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payment terms 付款方式 special orders 特殊订货
Chapter Four Offers and Counter-offers
第4章 报盘和还盘
环节1：小结报盘，实虚盘区分方法，信函结构 I. Introduction to Quote and offer 报价与报盘 The most commonly used collocations: We shall very much appreciate it
if you will send us your lowest quotation. if you will quote us your lowest price. if you will make us your best offer. if you will offer us 300 bicycles.
Quotation is different from offer. The former usually refers to a unit price with delivery terms, whereas the latter contains not only that, but also quantity, time of shipment, payment terms, the time of validity of the offer, etc. From the legal point of view, the offer, if and when it is made firm, holds the seller who makes the offer responsible for this business after it is accepted by the buyer. A quotation is more or less an indication of price, which is subject to change without previous notice. However, a number of businessmen, particularly those in the U.S.A., confuse these two words. We should read them carefully in the context so as to grasp the correct interpretation. E.g. Your quotations are too high.
Our offer is firm subject to your reply within three days. 报盘（offer），也叫报价，是卖方主动向买方提供商品信息，或者是对询盘的答复，是卖方根据买方的来信，向买方报盘，其内容可包括商品名称、规格、数量、包装条件、价格、付款方式和交货期限等。报盘有两种：
虚盘（non-firm offers）, 即无约束力的报盘。一般情况下，多数报盘均为虚盘，虚盘不规定报盘的有效日期，并且附有保留条件，如：The offer is subject to our final confirmation/prior sale. 该报盘以我方最后确认/事先售出为准。
实盘（firm offers）则规定有效日期，而且卖盘一旦被接受，报盘人就不能撤回。 II. Quotations
A quotation is not an “offer” in the legal sense. It is merely a notice of the price of certain goods which the seller is willing to sell. If, therefore, a seller quotes and later decides not to sell, the buyer has no legal remedy. But in practice a supplier will not risk his reputation by quoting for goods he cannot or does not intend to supply. When asking for a quotation, the buyer must be careful to protect himself by stating clearly whether the prices are to include such additional charges as carriage and insurance. Failure to do this may lead to serious disagreement, especially where these charges are heavy, as in foreign trade dealings. In response to an enquiry, quotations may be sent. A satisfactory quotation will include the following: a. An expression of thanks for the enquiry.
b. Details of prices, discounts and terms of payment.
c. A statement or clear indication of what the prices cover (e.g. freight and insurance, etc.) d. An undertaking as to date of delivery or time of shipment. e. The period for which the quotation is valid.
It will conclude with an expression of hope that the quotation will be accepted. III. Offers
An offer is a promise to supply goods on the terms and conditions stated. It must be made and
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accepted before a contract can exist. Offers, however, should be made with accuracy, because once duly accepted they are binding legally. In an offer, the seller not only quotes the price of the goods he wishes to sell but also indicates all necessary terms of sales for the buyer’s consideration and acceptance.
An offer of goods is usually made either by way of advertisements, circulars and letters or in reply to enquiries. This is the first step in business negotiation.
There are two forms of offers: Firm Offer and Non-firm Offer. Firm offers are made when a seller promises to sell goods on certain terms and within a stated period of time. Non-firm offers are made without engagement, but is subject to confirmation by the seller after being accepted by the buyer. An offer may be made by a seller, that is called Selling Offer. It may be made by a buyer, that is Buying Offer, usually called “bid”. Firm Offer
A firm offer is made when a seller promises to sell goods at a stated price, usually within a stated period of time. A firm offer may be expressed clearly in words, as when it takes the form of a letter; or it may be implied, as when it takes the form of a quotation that contains the words “for acceptance within seven days”, or similar qualifying words. A firm offer is capable of acceptance and once it has been accepted it cannot be withdrawn. It is to be noted that unlike a quotation, a firm offer, although not a contractual obligation, cannot be withdrawn by the seller within its validity.
A typical firm offer will include the following: (1) An expression of thanks for the enquiry, if any;
(2) Name of the goods, quality, quantity, and specifications, details of prices, discounts, terms of payment, packing and date of delivery;
(3) The validity of the offer;
(4) Favourable comments on the goods themselves; (5) An expression of hopes for an order. Non-Firm Offer
A non-firm offer is an offer without engagement or without obligation. The ways to express an offer is a non-firm one are:
1) We are making an offer for the following, subject to our final confirmation. 2) This offer is made subject to the goods being unsold. 3) We submit you this offer subject to prior sale.
4) The price quoted is subject to changes without notice. 5) This offer is subject to export license being available. Structure of a Letter for Offering
1. Beginning Paragraph: stating on what terms and at what price you will supply the goods. In this paragraph, you should indicate this offer is a firm offer or an offer subject to confirmation. If this offer is replying to an inquiry, you should thanks for the inquiry first.
