UNIT 5
Quotations and Offers

A quotation is usually the suggestion or the terms and conditions in response to an inquiry for acceptance in order to conclude a business. It is a notice of the price of certain goods at which the seller is willing to sell. An offer is a promise to supply goods on the terms and conditions stated. 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. However, if a quotation is made together with all necessary terms and conditions of sales, it amounts to an offer. An offer is usually made or sent by the seller. If the buyer sends an offer, it is called a bid. Making a quotation or an offer is the most important and indispensable step in negotiating an export transaction.

There are two kinds of offer: firm offer and non-firm offer.

A firm offer is a definite promise to sell goods at a stated price and quantity, usually within a certain time limit. It must be clear, definite, complete and final. A firm offer will not be changed once it is accepted by a buyer within the given valid time.

In making a firm offer, mention should be made of the time of shipment and the mode of payment desired; in addition, an exact description of the goods should be given and, if possible, pattern or sample sent. A firm offer cannot be withdrawn, revoked and amended and it is up to the buyer to accept or to reject or to make a counteroffer during the validity period. According to the relevant UN regulations, it can be considered as a firm offer as long as an offer has the name, the quantity and the price. Yet in the factual business, a firm offer should be in as much details as possible, such as payment terms, time of shipment, packing and specifications, etc.

Non-firm offers are the ones which are not binding upon sellers and the details of the offers may change in certain situations. It usually contains the words like “subject to seller's confirmation”, “subject to our approval” or “to offer without engagement（obligation）” etc. In a non-firm offer, it is subject to confirmation by the seller after being accepted by the buyer which is made without engagement. When an offer is made, this must be made clear to avoid possible disputes in future.

Generally speaking, there are three principles for making an offer.

1. Reply to all inquiries promptly. Since buyers' inquiries are valuable sales leads, your response and the time it takes you to reply are critical to be successful.

2. Make your offer helpful. A satisfactory letter of making offers will bring a favorable result and create chances of business. Thus, this kind of letter should answer all the questions mentioned in the inquiries. The samples and catalogues should be sent to the prospective buyer as soon as possible.

3. To be accurate and with confidence. The information such as price and quantity you provide should be exact and accurate. You should try to write the letter with assurance and a desire for future cooperation.

Specimen Letters

Letter-5 (1) (A Firm Offer)

Letter-5 (2) (A Firm Offer)

Letter-5 (3) (A Non-firm Offer)

Letter-5 (4) (Non-firm Offer)

Letter-5 (5) (Non-firm Offer)

Words, Phrases and Notes

1. enjoy great popularity: win a high admiration 享有盛誉，广受欢迎

2. good quality and moderate price: fine/excellent/superior in quality and reasonable/inexpensive in price 物美价廉/价格公道，质量上乘

3. advise: v. inform/notify/tell 通知，告知

e.g. Please advise us when you will ship the goods．请告知贵方将何时装运货物。

please be advised 请注意

e.g. Please be advised that the shipment of the goods cannot be later than September 10th．请注意货物装船不能晚于9月10日。

advisable: adj. sensible; wise 明智的，可取的

e.g. It is advisable that you should ship the goods by s.s. American President by the end of this month．你方最好能在这个月底前通过“美国总统”轮装运货物。

4. repeat order: an order for the goods for a second or even more times 续订单

repeat order与duplicate order（重复订单）的区别：

repeat order：与原订单相比，新订单除装运期不同外，其他交易条件如价格、数量、规格，甚至货物都可以相同或者不同，但是订于同一卖主。

duplicate order：新订单除装运期不同外，其余条件都与原订单相同。

5. request: vt. ask for/express a desire for 要求，请求

e.g. We request your prompt consideration of the business．我们请求你方马上考虑这笔业务。

As requested, we have sent you the catalogue and price list．根据你方要求，我们已经给你们寄去了目录和价格单。

n. the act of asking 要求，请求

e.g. At your request we make you an offer as follows．根据你方的要求，我们给你们报价如下。

6. offer: n. an act of expressing readiness to provide goods on certain terms and conditions 报盘，报价

firm offer/definite offer 实盘，确盘

non-firm offer/indefinite offer 虚盘

e.g. Please make us a firm offer for 100 MT of the goods．请给我们报100公吨货物的实盘。

The offer is valid for two weeks．本发盘两周内有效。

As your prices are too high to meet the competition, we have no alternative but to decline

your offer with regret．因为你们的价格太高，没有竞争力，我们别无选择，不得不遗憾地谢绝你方的报盘。

v． 报盘，报价

e.g. We are pleased to offer you as follows which is subject to our further confirmation．我们很高兴地给你方报盘如下，该报盘以我方进一步确认为准。

与offer 相关的常用词还有：

offeror/offerer 发盘人，报价人，要约人

offeree 受盘人，接盘人，受要约人

7. be subject to:

（1）to be conditional upon 以……为准，以……为条件（subject 是形容词）

e.g. The quotation is subject to our further confirmation．该报价以我们的进一步确认为准。

All the prices on the price lists are subject to our final confirmation．价格单上所有的价格都以我方的最终确认为准。

Our offers are subject to alteration without notice．我们的报盘视变化而定，不用通知。

We send you a firm offer, subject to your reply reaching here before the end of September．我方向贵方报实盘，以贵方9月底前复到有效。

（2）subject to 在……条件下（subject是副词，subject to引起的短语作状语）

e.g. Subject to your shipment in May, we will order 5,000 metric tons．你方如能5月份装运，我们将订购5000公吨。

We are making you, subject to your acceptance before the end of this week, the following offer.

