INQUIRY AND OFFER
1. Dialogues:
Part One
(Buyer’s agent Mr. Clive from Canada is meeting with Mr. Young, the Sales Manager of a garment company for inquiry about prices of interested products.)
C: I’m glad to have the opportunity to visit your company. I hope we can do business together.
Y: It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Mr. Clive. I believe you have seen our exhibits in the showroom. What is it in particular you’re interested in?
C: I’m interested in your women’s long pants actually. I’ve seen the exhibits and studied your catalogues. I think some of the items, here I mean the heavy washed jean pants, will find a ready market in Canada. Here’s a list of requirements including size ratio and accessories designs. So I’d like to have your lowest quotation for this commodity, CIF Vancouver.
Y: Thank you for your inquiry. Would you tell me what quantity you require so that we can work out the offer?
C: I’ll do that. Meanwhile, could you give me an indication of price?
Y: Here is our FOB price. All the prices in the list are subject to our confirmation.
C: What about the commission? From the European suppliers we usually get 3 to 5 percent commission for my imports. It’s the general practice.
Y: As a rule we do not allow any commission. But if the order is a sizable one, we’ll consider it.
C: You see, I do business on a commission base. A commission on your prices would make it easier for us to promote sales. Even 2 or 3 percent would help.
Part Two
(Mr. Hunter from a European Importer is discussing with Mr. Bao of a local knitwear factory on prices.)
B: I understand that you’re interested in our sweaters products, Mr. Hunter.
H: Yes, we are thinking of placing an order with your factory. We’d like to know what you can offer in the lines as well as your sales terms, such as payment, delivery and discount, etc.
B: As you know, we supply knitwear of all types and sizes. We have years of experience in manufacturing high quality sweaters for European market.
H: We’ve read this in your sales literature. Could you give us some idea about your prices?
B: Our prices compare favorably with those offered by other manufacturers either in Europe or anywhere else. Here are our latest price sheets. You’ll see that our prices are among the most attractive.
H: Do you take special orders? That is, do you make sweaters according to required specifications and materials by customers?
B: We do. As a matter of fact, we design knit products for special purposes.
H: How long does it usually take you to make a delivery?
B: As a rule, we deliver all our orders within three months after receipt of the covering letters of credit. It takes longer, of course, for special orders. But in no case would it take longer than six months.
H: Good. Another thing, all your orders are on CIF basis. We’d rather you quote us an FOB price.
B: That can be done easily.
Part Three
(Mr. Baker, the representative from an American fashion company is holding a talk with Mr. Li of Shanghai Garments Import & Export Corp. on an offer.)
L: Look, all these articles are our best selling lines.
B: Oh, how marvelous! Please give me two samples with each of these lady’s dresses. What prices do you quote for these two items?
L: They are all on the catalogues. Here’s the price list. You will see all the prices are very competitive.
B: Do you quote CIF or FOB?
L: All the prices are FOB with a commission of five percent for agent.
B: But I’d rather have your lowest quotation CIF San Francisco with 5 % commission.
L: That can be done easily. We’ll work out a CIF price this evening and confirm it with you tomorrow morning. But could you give us a rough idea what the quantity you require?
B: I think it’s better for you to quote your price first. The size of our order depends very much on your price.
L: All right. We’ll see what we can do.
B: How long do you usually keep your offers open?
L: The prices on the catalogues are without engagement. In case of firm offers we usually keep that open for three days.
B: Could you make the offer firm for seven day? You see, I’ll have to send telegrams to my customers and ask about their opinions.
L: We’ll consider it when we come to the concrete business talks.
