Unit 5 Counter- Offer

&Orders

• Text A• A Counter-Offer

• Dear Sirs,• Re: Raincoats• We write to thank you for your fax of

May 20 and for the booklets you very kindly sent us.

• We appreciate the good quality of the captioned goods, but unfortunately your prices appear to be on the high side and out of line with the prevailing market level. To accept the prices you quote would leave us with only a small profit on our sales since this is an area in which the principal demand is for articles in the medium price range.

• We like the quality of your goods and also the way in which you have handled our enquiry and would welcome the opportunity to do business with you. May we suggest that you allow us a discount of, say, 5% on your quoted prices that would help to introduce your goods to our customers? If you cannot do so, then we must regretfully decline your offer.

• Information indicates that some parcels of Japanese make have been sold here at a much lower price. It is in view of our long-standing business relations that we make you such a counter-offer. As the market is declining, we hope you will consider our counter-offer most favorably and fax us your acceptance as soon as possible.

We are anticipating your early reply.

Yours faithfully,

• Text B• An Order

• Dear Sirs,• Thank you for your letter of 15 October. As y

ou will already know, your Mr J. Needham called on us a few days ago and left a range of samples. We think articles of this quality will find a ready market here, and we are prepared to order the following as a trial :

• 20 “Angela” evening bags catalog no. 5• 50 “Veronica” beauty boxes catalog no. 17• 50 “Daphne” handbags catalog no. 27a• 50 “Gloria” handbags catalog no. 28

• If nos. 27a and 28 are not available for immediate delivery, as Mr Needham suggested might be the case, please send nos. 27 and 28a instead.

• Since we must have the goods on display in time for the Christmas season, our order is placed on condition that they are dispatched by 10 November at the latest.

• As soon as we receive your confirmation and pro-forma invoice, we will arrange for settlement by banker’s transfer.

• We are looking forward to hearing from you shortly.

• Yours faithfully,

Key Words • commodity n. 商品；货物 （ 正式用

语，指一般性商品的总称） • hey are not interested in most of com

modities on display.• 他们对展出的大多数商品不感兴趣。• Labor is bought and sold like any other co

mmodity.• 和别的商品一样，劳动力也可买卖。

• 在 外 经 贸 英 语 中 表 示 “ 商 品 ” ， “ 货物”的词较多，要注意几个常用词的用法与区别：

• merchandise 商品（总称，无复数形式）

• The merchandise is being strictly examined.

• 商品正在严格检验。

• goods 货物 （永远为复数，较普通用语）

• The goods enquired for are out of stock for the moment.

• 所询货物暂脱销。• article 商品；货物 ( 尤指某种具体商品。

在 报 盘 与 销 售 合 同 中 常 以 “ Art. No. 。。。”形式出现。

• stock n 。 • 1. 存货；现货• These are the only stocks available 。• 这些是仅有的存货。• We don’t have any stock of the bicyc

les as you required.• 我们没有你要的那种自行车现货。

• 2. 股票；证券 • She owns some stock in that company.• 在那个公司她有些股份。• Is there any stock exchange in your area?• 你们那儿有没有证券交易所？• American stock has been going down since th

e attack of the World Trade Center.• 自世贸中心被袭以来，美国股市一直在下跌。

• 3. 常用搭配• supply … from stock 供。。。现货• We can supply this quantity from

stock.• 我们可供这个数量的现货。

have … in stock 有。。。现货 We’d like to place repeat orders if yo

u have a large quantity of rice in stock.

如大米存货丰实，我想续订。 out of stock 脱销 Black tea, first grade, is out of stock a

t present. 一级红茶现已脱销。

v.We are interested in purchasing 15,000 We do

n’t stock such material for the time being. 眼下我们不备这类存货。 All the hardware for the e-commerce system is

well stocked. 所有电子商务系统的硬件都配备好了。We are well stocked with carpets of the newest

design. 最新图案的地毯我们存货充足。

• refer v. • 1. 谈及；提到 （与 to 搭配） • We refer to our letter dated May 20.• 兹谈及我方 5月 20 日函。• Referring to your enquiry of May 22, w

e very much regret that we have no supply in stock.

• 关于贵方 5 月 22 日询盘，非常抱歉我们手头无现货。

• 2. 参照；参阅 （与 to 搭配） • Please refer to our fax of May 15.• 请参阅我方 5月 15 日传真。• We referred to our records and foun

d that the said commission had already been paid.

•我们参阅了我方记录，查明该笔佣金已付。

• 3. 提交；交付 • We have referred this matter to our facto

ry in Dalian.• 我们已将此事提交我在大连的厂家处理。• If the arbitrators cannot agree, please re

fer to the umpire.• 如果仲裁员的意见不一致，请交裁定人裁定。

• 4 ． 指示；接洽 • We have referred them to you for their req

uirements.• 我们已请他们向你们洽购所需货物。• Your Commercial Counselor’s Office has

referred us to you for establishing business relations with your corporation.

• 贵国商务处让我们与您联系有关与贵公司建立业务关系事宜。

• reference n.. 谈及；关于• with reference to 。。。 ; in referen

ce to 。。。 ; Reference is made to 。。。 常置于句首，

• 表示“关于”。 如：• With reference to our usual payment t

erms, we can do otherwise than L/C at sight.

• 关于通常的支付条件，我们除即期信用证外也接受其他做法。

• In reference to the quality of the new product, no complaint can be made.

• 新产品的质量是无可挑剔的。• Reference is made to your enquiry o

f March 1, we are now making you a firm offer as follows.

• 谈到你方三月一日询盘，兹报盘如下。

• for your reference 供你方参考 • We attach hereto our enquiry list for y

our reference.• 兹附询价单一纸供你方参考。• We shall appreciate it if you will send

some up-to-date patterns for our reference.

• 如能寄一些最新的款式作参考，将甚为感激。

Skill drilling• （ 1 ）       You are asked to write a letter

or an email in reply to the counter-offer you just received . In your letter, the following points should be covered:

• a) 难以接受还盘，最多只能减价 2% ；• b) 怀疑其他产品的质量能否与你们的相比；• 提请对方注意，质量其实比价格更重要；

• （ 2 ）             The following is a fax you just received. Please read it and then draft a fax in reply:

• Dear Sirs,• Re: chinaware• We have noted your fax of October 10

regarding the captioned goods and regret that our offer has not been accepted.

• We have to point out that your counter-offer is obviously on the low side. The price we offered is entirely in line with the market level and has been accepted by many other customers.

• However, we now agree in your interest to renew our offer till the end of this month and recommend that you fax us your confirmation without delay.

• Yours faithfully,