Unit 7 Shipment and Packaging

Unit7ShipmentandPackagingTimeofShipmentInacompetitivebusinessworld,it’salwaysfataltodelivergoodsquicklyandontime,especiallythosefreshorseasonalcommodities.Generallyspeaking,thetimelimitgoverningashipmentisofthreecategories:A.ShipmentwithafixeddateWhicheverthetermsofshipment,thereisalwaysadefinitedateorperiodfixedon,at,before,orduringwhichtheshipmentshouldbemade.B.ShipmentwithadateinthenearfutureUnderthesecondcategory,suchtermsasimmediateshipment,promptshipment,andshipmentassoonaspossible,areoftenfoundinasalescontract.But,internationally,thesetermsarenotunifiedandthereforearesubjecttodifferentinterpretations.So,itisnotadvisabletousesuchtermsofuncertainty.C.ShipmentwithanindefinitedateThethirdcategorystipulatesanindefinitedateonwhichthedeliveryofgoodsistobeeffected.Thoughthetermsarequitevague,theysometimesprovetobeusefulwhenitisdifficulttosecurefreightspaceandimpossibletoguaranteeashipmentwithinadefinitetimelimit.DifferentKindsofShipmentimmediateshipment立即装运promptshipment即期装运shipmentassoonaspossible尽快装运forwardshipment远期装运nearshipment近期装运transshipment转船,转运directshipment直达船装运indirectshipment非直达船装运partialshipment分批装运VariousKindsofPortoptionalport任意港callingport挂靠港destinationport目的港ice-freeport不冻港freeport自由港loadingport装港unloadingport卸港DialogueLearningI.Isitpossibletoeffectanearlyshipment?(p.91)effect办理►effectshipment办理装船，装货►effectinsurance办理保险►effectdelivery办理交货►effectpayment办理支付►arrangeshipment安排装船►expediteshipment加速装船►extendshipment延期装船►advanceshipment提前装船VariationofexpressionsIwonderifitispossibleforyoutoeffectshipmentinMarch.I’dliketoknowifthereisanypossibilitytodispatchthegoodsbytheendofMarch.MayIknowifyouareinapositiontomakeshipmentbythemiddleofMarch?IwishtoknowifthegoodscanbesentintheearlyMarch.Wewilldoourbesttoadvancetheshipment.maketheshipmentearlier.offeranearlyshipment.dispatchthegoodsasearlyaspossible.shipthegoodsatanearlydate.Thedeliveryhastobepostponed.delayed.putoff.interrupted.stopped.Wepreferdirectshipmentbyregularliners.toshipthegoodsbydirectvessels.toshipthegoodsbybulkcarriers.toshipthewholelotatonetime.tomakeadirectshipment.II.Directshipment,ofcourse.(p.92)谈妥付款方式后，约翰先生和王先生又继续商讨装运问题甲=约翰逊先生乙=王先生甲：现在付款条件问题已圆满解决，我很想知道是否有可能在4月份装运？乙：很抱歉，我们不能在4月份装运。甲：我们能指望最早什么时候装运？乙：我想到5月中旬吧。甲：那就太晚了。6月份是这种商品在我们市场上的销售旺季。我们还得找别人做零售。而且，我们的海关手续很复杂，需要花好长时间。你们必须5月份之前交货，否则我们就赶不上销售旺季了。乙：你们倒可以那样说，但我必须指出，我们的厂方手头上还有许多积压订单。要在时间上做什么变动恐怕很难。甲：你们不能想办法早点交货吗？这对我们来说很重要。如果等其他进口商以有利价格卖了他们的商品，我们再投放市场，可就亏本了。乙：那这样如何？我们尽量把装船期提前到5月初。甲：好。我相信您的话。我建议您把它写到合同里。我方信用证四月初开立。其他条件就跟前几次交易的一样。乙：好。我们将尽一切努力提前装船期。甲：非常感谢您的帮助。我希望我们之间的交易量将来会更大。Havingsettledonthetermofpayment,nowMr.JohnsonandMr.Wanggoontotalkoverthequestionofshipment.A=Mr.JohnsonB=Mr.WangA:Nowthatwe’vesatisfactorilydealtwiththequestionofpaymentterms,I’mdesiroustoknowifit’spossibletoeffectshipmentduringApril?B:I’msorrywecan’teffectshipmentinApril.A:Then,whenistheearliestwecanexpectshipment?B:BythemiddleofMay,Ithink.A:Thatwouldbetoolate.Yousee,Juneistheseasonforthiscommodityonourmarket,andwehavetofindsomeoneelsetodotheretailing.Besides,ourcustomsformalitiesarerathercomplicatedandwilltakequitealongtime.YoumustdeliverthegoodsbeforeMay,orelsewewon’tbeabletocatchtheshoppingseason.B:It’sallverywellforyoutosaythat.ButImustpointoutthatourfactorieshavealotofbackordersonhand.I’mafraidit’sverydifficulttoimproveanyfurtheronthetime.A:Can’tyoufindsomewayforanearlierdelivery?Itmeansalottous.Ifweplaceourgoodsonthemarketattimewhenallotherimportershavesoldtheirsataprofitableprice,weshallloseout.B:How’sthisthen?We’llmakeanefforttoadvancetheshipmenttoearlyMay.A:Good.Itakeyouatyourword.MayIsuggestyouputitdowninthecontract?MyLetterofCreditwillbeissuedearlyApril.Othertermsandconditionsremainthesameasthepreviousdealings.B:Allright.We’lldoeverythingtoadvancetheshipment.A:Thankssomuchforyourhelp.Ihopethevolumeoftradebetweenuswillbeevengreaterinthefuture.PracticeSupposeyouarehavingatalkwithaJapanesemerchantaboutthetimeofshipment.HeasksyoutomakeshipmentinMarch.Thereasonisthathewantstoplacethegoodsonthemarketintime.Owingtotheheavycommitmentonhand,youarenotinapositiontodoso.ThebestyoucandoisinthemiddleofApril.Ofcourse,ifconditionspermit,you’lldoyourbesttoadvancetheshipmenttoMarch.PackingPackingplaysanimportantroleinproductsales.Inadditiontoensuringthattheproductarrivesatthestoreorsupermarketshelfingoodcondition,packingmayformanintegralpartofanattractiveproductpresentation.I.PackingParametersPackingParametersincludevalueofthegoods,containerization,natureofthegoods,observanceofrulesandregulations,temperaturevariation,costofpacking,etc.II.TypesofpackingA.OuterPacking.Thepackagemustbestrongenoughtoprotecttheproductagainsttransportationhazardssuchaspilferage,roughhandling,corrosionandcrushing,etc.B.InnerPacking.Well-designedinnerpackinghelpssellthegoods.Innerpackingisnowuniversallyrecognizedasadecisivesellingaidintheareaofhouseholdconsumergoodsandothersimilargoods.C.NeutralPacking.Ifneutralpackingisagreeduponinthesalescontract,thentherecanbenolabelsatalleitherontheouterpackingorinnerpackingthatindicatecountryoforigin,