外 贸 英 语 函 电Business English Correspondence

Chapter Six

Conclusion of Business

Contents of Chapter 6

Section One Introduction Section Two 　 Useful Words & Expressions Section Three Specimen Letters

An acceptance is a fact that the buyers or sellers agree completely to all the terms and conditions in an offer ( or a counter offer as a new offer ). If the offer is a firm-offer, a deal is concluded after acceptance. If the offer is a non-firm-offer, a deal is not concluded until the acceptance is confirmed by the buyers or sellers. In a letter for acceptance or confirmation, all the necessary terms and conditions may need a further confirmation or check from both sides.

1. Acceptance and Confirmation

(1)Thank the senders for their offers, counter-offers or

acceptance.

(2)Declare that you accept the offer or confirm the

acceptance from the senders. State that you would

like to conclude business with the senders according

to the terms and conditions agreed upon (listing all

the terms and conditions agreed upon in detail).

2. The main contents of an acceptance/confirmation letter

3)State that you have enclosed an Order Form / Contract / Sales Confirmation, asking for the returning of one copy duly signed for your file. (It may be not necessary however if a signed copy is not needed)

4)Express your hope that the transaction would be conducted smoothly and successfully, and that business would be expanded in the future.

After a firm offer is accepted or an acceptance is confirmed, a Contract or a Sales Confirmation should be made out, generally by the sellers, and signed by both parties. A Sales Contract or a Sales Confirmation (S/C) will go into effect immediately upon signature.

2. Contract

A Contract or a Sales Confirmation must contain all the particulars agreed upon during the course of negotiation, but the Contract contains also such conventional clauses as inspection and claims, arbitration and force majeure, etc. In case of dispute, this is the only authentic document on which judgment is based. In a letter sending or making mention of a contract, the following contents should be included.

confirming the business agreement. stating that you have enclosed an order form /

contract / sales confirmation. requesting the return of one copy duly signed for

your file. expressing your expectation of the counter-

signature, promise or hope that the contract would be fulfilled smoothly and successfully, and that the mutual business would be expanded in the future.

Notesmutual negotiations 双方交易磋商enter into a contract 签合同conclude the deal 完成交易，达成交易placing order 下订单Sales Confirmation 销售确认书force majeure 不可抗力discrepancy 争议，分歧performance 履行，执行

Section One Introduction （ P92-93 ）

Steps / Contents Typical Expressions

For letters concerning orders

1. Expressing

your thanks for

order, offer,

counter-offer or

acceptance.

We thank you for giving us a trial order/ offer/ counter-offer/ acceptance. ( 感谢你方的试订单 / 报盘/ 还盘 / 接受。 )

See also previous units for all kinds of similar expressions .

2. Declaring

clearly that you

accept the offer,

counter-offer or

confirm the

acceptance

We are pleased to accept the following order as per your fax of …and ours of…. ( 根据你方……时候和我方……时候的传真，我们很高兴接受以下订单。 )

We confirm having purchased from you …on the following terms and condition. ( 我们确认已按下列条件向你方购买……。 )

We are pleased to accept your offer and confirm this order with the following particulars: …( 我们很高兴接受你们的报盘并对订单确认如下：…… )

Steps / Contents Typical Expressions

We confirm that delivery will be made by …as requested.

( 我们确认会按要求在……之前履行交货。 )

We have decided to accept your quotation of

…. （我们已经决定按……条件接受你方报盘。）

3. Stating that you

have enclosed an

order form, a

contract, or a Sales

Confirmation. Or

asking the receiver to

prepare them. (It is

not necessary the

case, however).

We have accepted your Order No. … for … a

nd are sending you our Sales Confirmation N

o… ( 我们已经接受你方第……号订购……的订单，并随函附上我方第……号销售确认书。 )

We confirm supply of …at the price stated in y

our letter. Enclosed please find our Sales Con

tract No.… in duplicate. ( 我们确认将按你方信中所提的价格提供……。随函附上我方第……号销售合同一式两份，请查收。 )

Steps / Contents Typical Expressions

Please prepare the sales contract in both English and Chinese versions. ( 请准备中英两种文字版本的销售合同。 )

Will you please email the contract to us within the next week. ( 能否请你们在下周把合同通过电邮的形式发给我们。 )

4. Expressing your

expectation and hope.

We sincerely hope that... ( 我们诚恳地希望…… )

We are pleased to have finalized this business with you and expect that ...( 我们很高兴这次能与贵公司达成交易，期待着… )

We trust that this initial order will lead to...( 我们相信这次试订将会带来… )

We appreciate your co-operation and look forward to….( 谢谢你方的合作，并期待…… )

See also previous units for all kinds of similar expressions

Specimen Letter 1

Dear Sirs, We refer to your fax of February 12 and are

pleased to confirm having sold to you 50 long tons of Gum Rosin on the terms and conditions agreed upon.

We enclose our Sales Confirmation No.CF123 in duplicate, a copy of which please countersign and return to us for our file.

Yours sincerely, Encl.:As stated

Specimen 1 P93

CommentsThis is the seller’s simple confirmation. It shows th

at we have made a non-firm offer, which has been accepted by the buyers in their telex of February 12 and now we confirm the sale and send the sales confirmation for the buyer’s counter-signature.

NotesGum Rosin 松香in duplicate 一式两份

Section Two Specimen Letters

Specimen Letter 2

Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter of September 6

confirming your order 40long tons Talc in lumps.

