Indicating the state of the market

1 . There is a brisk demand here for high-quality shirts of the type you manufacture.

2. Demand of this machine is not nigh, but sales this year will probably exceed 25,000.

3. These fancy goods are in demand during the tourist season (late May to early September), but for the rest of the year sales are moderate, and often rather low.

4. There is no market here for articles of this type in the higher price range, but less expensive models sell very well throughout the year.

5. You can count on a brisk turnover if prices are competitive and deliveries prompt.

Asking for information

1 . Will you please send us your catalogue and price list for...

2. Will you please quote prices c.i.f . (price includes all costs including insurance, up to named destination)Amsterdam for the following items in the quantities stated:...

3. We would be glad to receive specifications of your new SE11 typewrite, together with your current export price list and details of trade discounts.

4. We are also interested in your terms of payment and in discounts offered for regular purchases and large orders.

5. If we place orders with you we will have to insist on prompt delivery. Can you guarantee delivery within three weeks of receiving orders?

6. We would appreciate a sample of each of the items listed above.

Closing sentences

1. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

2. We would appreciate a prompt answer.

3. As our own customers are pressing us for a quotation we hope you will be able to make us an offer within a fortnight from today's date.

4. We hope to hear from you shortly.

5. Since the season will soon be under way, we must ask you to reply by the end of this month.

Sorbet Industries

September 21, 1999

Ms. Shultz O.Henry

Director

Moissant Trade Co.

1771 Poindexter Drive

Albany, NY 12243

Dear Ms. Henry:

Please send me the additional information we need in determing whether to send some of our executes to your firm. Specifically, we need he answers to these questions:

1. What are your quantity discount rates?
2. At what background level is your program geared?
3. what are the names and addressesof training directors of companies that have sent executives to the program?

We will ppreciate having your answers for ou October 3 staff meeting, and we look forward to the possibility of sending our executives to you in the years ahead.

Sincerely

Donald R. Duple

Director of training

Hinting at future business, requesting special terms, and asking for information аbout deliveries.

1. As we do a considerable trade in this line, we expect a keen price.

2. If your goods are up to sаmрlе, they should sell readily in this market.

3. If the quality is right and the price competitive, we think we can promise you good results.

4. Provided you can guarantee regular supplies and promise delivery within a fortnight of receiving our orders, we should have no trouble in marketing your products here.

5. As we are the leading dealers in this town (area, country)...

6. Since we have connections throughout the country...

7. In view of the fact that we are sole agents for this product...

8. As our estimated monthly requirements are in the region of 2,000 cases...

9 ... we would like to discuss the possibility of a contract of agency with you.

10. ... we would like to know whether you would be willing to grant us a special discount.

11. As we are under contract, please let us know whether you could guarantee shipment by 3 July.

12. Would you be able to deliver within 5 weeks of receipt of our order.

13. Please quote your price (f.o.b. Liverpool - export port named: price includes delivery to docks and loading onto a ship) (c.i.f. Rio de Janeiro).

Replies to enquiries: offers.

A reply to an enquiry from a regular customer is normally fairly brief, and does not need to be more than polite and direct. Provided the supplier is in position to meet his correspondent’s requirements his reply will generally:

(1) Thank the writer of the letter of the enquiry for the letter in question.

(2) Supply all the information requested, and refer both to enclosures and to samples, catalogues and other items being sent by a separate post.

(3) Provide additional information, not specifically requested by the customer, so long as it is relevant.

(4) Conclude with one or two lines encouraging the customer to place orders and assuring him of good service.

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.

Answers to enquiries a routine character are written in plain, direct English. They give the information asked for. Let us consider the firm which is keen to increase sales, or one which is putting new product on the market. A great deal of time, know-how and money has probably been spent on promoting the product or products concerned, and the task of actually selling the goods begins with answering the enquiries as they come in.

The letter of reply must now fulfil the function of a salesman: it must contain information which will sustain the reader’s interest and persuade him or her to place an order. In such cases the style of the letter is of great importance.

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 Weatherproofcoats. 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

In many types of business it is the practice of the seller to offer goods to his regular customers and to others who may be interested, without waiting for an enquiry. Similarly, suppliers regularly make special offers of goods when prices are favourable. In these cases customer’s interest has to be aroused.

Dear Sirs

You will be interested to hear that we have been able to obtain a further supply of Brazilian coffee of the same quality as that we supplied you with last year. The total consignment is only 10,000 kg., and we are pleased to offer it to you at 60p per kg. With the increases in freight charges which become effective next month, the next consign­ment will be rather dearer, so we recommend you to take advantage of this offer, which is firm for five days only, and to telex your order without delay.

Yours faithfully

It often happens that answering an enquiry, a firm receives no further news from its prospective customer. Very few customers write and tell those who send them quotations why they do not wish to place an order. The practice of sending a representative to call on the enquirer soon after the enquiry is answered is common, as is that of sending a follow-up letter. There is a specimen of a follow up letter to a distributor to whom a catalogue was sent in response to his enquiry.

Dear Mr Morton

You wish to modernise your store-rooms with the most up-to-date shelving system yet devised: that is clear because you asked for our catalogue, which was sent to you earlier this month.

The next step lies, of course, with you. You could have a demonstration of the fitting of the lockshelf system in your own store-room, or see the combined units here in our showrooms.

You could test for yourself the wonderful adaptability of our system to all storage problems, by sending us a trial order for one 5 metre section, which comprises three units. Or if you have any special problems, you are welcome to our advice without any obligation.

You may be sure that whichever of our services you decide to use, you will receive our immediate attention.

Yours sincerely.

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 firm, for immediate delivery...

Prices and terms:

1.Our prices are quoted ...

2. ...f.o.b. 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.

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 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 (spot cash, cash within 7 days, cash on delivery, cash with order).

16. Out terms are payments on invoice.

17. Our terms are monthly (quarterly) settlement.

18. Our terms are 33% discount to approved accounts, with 2,5% for settlement within 15 days of date of invoice.

19. Our terms and conditions of sale as printed on our invoices must be strictly observed.

20. Our terms of payment are settlement by last day of month of receipt of our statement.

21. Payment by banker's draft, irrevocable letter of credit, bill of exchange is requested.

22. Payment of initial order would be required in pro-forma invoice.

23. We should require payment by banker's draft on acceptance of your order.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1539