Dear Sirs,
We are looking for a reliable supplier of mechanical toys in Germany.
Your firm has been recommended to us as one of the leading manufacturers of these articles, and we should be glad if you would send us your catalogue together with quotations for large quantities. Please also state your terms of payment and the earliest delivery dates.
The following firms will be glad to furnish information as to our financial standing and reputation:
We hope that you will facilitate business by quoting your keenest prices.
Yours faithfully,
Inquiry for Air Compressors and Concrete Mixers
HENRY CHAPMAN & COMPANY LIMITED
NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD, LONDON, N.W.2
Telephone: GLAdstone 2266
Telegrams: Chapco, London
5th February, 19
Your Ref.
Our A/. HE/NJ
Firma Greimel & Sohne
46 Dortmund
Ruhrstrasse 267
W. Germany
Dear Sirs,
We have received an inquiry from International Trading Company Tehran, Iran.
Their main activity is participation in government tenders and they enjoy good relations with most government purchasing organizations.
They would like to receive your offers and descriptive literature regarding the following:
15 two-wheel trailer unit air compressors providing approximately 60 bhp and controlled by pneumatic speed governor
20 tilting drum concrete mixers with a capacity of approximately 3 cu.ft.
Their local reference is the Iran Credit Bank, Tehran. Foreign references may be obtained from Messrs. Holmes Bros., 611 Theobald's Road, London W.C.I, and Corram Engineering Works Ltd., Edinburgh.
We trust that you will be able to quote these clients of ours and protect our interests by crediting us with any business which may be received from them.
Yours faithfully,
HENRY CHAPMAN & COMPANY LIMITED
Harold Ellison,
Sales Manager
Inquiry for Filing Cabinets
CALDWELL PRODUCTS CORPORATION
PRODUCERS AND DISTRIBUTORS
322 CONSTITUTION AVE.
BOSTON, MASS.02101
May 26, 19..
Modern Office Furniture Company
730 Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y.10017
Gentlemen:
We are in the market for filing cabinets and would like to see your newest models. Will you please send us your latest catalogue that gives full information about them.
The cabinet shown in your advertisement in the May issue of the Office Equipment Journal seems to be what we want. Please send complete details on that model.
Yours very truly,
L.B.Plumber
Purchasing Agent
Inquiry from Indian Department Store to German Export Merchant
Gerhardsen & Co.
Export/Import
Bremen
Dear Sirs,
Your name was given to us by the German Embassy in New Delhi.
We are the proprietors of a medium-sized department store in Bombay. Up to now we have been supplied by importers in Bombay, but, as our sales are steadily rising, we are now thinking of obtaining merchandise from overseas direct.
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We enclose a list of the goods we intend to buy from German manufacturers and should be much obliged if you would send us quotations and samples.
We are also sending you some references, including the names of our bankers, our principal suppliers in India, and the name of a manufacturer in Leeds who knows the undersigned personally.
Your prompt reply will be appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Sivaraman Stores Ltd.
K.V.Sivaraman
Director
Encl. 2
Tasks
I. Translate letters from Russian into English:
1
!
. - , . , .
, , - .
, , . .
, .
,
2
!
Camera review , Derby & sons . , , .
.
,
II. Draft letters in English from the following particulars:
1
Trade Channel » . , .
2
(maple syrup). , » . » 2000 .
III. Read, translate and act out the dialogue:
Discussing the Price
B. Beresov, P. Peterson
P.: Hello, Mr Beresov. Nice to see you again.
B.: Hello, Mr Peterson. Nice to see you too.
P.: If I got you right from our telephone conversation, you want to speak about the prices.
B.: You are quite right. Ive studied your catalogues very carefully and find your prices somewhat higher as compared with those on the world market.
P.: Yes, I agree with you, but you should take into consideration that these prices include packing, transportation and insurance expenses.
B.: Really? I see. In any case Id like to find out if you grant quantity discounts?
P.: As a matter of fact, we do. We grant a 5% discount for orders from 200 items.
B.: That suits me perfectly.
P.: What can I say? Im glad weve settled the price question.
B.: So am I.
