Section1.

HowtoWriteLettersforMakingQuotations,OffersandCounter-offers

Togiveabriefintroductiontowhatisaquotation,offerandcounter-offerToenableSstobecomeawareofmaincontentoflettersforquotation,offerandcounter-offerToenableSstofamiliarizethemselveswiththesamplesgivenToreadandpracticeusingsomeoftheimportantwordsandexpressionsforbusinesswritingTodoexercisesandpracticetranslatingquotation,offerandcounter-offerObjectives:WritingforQuotations,OffersandCounter-offers

I.WhatIsaQuotationandanOffer?

Aquotationisareplytoaninquiry,whichisanofferinsimpleformincludinganoticeofthepriceofcertaingoodsbeingsold,butinnolegalsense.Anofferreferstoapromisetosupplygoodsonthetermsandconditionsinwhichthesellernotonlyquotesthetermsofpricebutalsoindicatesallnecessarytermsofsalesforthebuyer'sconsiderationandacceptance.Inaddition,anoffermaybeclassifiedintoafirmofferandanon-firmoffer.I.WhatIsaQuotationandanOffer?

Whenanoffereereceivestheoffer,hemayshowdisagreementtosometermssuchaspriceorpaymenttermsintheoffer;hemayevenmakeacounter-offer.Soadealisusuallyconcludedonlyafterseveralcyclesofbargaining.Inotherwords,veryoften,itisonlyaftertheexchangeofanumberoflettersand/orfaxesthatthetwopartiescomeentirelytoterms.Insuchacasethebuyer,whenfinallyplacinghisformalorder,wouldacceptthetermsandconditionsagreeduponfortheseller'sconfirmation,whichwillbefollowedbythesignatureoftherelativeSalesConfirmationorContract.II.TheMainContentof

anOfferLetters1)Expressingpleasureorthanksforreceivinginquiry2)Makinganofferbystatingthetradeterms3)Expressingtheofferer’shopeforanorderfromtheoffereeIII.ReadandExplainSampleLetters

Sample1:AQuotationforStationary

CarsDearSir,Inreplytoyourinquiryofyesterday,wehavepleasureinsubmittingourquotationaslistedbelow:1.10doz.Ballpens(Black) @$10.00perdoz.2.5doz.Pencils(Red) @$5.00perdoz.3.5doz.Erasers @$12.00perdoz.4.5doz.Sharpeners @$9.00perdoz.5.5doz.Ballpens(Blue) @$4.00perdoz.6.10doz.ExerciseBooks @$15.O0perdoz.III.ReadandExplainSampleLetters

Sample1:AQuotationforStationary

CarsSamplesofthegoodscanbeinspectedatouraboveaddress,oralternativelyitcanbearrangedbysendingourrepresentativetoyourofficewithsamplesforyourinspectionatourexpense.Theratesquotedabovearenet,andthedeliveryofgoodswillbemadeatyourofficeasdesiredatourexpense.Thepaymentofthebillsintwomonths’timefromthedateofdeliveryofgoodsisacceptabletous.Thequotationsaretobeopenforaperiodofonemonthfromthisdate.Assuringyouofourbestservice.Yoursfaithfully,AnswertheFollowingQuestions

1.Whatdoesthewriterdointheopeningoftheletter?2.Whatdoesthequotationinclude?WordsandPhrases

1.quotation

statementofthecurrentpriceandconditionsuponwhichasupplieriswillingtosellorservicesmaybeperformede.g.Hereisthequotationforsupplyofthecaptionedgoods.e.g.Hehadhisbookprintedathisownexpense.2.atone’sexpense

withtheexpensepaidbysb;withsbpayingthecostRefertosampleWordsandPhrases

3.rates

chargeorpaymentfixedaccordingtoastandardscalee.g.Nighttelephoneratesarecheaperthandayrates.e.g.Thebookis$4net:nobookshopwillsellitforless.4.net(price/rate)

notallowedtobemadelower

5.bill

alistofthingsboughtandtheirprice

e.g.I’llpaythebilltoday.RefertosampleSample2:ANon-FirmOfferforChinesePrintedShirtingJanuary10,2000DearSirs,Re:

