Unit Four Quotations offers and counter offers

Unit four Quotations、Offersand Counter OffersUseful Information Words, Phrases and Grammatical Points Chinese Version of the Text U N I T F O U ROffer Without EngagementAn offer without engagement is not a promised indication made by an offerer. All offers without engagement have some reserved conditions, such as “subject to our final confirmation”. Generally, such an offer is not binding to the offerer. It is more flexible, thus making it possible for the offerer to get favorable conditions by adapting himself to the changing market and choose the best chance of reaching an agreement.Sample 1An Offer Without EngagementDear Sir/Madam,Thank you for your interest in our Garment displayed at the Southeast International Trade Fair. We are sending you illustrated catalogues about those patterns you are most interested in. We are able to supply most of them from stock.If our prices are acceptable, we trust that you will place us orders immediately.We look forward to your early confirmation.Yours faithfully,Firm OfferA firm offer is a clear indication of the offerer to conclude business transactions according to the stipulated terms and conditions within a fixed period of time. The offer, once sent out, cannot be withdrawn or changed at all within the period of its validity. If the offer is accepted by the buyer before its expiry date, business will be established. The parties concerned will be bound by it.Sample 2A Firm OfferDear Sir/Madam,We are pleased to know from your fax of Oct. 15 that you are interested in our medicine, especial vitamin E. We make you the following firm offer: Commodity: Vitamin E 50% F.C.C.Price: USD7.00 per KG CIF HamburgQuantity: 5000 KGSPacking: 25 KG/DrumShipping Marks: At seller’s optionDate of shipment: In November 2005Payment: By Irrevocable L/C at sight to reach us one month before shipment, allowing transshipment and partial shipment.Looking forward to your earliest confirmation.Yours faithfully,D ifferences betweena quotation and an offer(1)A quotation is a written form response to an enquiry, telling the enquirer the price and other terms of transaction. In this sense, the term “offer”is often used as “quotation”in international trade, today. However there are still some differences between them.Difference betweena quotation and an offer(2)In practice, an offer is usually a “firm offer”which has the following characteristics:✓It has a validity time, within which all its terms must be clear, definite, complete, and final and can not be altered or changed.✓A firm offer can not be withdrawn or revoked within its validity time.✓A firm offer usually states the quantity of goods to be transacted.A quotation does not possess all these characteristics, it is more or less flexible.entire acceptanceIn this case, the acceptance means promise in international trading affairs that the enquirer is willing to make a contract with the offerer according to the latter’s terms of transaction. Thus the letter of acceptance usually repeats the following items so as to avoid misunderstanding on either side. They are commodity, specifications, quality, quantity, price, shipment, terms of payment, etc.Sample 1Dear Sir/Madam,Thank you for your fax of Oct. 18th offering 5000 KGS Vitamin E at USD 7.00 per KG GIF Hamburg for immediate shipment, which is paid by irrevocable L/C at sight .We are pleased to inform you that all the terms and conditions areacceptable to us. So we confirm your offer and place an order with you. Please send us a copy of your Sales Confirmation for our counter-signature, and we will have our L/C established through ABC Bank once receive it.Please note that the goods must be shipped within the validity of the L/C. Yours faithfully,Entire AcceptanceConditional acceptance or counter offerAn offeree may think that the offer is mostly acceptable, if certain terms or conditions are amended or changed according to his proposal. For example, he may find the price offered is higher than expected, and he may also think that terms like the shipment, payment and packing should be changed. In this case, the counter-offer occurs.Sample 2Asking for Modifying Terms of PaymentDear Sir/Madam,We thank you for your offer of Oct 25 for stainless steel sheets, asking for payment by confirmed, irrevocable Letter of Credit at sight.On this basis, it has indeed cost us a great deal. From the moment we open the Letter of Credit till the time our buyers pay us, the tie-up of our funds lasts about four months, which, we think, is unacceptable.If you could kindly modify your terms of payment, it would be favorable to encourage business between us. We propose "Cash against Documents on Arrival of Goods".We hope you will accommodate us in this respect and look forward to your early reply.Yours faithfully,Offer DeclinedIn this case, the offeree thinks the terms of the offer are too far from satisfactory for a counter-offer, so he has to reject it. The reasons for the decline of offer should be given in a frank but polite way. Hoping for future business relationships is also necessary to be mentioned at the end of the letter.Sample 3Offer DeclinedDear Sir/Madam,We thank you very much for your letter of June 9 quoting for your air-conditioners.As our customers are not familiar with the brand name of your products and the price you have quoted is far higher than that of other firms, it is difficult for the items to attract our customers. If we are in need in future, please kindly reduce the price as best as you can so as to facilitate our sales.Thank you for your attention to this reply.Yours faithfully,household electric appliance: 家用电器CIF London: 伦敦到岸价accept v. 接受acceptable a.可接受的；acceptance n.接受在报盘有效期内接受报盘的全部条款，达成交易，我们可说：We accept (have accepted) your offer of …We confirm our acceptance of your offer of …“Your offer is acceptable.”或“We are accepting your offer.”都不应理解为业务已成交，要避免在实际业务中发生误会。