2. New Words and Phrases:
corporation [ ] 集团公司
inquiry [ ] 询盘
opportunity [ ] 机会
exhibits [ ] 展品
showroom [ ] 样品间
in particular [ ] 特别
heavy washed [ ] 重洗
accessory [ ] 附件，辅料
commodity [ ] 货品
catalogue [ ] 目录
quotation [ ] 报价
CIF Vancouver 温哥华到岸价
offer [ ] 报盘
meanwhile [ ] 同时
indication [ ] 指示，说明
commission [ ] 佣金
subject to [ ] 承受
confirmation [ ] 确认
sizable [ ] 量大的
general practice 一般做法
discount [ ] 减价
price sheet 价格单
representative [ ] 代表
best selling lines 热销货
literature [ ] 宣传品
favorably [ ] 优惠的
compare … with [ ] 与。。。相比
competitive [ ] 有竞争力的
receipt [ ] 收到，收讫
knitwear [ ] 针织品
letter of credit/LC 信用证
doll [ ] 洋娃娃
CIF San Francisco 旧金山到岸价
FOB Shanghai 上海离岸价
depend on 依靠
rough idea [ ] 粗略的想法
keep .. open 保持有效
engagement [ ] 约束，承诺
telegram [ ] 电报
firm offer 实盘
work out 解决
concrete [ ] 具体的
4. Text Translation in Chinese
询 价 与 报 价
第一部分
（从加拿大来的买方代理克莱夫先生与一家服装公司的销售经理杨先生会见，就感兴趣的产品询价。）
C: 我很高兴有机会拜访你们公司。我希望我们能一起做生意。
Y: 我也极为高兴地会见你，克莱夫先生。我相信你已经看过我们在展示间的展品了。你有什么特别感兴趣的东西吗？
C: 实际上我对你们的女式长裤比较感兴趣。我已经看过你们的展品也研究过你们的产品目录了。我想某些货品，我这儿是指重洗的牛仔裤，在加拿大可以马上找到市场。这里是要求的清单，包括尺寸配比和辅料设计。为此我想要你们关于这个货品的最低温哥华到岸价。
Y: 谢谢你的询价。你是否可以告诉我你们的订货数量以便于我们给出一个报价。
C: 我会的。同时，你可以给我一个价格提示吗？
Y: 这是我们的离岸价。所有报价单上的价格需要我们确认。
C: 佣金是怎么样的？对于我的进口货我们通常从欧洲供货商那里获得百分之三至五的佣金。
Y: 作为规则我们不允许任何佣金。不过如果订货数量比较大，我们会考虑。
C: 你知道，我是为佣金做生意的。在你们的价格上附加一个佣金将是我们更易于推销你们的产品。
第二部分
（从一个欧洲进口商来的亨特先生正在与一个当地针织厂的包先生讨论价格问题。）
B: 我知道你对我们的羊毛衫产品感兴趣，亨特先生。
H: 是的，我们在考虑给你们工厂下单。我们想知道你们可以提供什么样的产品和销售条款，例如付款、储运和折扣等等。
B: 如你所知，我们提供各种尺寸和类型的针织品。我么有多年的经验为欧洲市场生产高品质的羊毛衫。
H: 我们已经从你们的销售资料中读到这些了。你能不能跟我谈谈你们的价格？
B: 我们的价格与其他欧洲或任何地方的生产商提供的价格相比优惠多了。这是我们最新的价格单。你可以看得出来我们的价格是属于最有吸引力的。
H: 你们接不接特别的订单？就是说，按照客户要求的规格和材料制作羊毛衫？
B: 我们做的。实际上，我们为特别的需求而设计针织产品。
H: 你们做一个单子到出运要多长时间？
B: 按照常规，我们在收到信用证后的三个月内出运全部订货。当然，对于特别订单时间要长一些。
H: 好的。另外，所有你们的订货都是到岸价。我们宁可要你们给一个离岸价。
B: 这很容易解决的。
第三部分
（一家美国时装公司的代表贝克先生正在与上海服装进出口集团的李先生商谈报价问题。）
L: 你看，所有这些款式都是我们最畅销的产品。
B: 哦，太好了！请给我每种两件这些女式服装样品。这两件款式你们怎么报价？
L: 它们都在目录单上。这是报价单。你可以看到所有这些价格都非常有竞争性。
B: 你们报到岸价还是离岸价？
L: 所有这些价格都是含有代理商百分之五佣金的离岸价。
B: 但是我需要你们带百分之五佣金的最低旧金山到岸价。
L: 这很容易办。我们今晚做一个到岸价明天上午给你们确认。不过你可否给我一个大概的订货数量？
B: 我想最好你们先给一个报价。订货量大小很大程度上取决于你们的价格。
L: 好的。我们尽力而为。
B: 你们通常报价的有效期多久？
L: 目录单上的价格是不固定的。如果是实单我们保留三天有效。
B: 你们可否保留报价七天有效？你看，我需要给我的客户发电报询问他们的意见。
L: 当我们进入实质性商务谈判时，我们会考虑的。