2. Transitional Paragraph: indicating the benefit of this trade, such as high quality, best price and so on. 3. Ending Paragraph: looking forward an order. I. Translate the following sentences into English:
1．现报盘如下，以我方时间10月25日下午四时前复到有效。 2．谢谢你方最近询价，我方有大量皮鞋现货，欣为报盘如下：
3．兹确认我们今天早晨给你发传真，报200公吨花生的实盘，一星期内复到有效。 II. Write a letter according to the following requirements.
1) 谢谢你方3月25日询价，现报盘如下，以你方10日内复到为条件。
2) 4000打手套每打￡10成本加保险费运费到新加坡价，船期8、9月。支付条件是凭即期汇票支付的保兑的不可撤消的信用证付款。
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3) 相信上述报盘能为你方所接受，我们殷切地等待好消息。
Answer:
I. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. We can offer as follows, subject to your reply received here by four o’clock p.m., our time, October 25. 2. Thank you for your recent inquiry. We have a large quantity of Leather Shoes in stock, and are pleased to offer them as follows:
3. We confirm having sent you a fax this morning, offering firm 200 metric tons of Groundnuts, subject to your reply reaching us within one week.
II. Write a letter according to the following requirements. Dear Sirs,
We thank you for your enquiry of March 25, and take pleasure in making you an offer, subject to your reply reaching us within 10 days, as follows:
4000 dozen Working Gloves at Stg. 10 per dozen CIF Singapore, August/September shipment. As to terms of payment, we require confirmed, irrevocable letter of credit payable by draft at sight.
We trust that the above offer will be acceptable to you and await with keen interest your favourable reply.
Yours Sincerely,
阅读给定材料 2分钟
March 29, 2000
Dear Sirs,
We are in receipt of your letter dated March 21 and, as requested, are airmailing you, under separate cover, one catalogue and two sample books for our Printed Shirting. We hope they will reach you in due course and will help you in making your selection.
In order to start a concrete transaction between us, we take pleasure in making you a special offer, subject to our final confirmation, as follows:
Art. No. 81000 Printed Shirting Design No. 72435-2A
Specifications: 30×36×72×69 Quantity: 18,000 yards
Packing: In bales or in wooden cases, at seller’s option. Price: RMB . . . per yard C.I.F.C. 5% Lagos
Shipment: to be made in three equal monthly installments, beginning from June, 2000.
Payment: By confirmed, irrevocable L/C payable by draft at sight to be opened 30 days before the time of shipment.
We trust the above will be acceptable to you and await with keen interest your trial order.
Yours faithfully,
June 10, 2000
Dear Sirs,
Re: Groundnuts & Walnutmeat
We confirm your fax of 2nd inst. asking us to make you firm offers for both Groundnuts and Walnutmeat
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C&F Copenhagen. We faxed back this morning, offering you 250 metric tons Shandong Groundnuts, Hand-picked, Shelled and Ungraded at RMB ￥4,000 net per metric ton C&F Copenhagen or any other European Main Port for shipment during October/November,2000. This offer is firm, subject to your reply reaching us within one week. We wish to point out that this is the best price we can quote and that we are unable to entertain any counteroffers.
As regards Walnutmeat, we would inform you that the few parcels we have at present are under offer elsewhere. However, if you should make us an acceptable bid, there is a possibility of your obtaining these. As no doubt, you are aware, of late there has been a large demand for the above commodities and such a growing demand can only result in increased prices. But you may avail yourselves of the advantage of this strengthening market if you will send us an immediate reply.
Yours faithfully,
? Main Points on offer:
1.Words 单词
offer, effect, subject, draw, stock, invoice, follow Expressions商业用语 to accept offer 接受报盘 to confirm offer 确认报盘 to decline offer 拒绝报盘 cargo receipt (陆运)货运收据
deposit receipt 存(款)单、存款凭证、存放凭证 Phrases 短语
In reply, subject to?,result in, result from, to have/take pleasure in doing (to do) sth. to have/take the pleasure of doing (to do) sth., come into effect, in sb’s favour, in stock, out of stock, on hand, in hand, by hand, with regard to, 2. Discriminations辨析 offer与quote
regrettable与regretful
3. Grammar Points 语法点
imperative adj. 必须的 (比necessary语气为重，后面通常接that引起的从句，从句要用虚拟语气，should往往省去。)
常见词汇4-1 offer 1) n. 报盘
(包括货名、数量、规格、价格、船期、有效期等，通常和介词for, of或on连用) Please make us an offer CIF London for (on) 20 metric tons groundnuts. 请给我们一个20公吨花生伦敦到岸价格的报盘。
The offer is firm(valid, good, open, for effective, enforce) for two weeks. 此报盘两周内有效。 A Japanese seller has made us an offer at ￡120 per ton. 一日本卖主向我报价每公吨120英镑。
We are working on your offer of 200 kilos green tea. 你方200公斤绿茶的报盘，我们正在执行。 2) v.报盘
If you can offer, please telex us. 你方如能报盘，请电传通知我们。
At present, we cannot offer more than 1000 short tons.
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