ChinesePrintedShirtingWeareinreceiptof

yourletterdatedFebruary15andgladtonotethatthereareverybriskdemands

forthecaptionedgoods

inyourcity.Wetakepleasureinmakingyou,asperyourrequest,thefollowingspecialoffer,subjecttoourfinalconfirmation:Sample2:ANon-FirmOfferforChinesePrintedShirtingPacking:Inbalesorinwoodencases,atyouroptionPrice:US$3.5permetreCIF.NewYorkShipment:Tobemadeinthreeequalmonthlyinstallments,beginningfromDecember,1999Payment:Byconfirmed,irrevocableL/Cpayablebydraftatsighttobeopened30daysbeforethetimeofshipment.Wehavemadeagoodsselectionofsamplessuitedtoyourcountry,andsendthemtoyoutodaybyparcelpost.Theirfinequality,attractivedesigns

andthereasonablepriceswillconvinceyouthatthesegoodsareofgoodvalue.Weareexpectingtoreceiveyourorder.Yoursverytruly,AnswertheFollowingQuestions

1.Whatdoesanofferinclude?2.Whatdoesthewritertriestodointhelastparagraphbutone?WordsandPhrases

1.Re:/Subj:

Regarding:/Subject:e.g.Re:CottonPiece-goodse.g.Weareinreceiptofyourletterofthe17th.e.g.Thereisabriskdemandforengineeringshares.2.beinreceiptof

havereceived3.briskdemand

activedemandRefertosampleWordsandPhrases

4.thecaptionedgoods

thegoodsputasthetitleorheadingofalettere.g.Herewe’llmaketheofferforthecaptionedgoods.e.g.Thecheapmachinelooksgoodbutitisofverybaddesignanddoesnotworkwell.5.design

thearrangementsofpartsthatgointohumanproductionRefertosampleIV.TheMainContentofaCounter-offerLetter

1)Thankingthesellerforhisoffer2)Expressingregretatinabilitytoaccept3)Makingacounter-offerif,inthecircumstances,itisappropriate4)SuggestingotheropportunitiestodobusinesstogetherV.ReadandExplainSampleLetters

Sample3:ACounter-offerforChemicalFertilizerDearSirs,ChemicalFertilizerWethankyouforyourletterof15thJuneofferingus500metrictonsofthesubjectgoodsatUS$500permetrictonCFRTianjinusualterms.Inreply,weverymuchregret

tostatethatourendusersherefindyourpricetoohighandoutoflinewiththeprevailingmarketlevel.InformationindicatesthatsomeparcelsofJapanesemakehavebeensoldatthelevelofUS$450permetricton.Suchbeingthecase,itisimpossibleforustopersuadeourend-userstoacceptyourprice,asmaterialofsimilarqualityiseasilyobtainableatamuchlowerfigure.Shouldyoubepreparedtoreduceyourlimitby,say10%,wemightcometoterms.V.ReadandExplainSampleLetters

Sample3:ACounter-offerforChemicalFertilizerItisinviewofourlong-standingbusinessrelationshipthatwemakeyousuchacounter-offer.Asthemarketisdeclining,wehopeyouwillconsiderourcounter-offermostfavorablyandcableusacceptanceatyourearliestconvenience.Weareanticipatingyourearlyreply.Yoursfaithfully,AnswertheFollowingQuestions

1.Whydoesthewritermakeacounter-offer?2.Whatisthepricecounter-offeredbythewriter?WordsandPhrases

1.usualterms

on/underusualtermse.g.Wecannotacceptyouroffermadeonusualterms,forthepriceisoutoflinewiththeprevailingmarketlevel.e.g.Weverymuchregrettosaythatthematterhasslippedourattention.e.g.Pleasemakeusafirmoffer,indicatingthebestpossibleshipment.2.regret

besorry3.indicate

show,demonstrateRefertosampleWordsandPhrases

4.make

product,especiallyindustrialproducts

e.g.TheyareinterestedinthingsofChinesemake.e.g.Wecannotdobusinessatyourfigure.5.figure

priceRefertosampleExercise

1.TranslatethefollowingletterintoChinese.DearSirsWethankyouforyourenquiryofAugustl0andarepleasedtosendyouourquotationforcottonandsilkblouses.Wehaveindicatedthoseitemsthatareavailablefromstock.Fortheremainingitemsthestateddatesofdeliveryareapproximate,butinnocasewouldthesedatesbeexceededbymorethanafortnight.Alltheitemsquotedaremadeofthebestqualitymaterialsandcanbesuppliedinvariousdesignsandcolors.Wecanalsoacceptordersforblousestobemadeaccordingtoinstructionsinordertomeettheindividualrequirementsofthemasses.Pleaseavailyourselvesofthisadvantageousconditionandplaceyourorderswithusnow.Exercise

