1 – Market structure Asking for information Dear Sirs We intend to expand our export operations to your country. By using our experience from other markets we should like to organize our sales on a regional basis. The scope of our commercial activities is manufacturing and distribution of a wide range of ... (domestic articles). We would be very grateful if you could provide us with some basic information about the distribution system of this kind of products on your market. Also, would you please inform us what are the main trade channels leading from the importer to the consumer. Is it possible to obtain addresses of associations of importers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, possibly in regional classification? Should there be other organizations promoting international business contacts we would appreciate obtaining their addresses. We shall be grateful for any further information or recommendations you may give us. Yours faithfully 31 – Inquiry Asking for offers from established suppliers One of our customers is interested in a delivery of your products according to the enclosed specification. Delivery is required during two months. However, the customer insists on being granted a special rebate of ... (5 %) which he is allegedly getting from your competitors. We regret that we could not verify his statement but we feel that if you meet him half way and offer him a discount of ... (3 %) you may be sure to get the order. May we hear from you soon? With kind regards Enclosure 41 – Answering inquiries Referring to third parties Dear Sirs In reply to your inquiry we have to inform you that we are not engaged in exports. The distribution of our products has been entrusted to ... (Messrs J. Brown *k Co). This firm is well supplied with our samples and sales documentation covering our whole production. We are sure that our distributor can give you a good service. We are informing him of your interest and ask him to contact you directly. Yours faithfully 53 – Offer (unsolicited offer) Addressing traditional customers Dear Mr... (Stollar) We have been without an order from you for a long time and would consider it a favour if you told us frankly whether we have unknowingly given you reason for dissatisfaction. Has there been any faulty product, omission or lack of service? Your comments can help us to make corrections and improvements where needed. In the meantime new products have been added to our line and we would be happy to make a perfect delivery to you. We enclose our offer which is self-explanatory. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully 69 – Offer in reply to inquiries Corresponding to inquiry Many thanks for your inquiry of yesterday. As requested, we send you under separate cover our illustrated catalogue. May we draw your particular attention to some specialities which are shown on page 5 and 6 and which are the last word in these instruments. They are made of finest material and represent the highest craftsmanship. Should you wish so, we shall be pleased to send our technical expert to call on you and explain their working principles. We feel sure they will be selling well even among the most discerning customers. Your trial order will be highly appreciated. Yours faithfully 118 – Price (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Reaction to increased prices Dear Sirs Price issues We are surprised at your price increase. May we point out that this market is by far not disposed to accept such actions. Even if we understand that there is a problem of increasing production costs, we find that most suppliers evidently manage to offset these costs by economization measures. The fact is that all the important suppliers do not increase their prices. We hope, therefore, that you will revise your decision and are awaiting your reply. Yours faithfully 120 – Price (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Reaction to increased prices Dear Sirs We regret to inform that we cannot accept your quotations. They would exceed by far those of your competitors and the goods would practically become unsaleable. If you do not change your mind, we shall be obliged to buy elsewhere. We are sorry but this situation would leave us no choice. We hope you will reconsider the matter. Yours faithfully 149 – Price (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Payment in advance Dear Sirs Advance payment The requested advance can be remitted immediately on obtaining the forwarder's receipt stating that the goods have been taken over according to the specified invoice and amount. The receipt must include the forwarder's irrevocable engagement to dispatch the goods to our address as soon as he receives our bank's confirmation that the advance (of ...5,000 DEM) has been remitted to you. Should you wish so, the receipt may contain a clause according to which it will be considered null and void should we fail to present the bank's confirmation by... We hope this procedure will suit you well. Yours faithfully 164 – Price (from the seller’s viewpoint) Clearing up Dear Mr Gross Since you propose condition of payment different from the usual terms we have to clarify this point before concluding the contract. We are ready to accept the proposed way of payment on condition that either a bank guarantee or a bank acceptance has been offered. We assume that this provision could be acceptable and we are awaiting your comments. With kind regards 171 – Price (from the seller’s viewpoint) Letter of credit Dear Sirs Letter of Credit - order 95/102 We are sorry that we have been unable to prepare the goods for shipment within the validity of the L/C. Due to a default of one