Price:$1100 per long ton, IF Liverpool. Packing: in single gunny bag of about

50kgs.net each

Although the current market price is a little bit higher, we accept the order on the same terms as before with a view to encouraging business.

As requested in your previous letter, we enclose our Sales Confirmation No.231 in quadruplicate. Please send back one copy duly signed.

Please rest assured that your order will receive our careful attention.

Yours faithfully, Encl. as stated

Specimen 2 P94

CommentsThis is the seller’s acceptance of the buyer’s order

with the latter confirming what they have agreed upon. Note the second and last paragraph, which are suitably worded to promote business.

Notes1 Talc in lumps 滑石块2 in quadruplicate 一式四份

Specimen Letter 3

Dear Sirs, We refer to our letter of 23 ult. And your fax

6th inst., we have pleasure in confirming the following order:

Commodity: Mou Tai Chiew Alcohol Content:45%~60% Capacity: 500 grams per bottle Quantity: 100 dozen Price: $2800 per doz. CIF Antwerp Packing: In cases of 24 bottles Shipment: October, 2010

The relative letter of credit will be airmailed soon and you are require to ship the above lot by the first available steamer upon receipt of our L/C.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention, we remain.

Yours faithfully,

Specimen 3 P94

CommentsThis is an old-fashioned letter, the style is too old for to

day. The sentence “you are required to do ...” is not polite. “Thank you for your prompt attention, we remain” is no longer used now.

Notes1 ult 上月2 inst 本月3 Mou Tai Chiew 茅台酒

Specimen Letter 4

Dear Sirs, We are pleased in sending you the attache

d Order Confirmation No.350 covering our recent purchase from you of 1500 pieces of Mulehides.

We are going to buy this parcel for our own account, so as to distribute the hides among several prospective buyers. They are accustomed to buying hides from the Argentine, but we think we shall be able to persuade them to try your material/ If the quality represented by your initial consignment turns out to be satisfactory we can assure you of repeat orders.

Yours faithfully, Encl. as stated.

Specimen 4 P93

CommentsThe buyer is trying to get the best quality by convincin

g the seller that it is to his advantage to supply it, It illustrates the way to convince your reader with what he can see from his standpoint.

Notes1 Mulehides 骡皮2 initial consignment 首批来货

Specimen Letter 5

Dear Sirs, We are pleased to have made with you an or

der for 200 metric tons of groundnut oil. Enclosed please find our order sheet and the relative credit will be telexed to you within the next few days.

Our buyers have agreed to allow partial shipments for this order, which will enable you to make shipment within the three months from April to June. If you could spread out shipment by forwarding a proportionate quantity each month instead of making the whole lot of 200 metric tons be congested into the same month, it would be of much assistance to our customers

it might interest you to know that the buyers concerned are among the leading importers of edible oils in this city. It is very likely that they might want to duplicate their order before the month is out.

Thank you for your cooperation. We hope we have more businesses in the future.

Yours faithfully

Specimen 5 P96

CommentsThis letter is selected because it demonstrates the British concept o

f a good business letter, i.e. the use of formal language with its preciseness, propriety, courtesy and restraint

Notes1 Groundnut Oil 花生油2 forward 交货3 a proportionate quantity 按一定比例4 edible oil 食用油 .

Letter 6

Dear Sirs, We refer to the recent exchange of faxes

between us and are pleased to confirm having concluded with you a transaction of 80 metric tons of Groundnut Kernels.

Enclosed is our Sales contract No.9181 in duplicate in which please countersign and return one copy to us for our file. We trust you will open the relative L/C at an early date. As regards additional quantities we are working, we will let you have an offer sometime next week.

Yours faithfully

Specimen 6 P97

CommentsThis letter is to confirm the transaction between th

e two parties, short and clear. Notes1 groundnut kernels 花生仁2 Enclosed 随函附寄3 countersign 会签

Letter 7

Dear Sirs, We hereby confirm having sold to you the

goods under mentioned, subject to the terms stated below:

Quantity ： 3000tons Description: Canned oat of our usual stan

dard, America Weight: net delivered

Tare ： Actual Shipment: prompt shipment, sailing direct to

port of destination, transshipment not allowed Insurance: Marine insurance to be covered b

y us

Conditions: we agree to settlement of disputes by Chinese arbitration. No claim can be entertained unless made within 10 days of arrival of goods at the port of destination.

Remarks: Kindly sign and return one copy, each of the original and duplicate here of evidence of your acceptance.

Encl: as stated. Yours faithfully

Specimen 7 P97

CommentsIn confirmation letters, we can repeat the sales

terms again in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Notes1 Canned Oat 罐装燕麦2 marine insurance 海运保险3 tare 皮重

Letter 8

Dear Sirs, We acknowledge the receipt of your letter of t

he 18th June ， for which we thank you. Since then a number of telex have been exchange resulting in our purchase from you of the following :

500pcs of cowhides $50per pc CIF London These 5000pcs CIF OF Cowhide are to be

packed in two lots, 2000and 3000 and shipped on separate Bill of lading as they are intended for two different customers

Please mark the bales with the lot number as given in the enclosed Order Sheet. It is necessary to take good note of this lest the parcel should be mixed up on lading.

Yours faithfully

Specimen 8 P98

CommentsThe first sentence is old-fashioned and could be replaced b

y “Many thanks for the letter of 18th June.”The final sentence is, however, too literary and might be revised to read: so that the parcel may not be mixed up on landing.

Generally speaking, in the business letter writing, “lest” is not used, instead “in order that…not…” is OK.

Notesin two lots 分两批Bills of Lading 提单