1.TranslatethefollowingletterintoChinese.Weencloseacopyofourlatestcatalogueaswefeelthatyoumaybeinterestedinsomeofourotherproducts,suchasleathershoesandglovesasdescribedandillustratedonpagesl0~15ofthecatalogue.Ifso,pleasedonothesitatetoaskusforquotationsandoffers,whichwillreceiveourcarefulattention,andweassureyouofourclosecooperationatalltimes.Yourssincerely,AnswerExercise

1.TranslatethefollowingintoEnglish.尊敬的先生：事由：5,000長噸黃麻報盤

8月15日來函收到，謝謝。應貴方要求，現報盤如上：（1）商品名稱：孟加拉國黃麻，2001年出產。（2）數量：5,000長噸（裝運重量）（3）質量和規格：一級品。質量應不低于我黃麻商會制定的標準。回潮率應不大于19.04%。（4）單價：成本加保險費、運費到廣州每長噸450美元。（5）裝運期限：2001年10月一批。（6）付款條件：保兌的、不可撤銷的、可轉讓的可分割的即期信用證。以上報盤以我方最后確認為準。請即電復。此致敬禮孟加拉國黃麻出口公司

2001年8月25日AnswerObjectives:Togiveabriefintroductiontohowtowritequotations,offersandcounter-offersToenableSstobecomeawareofdifferentconventionalitiesusedforwritingquotations,offersandcounter-offersTopracticeusingdifferentconventionalitiesusedforwritingquotations,offersandcounter-offersTodoexercises

Section2.SkillsforWritingLettersforQuotations,OffersandCounter-offers

I.HowtoWriteQuotationsandOffers

Generallyspeaking,aquotationincludes:1.acknowledgementoftheinquiryreceivedpreviously;2.descriptionofthequalityandquantityofthegoodsinquired;3.pricesofthegoodsrequired(Makeclearwhetherornotthequotedpricesaretoincludedelivery,forfailuretodothismayleadtosubsequentdisagreementwiththebuyer.);4.termsofpayment,dateofdeliveryandpercentageofdiscount,thecoverageoftheprice,etc.;5.periodofvalidity.II.ConventionalitiesforMakingaQuotationandOffersinaLetter

1.ThankyouforyourrecentfaxtellingusthatthereisagooddemandforourPandatelevisionsinyourmarket.Wearepleasedtoofferthemasfollows.2.WeacknowledgewiththanksreceiptofyourletterofJanuary19.Inreply,wehavepleasureinmakingthefollowingoffer,subjecttoourfinalconfirmation.3.WethankyouforyourinquiryofDec.20,andcanofferyouthesoybeansyourequired.Thisofferwillremainopenuntilthereceiptofyourwirebyreturn.4.WeobtainedyournameandaddressfromMessrs.…whogaveustounderstandthatyouareexperiencedimportersof…Wehavenowpleasureinofferingyou…ofwhichwewouldappreciateyourpushingthesaleonyourmarket.II.ConventionalitiesforMakingaQuotationandOffersinaLetter

5.WehavepleasureinofferingyouthegoodslistedontheattachedoffersheetNo.…,andhopethattheywillbeofinteresttoyou.6．Ourpricesareinforceonlyifyouorderbyreturnmail.7.Thepricesarevalidonlyifthecurrentpricesofrawmaterialsdonotchange.8.Theaboveofferisvalidonlyforthecourseofonemonth.9.Wethankyouforyourinquiryandhavepleasureingivingyouthefollowingoffer,subjecttopriorsale.10.Thisoffermustbewithdrawnifnotacceptedwithinfivedays.Exercise

1.Fillintheblankswiththegivenwordsorexpressions.perpriceplacingeffectedinsubjecttoofferDearSirs,WeacknowledgereceiptofyourletterofMarch15th,andconfirmhavingcabledyoutodayinreply,as

confirmationcopyenclosed.Youwillnotefromourcablethat,weareinapositiontoofferyou50longtonsofTinFoilSheetsattheattractive

ofStg.135perlongtonC&FShanghaifordeliverywithinonemonthafteryour

anorderwithus.Paymentofthepurchaseistobe

byanirrevocableletterofcredit

ourfavor,payable