IV. Make up dialogues based on the following assignments:
1. You are selling chemical equipment. Your partner is interested, but reluctant to buy it at the price suggested. However, he is interested and is willing to negotiate.
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2. Your customers representatives have been to your plant. Ask them about the visit, their impressions of the plant and equipment; answer their questions about the plant and the equipment.
3. Meet a prospective customer in the showroom you run. Tell him about the goods on display; specify the prices and terms of sale. Offer your catalogues and price-lists.
4. You have read an advertisement concerning the goods you are interested in. Get in touch with the firm and ask them about all the particulars.
V. Read and translate the text:
What is the Price?
Ill-at-ease amidst big city surroundings, an elderly farm couple approached one of the ticket windows in a railroad station.
What is the fare to Plattsville? asked the woman.
That is $4.65, Ma`am, responded the clerk. Turning to her husband she said, Well, Dad, we might as well buy the tickets here. I have asked at all these windows and they all charge the same.
II. Offers
Replies to Inquiries
Every inquiry holds the promise of future business and should therefore be answered promptly. In his reply to an inquiry, the supplier gives the desired information, sends the price list, catalogue, etc. that the prospective customer asked for, or submits a detailed offer.
If a delay in answering the inquiry is inevitable, the seller should send a brief acknowledgment to inform the prospect that his inquiry is receiving attention. Sometimes the seller has to ask for additional information before he can answer the inquiry. Should it be necessary to refer the inquiry to an agent or distributor, both the inquirer and the agent or distributor are notified.
If the supplier is unable to quote, he should inform the inquirer immediately, suggesting, if possible, other sources of supply from which the latter is likely to obtain the goods he requires.
Offers
By submitting an offer, the seller declares his willingness to sell certain goods at certain prices and on certain terms. The price at which the seller offers the goods, and the offer containing the price, are called quotations. Quotations are sometimes made in the form of a pro-forma invoice. A tender (US: bid) is a quotation for the supply of goods or the performance of work, made in response to an invitation to tender. (The term is also loosely applied to the whole system of awarding contracts on a tender basis.)
Offers can be made orally or in writing. Verbal and telegraphic offers should be confirmed by letter. Frequently offers are prepared on printed forms (quotation forms), which are mailed either with or without a covering letter.
Offers may be submitted in answer to an inquiry (solicited offers), or without an inquiry having been made (unsolicited or voluntary offers).
Unsolicited offers are sent to old customers to inform them of special opportunity, or to revive inactive accounts that is, to win back old customers who have ceased sending orders. To create new business, businessmen send unsolicited offers and sales letters to a carefully chosen list of potential customers (mailing list).
An offer is firm that is binding on the seller, unless it contains a clause to the contrary. If the seller makes a firm offer, he undertakes to supply the goods in question at the prices and on the terms stated, provided the offer is accepted within reasonable time. The seller often fixes a time limit for acceptance, for example, I offer you firm until noon Friday next or This offer is firm subject to acceptance by 10th June.
A firm offer can be withdrawn at any time before the buyer has mailed his acceptance (order). Once the acceptance has been mailed, the seller can revoke his offer only with the buyers consent.
A complete offer should cover the following points:
1. Nature and quality of the goods offered.
2. Quantity.
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3. Prices and discounts (if discounts are granted).
4. Delivery period.
5. Terms of delivery.
6. Terms of payment.
If necessary, the offer is supplemented by printed material, illustrations, samples or patterns. An order form may be enclosed for the customer's convenience in ordering. Should the offer fail to produce a response, follow-up letters may be sent.
Sales Letters
Sales letters are usually unsolicited. They do not necessarily ask for orders; their purpose may be to produce inquiries, to prepare the ground for the representative, or to build goodwill.
Sales letters may be personal letters or duplicated letters (circulars) distributed to a large number of private individuals or firms.