我们给你方报盘如下，条件是你们要在这个周末前接受。

（3）be subjected to: cause to undergo or experience 遭受（subject是动词）

e.g. The goods will be subjected to breakage if you do not pack them in cartons．如果不装在纸箱里，货物将可能破碎。

8. min.: minimum 的缩写。最小值，……以上

9. irrevocable [i'revəkəb（ə）l] L/C: a kind of L/C for which the applicant cannot amend the terms of the L/C without the agreement of the relevant parties 不可撤销的信用证

10. in one's favour: in the interest of sb．以……为受益人

11. drawn at sight：见票即付

draw on 向……开汇票

drawer 开票人

drawee 受票人

12. range: scope; field; series 范围，领域；系列

13. condensation [kɔnden'seiʃ（ə）n]: n. the process of changing from a gaseous to a liquid or solid state 凝结

e.g. Cloud is a condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere．云是由大气中的水蒸气凝结而成的。

14. valid ['vælid]: adj. firm; good 有效的

e.g. This offer is valid for one week．该报盘一周之内有效。

15. Thiourea Dioxide [θaiə（u）ju'riːə dai'kɔsaid]:（TDO）二氧化硫脲（一种化工原料）

Thiourea：硫脲

16. brisk [brisk]: adj. Trade or business is very busy, with a lot of products being sold．兴隆的，繁忙活跃的

e.g. A trader said gold business is brisk on the local market．一位贸易商说黄金在当地市场的销售很兴旺。

17. FCL: full container load 整箱货

LCL: less than container load 拼箱货

18. sales literature: instruction book for sales of goods 销售说明书

19. await: vt. wait for; look forward to 等待

e.g. We await your early reply．我们等待着你方早日答复。

20. fall within 属于

注意与belong to 在用法上的区别：

Computers fall within the scope of business activities．电脑属于我们的经营范围。

This computer belongs to me．这个电脑是我的（属于我的）。

21. agrochemicals: n. agricultural chemicals; farm chemicals 农用化学品，农药

22. Sodium Alginate ['səudiəm 'ældʒənet]：海藻酸钠

23. strongest item: most important commodity; most competitive commodity 拳头产品（项目）

24. PP bags: Polypropylene bags → PP（woven）bags 聚丙烯（编织）袋

Polythene bags → PE bags 聚乙烯袋

25. first class: top-ranking; first-rate 一流的

e.g. The said company is a first class enterprise dealing with this kind of commodities．该公司是经营此类商品的一流企业。

26. meet your customers' tastes and needs: meet the taste and demand of the clients 满足顾客的口味与需要

27. feel free: feel casual and informal 随便

e.g. If I can be of any help to you in the future, please feel free to contact me any time anywhere．如果将来能对你们有什么帮助，你们可随时随地与我联系。

Commonly Used Sentences

1. We offer firm for reply 11 a.m. tomorrow．我们报实盘，以明天上午11点答复为有效。

2. We'll let you have our firm offer next Sunday．下星期天我们就向你们发实盘。

3. We're willing to make you a firm offer at this price．我们愿意以此价格为你方报实盘。

4. Could you offer us FOB prices？能向我们报离岸价格吗？

5. All our prices are on CIF basis．我们所有的价格都是成本加运费和保险费的价格。

6. Can you make an offer, CFR London, at your earliest convenience？你能尽快报一个成本加运费到伦敦的价格吗？

7. I'd like to have your lowest quotations, CIF Vancouver．请报温哥华到岸价格的最低价。

8. Please make us an offer for 5 metric tons of walnut．请给我们报5公吨核桃仁的价格。

9. Our offer is RMB 3,000 per set of washing-machine, FOB Tianjin．我们的报价是每台洗衣机3000元人民币，天津离岸价。

10. We quote this article at USD 250 per M/T CFR Hong Kong．我们报该商品成本加运费到香港的价格是每公吨250美元。

11. I'm awfully sorry. This is our floor price. If you find it unworkable, we may as well call the deal off．很遗憾，这是我们的底价。如果你方觉得价格不合适，我们只好取消这笔交易。

