Opening lines
1. Many thanks for your enquiry of 3 April … 2. We are pleased to have your enquiry about … 3. We thank you for your letter of 6 January, in which you enquire about … 4. In reply to your telex of today … 5. Replying to your enquiry of 2 June … 6. … we are pleased to inform you that … 7. We can offer you immediately … 8. We thank you for your enquiry, and are pleased to inform you that our Brazilian agents hold stocks of all our products. 9. In reply to your enquiry of 8 August we are enclosing … 10. … the brochures you requested, full particulars of our export models, our revised price list.
The letter must be convincing: it must create enthusiasm by the freshness and originality of its approach, and this cannot be done by usual routine phrases. The enquirer was already very interested in the manufacturer’s goods, so the manufacturer has only to give the information asked for. Notice however, how he shows interest in the prospective customer’s needs.
Dear Sirs We are very glad to have your letter of 1 December and to hear that you have been receiving enquiries about our Weatherproof coats. The Litewate range you mention has been a great success wherever it has been introduced, and we are already exporting it to several tropical countries, in both Asia and Africa. Unlike many waterproof coats, the litewate does not cause excessive condensation on the Inside surface, and so would be suitable for your climate. We can quote you the following prices: e P 250 Litewate coats, women's, medium 375 00 250 „ „ „ small 375 00 250 „ „ men's, medium 493 75 250 „ „ „ small 431 25 F.O.B. Liverpool 1.675 00 Freight Liverpool -Calcutta 50 20 Insurance 18 30 1.743 50 We will be able to ship the raincoats within 2-3 weeks of receiving your order. We are grateful to you for your suggestion concerning an ultra-lightweight coat for the Indian market, and are pleased to inform you that we have been looking into the question of a suitable material for some time now. Our Research Department assure us that they will have a model ready in the very near future, and we will come back to the matter as soon as we have some definite news for you. We are enclosing full details of our terms of business, and have sent you by separate post a set of descriptive brochures of our products, and a supply of sales literature. We look forward to hearing from you again. Yours faithfully
Here is a selection of phrases for use in making offers and quotations Opening lines: 1. We have pleasure in... 2....quoting as follows for... (submitting the following quotation..., offering you the following goods..., enclosing our estimation for the supply of..., sending you our latest catalogue. 3. You will be interested (in) (to hear that)... 4. You will find enclosed with this letter a sample of... 5. We are pleased to inform you... 6. As a result of the favourable supply situation we are able to offer you... Prices and terms: 1.Our prices are quoted... 2....f.o.b.(free on board) Liverpool / f.a.s. (port named: price includes delivery to loading point "alongside" ship Liverpool. 3.... c. i. f. Hamburg /c.i.f. London. 4. Our prices include packing and carriage. 5. Freight and packing cases are included in the price. 6. The price quoted includes packing in special export cases. 7. Price includes delivery to nearest railhead. 8. All prices are ex-works... (Price without transport) 9. Prices are subject to variation without notice, in accordance with market fluctuations. 10. The prices quoted are net (окончательная). 11. Our catalogue prices are less 25% to bona-fide dealers 12. Prices for the quality you mention range from 75p to 5 pounds. 13. Raw material prices have risen. 14. Owing to the slump (внезапный спад) in commodity prices we can offer you these goods... at below market prices, at less than cost, at the very special price of, on very favourable terms, at cost price). 15. Our terms are net cash (наличные без скидки)(spot cash (немедленная оплата галичными), cash within 7 days, cash on delivery, cash with order). 16. Out terms are payments on invoice. 17. Our terms are monthly (quarterly) settlement (погашение). 18. Our terms are 33% discount to approved accounts. 19. Our terms and conditions of sale as printed on our invoices must be strictly observed. 20. Payment by banker's draft (банковская тратта) is requested. 21. Payment of initial order would be required in pro-forma invoice (ориентировочный счёт-фактура). 22. We should require payment by banker's draft on acceptance of your order.
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