of our subcontractors we cannot dispatch the goods before ... (end of November). Would you kindly extend the letter of credit till ... (the 5th December). We apologize for this delay and hope that it will not inconvenience you too much. Would you please instruct the bank to advise us immediately of the extension. Thank you. Yours faithfully 191 – Order (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Claiming order confirmation Dear Sirs Our preliminary order of 5 May May we remind you that you did not inform us whether and when you could deliver the required goods yet. We would not disappoint our customers who count on us in their sales programmes. Therefore we need to know your binding standpoint by 25 May so that we may, if necessary, look for other sources of supply. Yours faithfully 221 – Order (from the seller’s viewpoint) Order in process Dear Sirs Your order S/l 18 We encounter certain difficulties in the production of BX-28. Would you agree to leave it out from delivery or replace it by a similar product BX-30 at the same price? This would enable us to keep the confirmed time of delivery. We are certain the substitute we offer will be satisfactory. Will you please excuse this inconvenience and let us know your decision soon. Yours faithfully 234 – Dispatch, invoicing (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Giving dispatch instructions Dear Sirs Order no. 961 15 Please note the following instructions for the dispatch of the goods: - Time of dispatch: by ... (25 May) at the latest. - Consignee: our branch in Ostrava, Lipová 6. - Station of destination:Ostrava -Vítkovice - Notify: the Ostrava branch, stating order number, number of packages, weight, value, truck number. Yours faithfully 257 – Dispatch, invoicing (the seller’s viewpoint) Alterations in dispatch Dear Sirs Contract no. 96/136 Owing to the low water level in the Elbe River we have had to suspend the dispatch of the first partial consignment. Since the situation may last for some time, we propose to switch over to railway transport. We hope you will agree. If so, please let us know the station of destination and further details, if necessary. We look forward to your early news. Yours faithfully 274 – Collection problems (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Asking for respite Dear Sirs Your invoice 54397 Your invoice is due on ... (10 Sept). As we are now temporarily in a difficult situation facing various urgent obligations we ask you to kindly allow us an extended term till 20 October for the settlement of this account. By that time we are expecting increased receipts so that there will be no problem to pay the mentioned invoice. We hope that in this exceptional case you will comply with us. Yours faithfully 291 – Collection problems (from the seller’s viewpoint) Instructing the forwarder Dear Mr Glaser Delivery for IBEX Ltd As the customer refused to take over the consignment we ask you to return it to our warehouse (in ...). Please take care of the customs formalities abroad and on our side trying to reduce the costs to a minimum. When finished, please send us your itemized bill with all the pertaining documents. We shall need them for claiming damages from the defaulting buyer. Thank you. Yours faithfully 323 – Complaints (from the buyer’s viewpoint) Preliminary information Dear Sirs Your consignment of 20 Sept During the first check of your documents we have found that your specification is not in conformity with your invoice regarding the total number of single products. Our warehouse is taking deliveries only according to the specification of individual packages because these are then redistributed to our different sales points. Due to this we have suspended the operation pending your explanation and corrected documents. We reserve of course the right to claim damages for any loss or expenses incurred. Will you please clarify this matter by return. Yours faithfully 342 – Complaints (the seller’s viewpoint) Unconditional acceptance Dear Mr Gross Your complaint of 20 June received our immediate attention. We have found that it was fully justified. We sincerely apologize for the imperfections you found in our delivery. It goes without saying that we want to put the matter in order as quickly as possible. Would you please send us a detailed specification of the loss and tell us whether you want us to send you a credit-note or whether you prefer another solution. Please be sure that we are taking measures to prevent similar occurrences in future. Yours truly 379 Thank you letters Dear Sirs We were very pleased to receive Mr Colbert. His presence proved to be very important for our cooperation as many complicated matters could be satisfactorily sorted out. We are thankful to Mr Colbert for useful information and suggestions he gave us. We are confident that our business relations will develop to the benefit of both our companies. Yours faithfully 360 Booking rooms Hotel Alcron Dear Sirs Please reserve 2 single rooms with bath or shower in the names of Mr James Kelkirk and Mrs Anne Glaser Late arrival after midnight is probable. Please consider this reservation binding and keep the rooms until the guest s arrival. Would you please confirm this to us. The guests will pay their bills. Yours faithfully 371 Writing to banks The Credit Manager of The Overseas Bank Ltd Dear Sirs Will you please Inform us of your conditions for granting a credit on our current account in the amount of ... (10,000 USD). The credit should be made available for a period of 12 months. We enclose a statement of our assets and liabilities. We should appreciate receiving your reply within two weeks. Yours faithfully Enclosures