12. Will you please quote FOB Brussels in US dollar？请你们以美元报布鲁塞尔离岸价。

13. You'll see that our offer compares favorably with the quotations you can get elsewhere．你会发现我们的报价比别处要低。

14. Our offers are valid for 3 days．我们报盘的有效期为3天。

15. We have extended the offer as per your request．我们已按你方要求将报盘延期。

16. The offer holds valid until five o'clock p.m. 30th of June, 2015, Beijing time．报价有效期截止到北京时间2015年6月30日下午5点。

17. All prices in the price list are subject to our confirmation．报价单中所有价格都以我方确认为准。

18. This offer is subject to your reply reaching here before the end of this month．该报盘以你方在本月底前复到有效。

19. This offer is subject to the goods being unsold．该报盘以商品未售出为准。

20. We would like to make you, subject to your reply reaching us by August 5, the following offer for 1,000 MT of the goods．我们愿意就1000公吨货物给你方报盘如下，以你方8月5日前复到有效。

Effective Writing Skills

Letters of making offers are also one of the routine duties for a foreign trader. They should be written promptly and helpfully. Generally speaking, a satisfactory offer should include the following steps:

1. Express your thanks for the inquiry.

e.g.（Many）thanks for your inquiry of May 1 and for your interest in our products.

We thank you for your inquiry of May 1 and are pleased to quote as follows.

2. Provide the information required by the other party, and preferably make some favorable comments on your products.

e.g. As requested, we are pleased to offer you as follows and are sending you the catalogues and samples.

Our products enjoy great popularity for the good quality and reasonable price.

Our products are good in quality and reasonable in price.

3. Indicate the validity period of the offer（if it is a firm offer）.

e.g. Please note that the above offer is valid（firm/good）for 5 days.

The offer is subject to your acceptance before the end of this week

We must stress that the offer will remain open for three days.

4. Express the hope that the offer will be accepted.

e.g. We look forward to receiving your prompt confirmation.

We trust that you will find our quotation satisfactory and look forward to receiving your order.

Letters for Optional Study

LOS-5 (1)(A Non-firm Offer)

LOS-5 (2)(A Firm Offer)

LOS-5 (3)(A Non-firm Offer)

Exercises

I. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the differences between a quotation and an offer?

2. What are the two types of offer?

3. In making a firm offer, what should be mentioned?

4. Can a firm offer be withdrawn once it has been accepted?

5. In a letter rejecting an offer, what are the main points to be expressed?

6. Give a brief description of a firm offer.

II. Translate the following sentences from Chinese into English.

1．现报价如下，条件是贵方要在这个月底前接受。

2．获悉你地市场对核桃有很大需求，现附上第8号报价单供参考。

3．我公司就以下产品做如下报盘，该报盘以我方进一步确认为准。

4．这些商品目前销路很好，供不应求。

5．我们对新产品提出了报价供你方参考，希望你方能利用这一优势。

6．这个报盘是根据当前市场情况而定的。

7．我们已按很低的价格向你方报盘。

8．请尽可能使你方的价格（报盘）易于接受。

9．希望贵方能尽量达到我方的要求，降价5%。

10．如果将报盘的条件做些修改，我们可能接受。

11．如能在10月装船，我们即接受你方报盘。

12．为了表示愿意紧密合作，我们接受你们的还盘。

13．我们很高兴给你方报价并且附上我们的目录和价格单，里面有你们所要求的详情。

15．请注意我们的报价很优惠，货物的质量即使是对最挑剔的买主也会有吸引力的。

III. Translate the following sentences from English into Chinese.

1. Our price is quite competitive, and we believe it's beneficial for you to promote in American market at an early date.

2. As you will see in our price list, we have offered very favorable prices, supplying our best quality goods. We solicit that you will favor us with your orders, which shall always have our best attention.

3. To comply with your request, we are offering you 5,000 sets of laptops at RMB 8,000 per set CIF Hong Kong, subject to our final confirmation.

4. Please note that the payment is to be made by confirmed, irrevocable L/C payable by draft at sight.

5. We are interested in your bicycles, but regret to tell you that your price is about 6% higher than that of other suppliers for similar quality products.

6. Much to our regret that we are not in a position to entertain your offer as we have placed an order with other suppliers at a low price.

7. We will allow you 10% discount if you purchase 5,000 dozen or more.

8. If you could grant a concession of 3% on your quoted price, your price will be quite competitive.

9. The prices quoted are for orders of invoice value below US$ 2,000. For larger orders we offer an extra 5% discount.

10. In view of the heavy demand for this product, we advise you to send orders without delay.

11. We regret to inform you that we are unable to provide a firm offer at the price you suggested owing to the fact that the prices for raw materials have increased considerably.

12. We would like to make you, subject to your reply reaching us by May 5, the following offer for 500 dozen woolen sweaters.

13. We enclose our latest quotation, and trust that the prices quoted will lead to further business.

14. Your competitors are offering considerably lower prices and unless you can reduce your quotations, we shall have to buy elsewhere.

15. As the goods are in extremely short supply recently, we regret being unable to offer the price.

IV. Letter writing.

You are one of the employees of Yantai Import and Export Corporation. Write a letter to ABC Corporation and make an offer for one of the products from your hometown, giving favorable comments on the goods offered.

1. You received their inquiry on May 1, 2015.

2. Make a firm offer on one specific commodity and make some favorable comments.

3. Look forward to their early confirmation.