搜索
1InternationalBusinessCorrespondenceChapter3EnquiriesandReplies2Contents◆Introduction◆Keywordsstudy◆Specimenletters◆Writingtactics◆Languagesummary◆Exercises3ⅠIntroduction•Anenquiryisarequestmadebyabuyerforgoodsorserviceheisinterestedin.Whenmakinganenquiry,thebuyermayaskaboutprice,productspecification,packing,delivery,termsofpaymentandsoon.Anenquiryshouldbeclearandtothepoint.Whenabuyermakesanenquiry,hehasnoobligationtopurchase.Ontheotherhand,thesellerwhoreceivessuchanenquiryisundernoobligationtoreply.4•Thereplylettersanswerquestions,supplyinformationand/ormaterials,offerspecialhelpandattempttosatisfytheneedsofthosewhomaketherequests.Inletterofreply,thesellerissupposedtogiveafullanswertotheenquiry.Hemaysendaquotationorevenmakeanoffer.Enquiriesmeanpotentialbusiness.Promptandcarefulrepliesareofgreatimportance.So,Thereplyshouldbeprompt,courteous…5Howtomakeanenquiry?•Whenmakingenquires:Givedetailsofyourownfirmandaskforneededinformationfromyourprospectivesupplier.Bespecificandstateexactlywhatyouwant:thegoodsneeded,usualtermsoftrade,acatalogue,apricelist,asample,aquotation,etc.,soastoenablethesellertoquoteorofferthecorrectgoods.•Inanenquirysuchphrasesareoftenusedas“Shouldyourpricesbecompetitive”,“Ifyourquotationisfavourable”or“Pleasequoteyourbestprices”.•Thetacticoftenusedtoinvitebettertermsistogivethesellersomehopeofsubstantialordersorcontinuedbusiness.6•Ifitistheinitialcontactbetweenthetwoparties,thebuyershouldbegintheletterbytellinghowhehasobtainedthesupplier’sname,detailsofhisowncompanyandbusinessscopewillalsobeincluded.•Althoughanenquiryisnotlegallybindinguponeithertheexporterortheimporter,itisthefirststeptowardssuccessfulbusinessandshouldbehandledwithgreatcare.7Howtoreplytoanenquiry？•Whengivingrepliestoenquiries,makesurethatyouhaveansweredallthecustomer’squestions,andincludeallthepointsyouwanttomake,assureyourcustomerthatyouhavefaithinyourproductorservice.8TypesofEnquiry•Generalenquiry:theimportermayonlyaskforcatalogues,pricelists,samples,orothergeneralinformationaboutthegoodsfromtheexporter.•Specificenquiry:invitingaquotationoranofferforthegoodshewishestobuy,mayrequestdetailedinformationabouttheprice,quantity,specifications,termsofpayment,delivery,andsoon,concerningtheparticulargoodsthatinterestthebuyer.9ⅡKeywordsstudy•1.enquiry•2.market10•enquiry:n.询价anenquiryforsomething对…的询价eg.anenquiryfortextile对纺织品的询价；•enquire:v.询价，询购，询问enquireabout:Theyareenquiringaboutthesupplyofsugarandcoffee.enquireforsth.对…进行询价Theyenquiredforcottonpiecegoodslastweek.enquire:askaboutsomething询问某事enquireofsb.aboutsth.向某人询问某事•I’llenquireofhimabouttheschedule.我将向他询问计划的事。•Thebuyerenquiredoftheselleraboutthequalityofthisnewproduct.买方向卖方询问这个新产品的质量.小结：•enquiryfor..+某种商品对具体商品询价•enquiryof+日期某日的询价•enquiryabout...咨询信息、情况11marketn.•1）市场，行情Themarketisstrong.市场坚挺Themarketisadvancing/rising.市价上涨•2）c.n.（交易）市场，销售地，销路，thecotton/stockmarket棉花/股票市场；putthegoodsonthemarket销售商品•3）beonthemarket=comeon(into)themarket:出售It’sbeenonthemarketfor3years.•4）inthemarketfor要购买Theyareinthemarketfortable-clothandpillowcases.•5）cometothemarket上市findamarket找销路agood/poormarket畅销/滞销market:v.推销，销售，在市场上出售marketablea.适销对路的，可销的Theproductsoflowqualityarehardlymarketable.12ⅢSpecimenletters•Letter1（Firstenquiry）•Letter2（ReplytoFirstenquiry）•Letter3（Reply）•Letter4（Reply）•Letter5（Reply）•Letter6（Reply）•Letter7（Enquiry）•Letter8（Enquiry）•Letter9（Reply）13Letter1（Firstenquiry）Languagepoints:A.range.n，v1）n.a.extent,distancebetweenlimits范围，幅度awiderangeof…arangeofpricesforacommodity某一商品的价格变动范围It’sbeyondtherangeofourbusiness.Therearethreebasicsalaryranges.b.行,列,(一)系列;(一)种,(一)类afullrangeofsamples一整套样品afullrangeofshippingdocuments一整套装运单据Wecansupplycarpetsinawiderangeofdesigns.我们能供应花样繁多的地毯。2）v.~betweenAandB/fromAtoB(在…到…内)变动Pricesrangebetween7and10.售价在7英镑和10英镑之间B.apromisingmarket有前景的市场C.moderatelypricedgoods定价适中的产品14D.Whenreplying,pleasestateyourtermsofpaymentandatradediscountforcompaniesthatbuyinfairlylargequantities.buyinlarge(small)quantities大量购买bulkpurchase批量采购bulksale成批销售Couldyougiveussomeideaaboutthediscountyoucanofferonbulkpurchase?E.Ifthepricesareinline,wetrustimportantbusinesscanmaterialize.beinline,beoutofline,inlinewith…materializev.tohappenorappearinthewaythatyouexpected实现15Commentsontheletter：Thisisaletteroffirstenquiry.•Itbeginsbytellingtherecipientwhoprovidedtheinformation,Itstatesthepurposeofthewritingclearly:togetdetailsofvariouscottonproducts.•Thenthewriterintroduceditselfbriefly.•Thethirdparagraphstatesthefurtherrequest:theinformationoftermsofpaymentanddiscount.•Attheend,itinvitesbettertermstogivethesellersomehopeofcontinuedbusiness.16Letter2（ReplytoFirstenquiry）Languagepoints:A.ThankyouforyourenquiryofAugust15.B.excellentinqualityandreasonableinprice质优价廉C.allowsb.adiscountof2%D.PaymentistobemadebyirrevocableL/Catsight.E.IfyouplaceyourordernotlaterthanSeptember5,wewouldensurepromptshipment.17Commentsontheletter：Thisisaletterofreplytothefirstenquiry.•Itbeginsbyexpressingthanksandstatingthedateoflastenquiry.Thenthewriteransweredquestionsmentionedinth