their loved ones. “Sales suddenly picked up, and on the first day of the Chinese New Year, my store achieved the top rank in the region. In less than four months, my investment had already broken even, and I began to see profits. I no longer worried about unsold inventory; instead, I fretted about keeping the warehouse stocked.”
Riding the wave of success, Yao opened three more stores: one on March 1st, another on April 20th, and the third on May 8th.
In managing his four stores, Xiao Yao mentioned that he currently doesn’t have store managers; instead, he has hired store employees for each store. However, he personally visits each store every day to understand the operational situation. Currently, all four stores are profitable. When reflecting on his “success experience,” he summarized the following three points:
Effective communication with employees
Xiao Yao makes it a daily routine to engage in deep conversations with his staff at the stores, gaining insights into the frontline operations. He humorously remarked, “Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles.” By spending two days visiting all four stores, he gathers feedback from customers, monitors product sales, and adjusts displays according to seasons and sales trends. This ensures that customers find their desired products as soon as they enter the store.
Selecting prime locations and offering excellent service to the local community
Xiao Yao’s four stores are all located in Fuyang City, covering all three districts. He strategically chose locations in the busiest malls and supermarkets in the area, ensuring high visibility, foot traffic, and conversion rates, which significantly boost overall sales.
When it comes to treating his store employees, Xiao Yao firmly believes in fostering a family-like atmosphere rather than a traditional “boss and employee” relationship. At 28 years old, Xiao Yao genuinely considers the sisters in his stores as family, showing care for their well-being, families, and health. He also ensures to schedule their shifts reasonably. As he puts it, “When the hearts of the people in the store are united, twisted into a single rope, that’s when the business thrives!”
- It’s not just about making money; it’s about warming hearts
Xiao Yao once mentioned in an interview that “Zuliz is a business that combines earning money with charity.” Since the customers he interacts with are generally older, running a store is not just about making cold hard cash; it’s also about making each other feel “warm-hearted.” Xiao Yao expects his store employees to be flexible and handle special situations with care.
On a rainy day in June, a lady named Li was shopping at the supermarket, and her shoes got wet, making it difficult for her to walk. She came to Zuliz hoping to buy a new pair of shoes but didn’t know how to use electronic payments and only had less than 50 yuan in cash. Without hesitation, the store employee allowed Li to choose a style, wear clean and dry shoes, and assured her not to worry about the money. Touched by this gesture, Li immediately went home once the rain stopped, brought the money, and even recommended many customers to the store. Xiao Yao expressed that this act embodies the principle of “trust between people, sow kindness, and reap goodwill.”
The high-quality products give Song Xinyan more confidence in presenting them, and her expertise makes customers increasingly trust her.
Xiao Yao goes beyond the norm by allowing the cleaning staff from the supermarkets where his stores are located to rest, have a hot drink, and experience massage equipment in his shop. This simple gesture brings happiness to these individuals, and they eagerly guide customers to Zuliz stores, indirectly boosting business.
Moving into the online realm presents significant opportunities, and Xiao Yao, being a savvy internet user from the post-1995 generation, seizes the chance. Embracing the concept of “cloud retailing,” he plans to immerse himself in this venture after his upcoming wedding. He believes in trying, regardless of success, and views this as a new avenue to explore. With operational training and traffic support from the company, he sees this as the ideal time to join the “cloud retailing” trend.
Beyond “cloud retailing,” Xiao Yao envisions expanding beyond his current four offline stores in supermarkets. His future plans involve maintaining these stores, focusing on repeat purchases, and eventually establishing a flagship store over 100 square meters to enhance the customer experience, combining leisure and entertainment, and creating a flagship store for Zuliz Elderly Shoes.
Xiao Yao’s dream is to achieve “financial freedom” at an early stage. He defines financial freedom as having a passion, no debts, and some extra money for a comfortable life. He believes that the Zuliz brand can help him achieve this goal.
In this 28-year-old young man, one can see not just courage but also unwavering determination and a resilient spirit, reflecting the tenacity and drive of the younger generation. While the target customers in the elderly shoe industry are typically older individuals, both the Zuliz brand and its distributors are actively embracing change and innovation, aiming to co-create a better future and provide superior products and services for their customers.