Terms and phrases
| a. Opening Phrases | |
| We thank you (Thank you, We are obliged) for your inquiry of | (, ) () |
| Many thanks (Thank you very much) for your letter of | () |
| As requested (As desired) we are sending you | |
| We have received your letter of , from which we are pleased to note that you are interested in our products. | (), , . |
| We refer to your inquiry of and are glad to quote as follows (to submit the following quotation): | () ( ): |
| The German Consul General has kindly provided us with your address. | . |
| We have been advised by the German-American Chamber of Commerce that you are interested in | - , |
| b. Prices and Discounts | |
| Our prices are quoted F.O.B. London. | . |
| Packing included | |
| Packing not included | |
| Packing extra | |
| Packing at cost | |
| Gross for net | |
| We grant a trade discount of 10% on our list prices. | 10% -. |
| The quantity discounts indicated in our price list vary according to the size of the order. | , -, . |
| Our catalogue prices are subject to a special discount of 10%. | 10 %. |
| c. Terms of Delivery | |
| ex works / ex factory | - / - |
| ex warehouse | - |
| Franco | ( , , , .. ). |
| F.O.R. / F.O.T. or f.o.r. / f.o.t. (free on rail / free on truck) | F.O.R. / F.O.T. f.o.r. / f.o.t. (- , -) |
| F.A.S. or f.a.s. (free alongside ship) | ( ) |
| F.O.B. or f.o.b. (free on board) | (-) |
| C.I.F. or c.i.f. (cost, insurance, freight) | (, , ) |
| C.& F. or c.& f. (cost and freight) | & & ( ) |
| Carriage paid to | |
| Franco frontier / Franco border | - |
| Carriage paid to frontier (to border) | |
| Franco domicile, free (buyers address); US: F.O.B. buyers warehouse | - ( ); : , . |
| Carriage (or: freight) paid; US: freight prepaid | (: ) ; : |
| Carriage (or: freight) forward; US: freight collect | (: ) ; : . |
| d. Delivery Period | |
| The goods can be delivered immediately on receipt of your order. | . |
| Delivery will be effected as soon as possible (at the earliest possible date). | , ( ). |
| Machines made to buyers specifications can be supplied within 4-6 months. | , , 4-6 . |
| We cannot promise delivery within the period stated in your inquiry, unless we receive your order by Monday next. | , , . |
| e. Terms of Payment | |
| payment in advance | |
| cash with order (C.W.O. or c.w.o.) | |
| payment on receipt of invoice | - |
| payment on invoice | - |
| payment by bank draft on London against pro-forma invoice | - |
| one-third with order, one-third on delivery, and one-third within two months after delivery | , , |
| cash on delivery (C.O.D. or c.o.d.) | |
| payment on receipt of goods | |
| payment within 60 days from date of invoice | 60 |
| 30 days net | 30 |
| two months credit | |
| Strictly net | |
| 2% for cash | 2% |
| less 2% cash discount for payment within seven days | 2%- . |
| 10 days 2%, 30 days net (or:2/10, net 30) | 10 2% 30 |
| against three months acceptance | |
| documents against payment (D/P), cash against documents (C.A.D) | , |
| documents against acceptance (D/A) | |
| Shipping documents will be surrendered against bank acceptance | |
| Payment by irrevocable and confirmed documentary letter of credit (documentary credit) | . |
| f. Firm Until , Without Engagement, etc. | , .. |
| This offer is firm subject to immediate acceptance, otherwise without engagement. | , . |
| Our offer is firm subject to acceptance by 15th June. | 15 . |
| We offer you firm until | (). |
| We give you the refusal of these goods until | (). |
| The offer is firm for three days only. | . |
| The offer is without engagement (subject to confirmation). | ( ). |
| Prices are subject to change (alteration) without notice. | . |
| Prices are subject to market fluctuations. | . |
| Subject to price ruling at time of dispatch. | . |
| as long as our stocks last. | . |
| until our stocks are depleted (exhausted). | . |
| g. Closing Phrases | |
| Please let us know your requirements soon, if possible by cable. | , , , . |
| As prices are likely to rise soon, we would advise you to take prompt advantage of this offer. | , , , . |
| We trust that our favourable prices will induce you to place an order. | , . |
| We assure you that your order will be carried out to your complete satisfaction. | , . |
| You may rely on the prompt and careful execution of your order. | . |
| A trial order will convince you of the efficiency of our service. | . |
| As we have not yet had the pleasure of doing business with you, we would ask you to furnish us with the usual references when sending your order. | , . |
Specimen letters
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