Ruggie’s Side Jobs (pt4)

Ruggie is envious of Kalim and Deuce’s part-time jobs at the school store during New Year’s, saying that it pays incredibly well.

The following year he is employed at the store himself and proves to be an effective salesman, convincing Epel to purchase expensive sunglasses, a Diasomnia student who wanted one tumbler to buy two, and a Pomefiore student to get both a lamp and a plant for his room.

When trying to think of a way to boost sales at the store Ruggie suggests folding “a warthog or something” out of wrapping paper. (Ruggie gifts Kalim with a paper cobra for his birthday; is origami maybe a skill of his?)

Ruggie also suggests selling photo opportunities with Vil, which Vil refuses.

After Cater accidentally gets buried in snow Ruggie comes up with an idea: getting customers to build kamakura to clear the snow so that the staff no longer needs to, and then selling shiruko to those who do so.

Ruggie says, “We have a limited number available for sale each day, so you really can’t afford to pass on this amazing experience, if you ask me,” but he has a voice line of, “If you put up a sign that says ‘only 50 available,’ you’ll sell whatever the thing is in no time flat. People won’t notice even if you sell more than a hundred,” so his “limited number” claim may not have been true.

Cater says he is impressed that Ruggie knew how to make shiruko and Ruggie says he was taught the recipe by a coworker he had at the ski resort where he used to work.

It is revealed that Ruggie worked out a deal with Sam where he would receive 30% of profits from the shiruko sales in exchange for teaching the recipe to Sam. 

When Cater and Ruggie start losing customers due to always winning at the competition that customers earn through spending 50 thaumarks (5,000 madol) Cater suggests letting people win, but Ruggie comes up with a better idea:

“Sometimes when a person is shopping for something special, they’re paying for more than just the item itself. We just need to give ’em hope they can win, butter ’em up a little, and then they’ll be satisfied even if they lose.”

The strategy proves effective and Ruggie declares, “It’s because I’m a master at tellin’ customers what they wanna hear.”

Jade, Cater and Jack all compliment Ruggie’s business sense, and Ruggie identifying a job opportunity is the catalyst for the entire Port Fest event: he reaches out to a local restaurant owner about the students of NRC running food stands at the festival, earning 100 thaumarks (10,000 madol) worth of gift cards to the restaurant for the idea. 

Successfully predicting that Azul would convince Crowley to share profits from the festival with the students, Ruggie says that it is three birds with one stone: classes canceled, gift cards and leftover cash while the school covers all expenses.

Jack compliments Ruggie’s foresight, but Ruggie admits he had not foreseen Crowley splitting the students up by class.