Enquiries In foreign trade, enquiries are usually made by the buyers without engagement to get information about the goods to be ordered, such as price, catalogue, delivery date and other terms. Enquiries may be either dispatched by mail, cable, telex, fax, or handed to the suppliers through personal contact. So, that is to say an enquiry (inquiry) is, in fact, a request for information on price, trade terms, etc. An importer may send out an enquiry to an exporter, inviting a quotation or an offer for the goods he wishes to buy or simply asking for some general information about these goods. Chapter Three Section One:Introdction

Enquiries, from regular customers, may be very simple in content, in which only the name and/or descriptions of the commodity will be mentioned. Other enquiries are in great detail including the name of commodity, quality or specifications, quantity, terms of price (CFR, FOB, etc.), terms of payment (by L/C or otherwise), time of shipment, packing method, etc. required by the buyer so as to enable the seller to make proper offers.

What is an enquiry? When a business intends to import, he may send out an enquiry to an exporter, inviting a quotation or an offer for the goods he wishes to buy or simply asking for some general information about these goods. The exporter, on receiving the enquiry, will make a reply to it. In this way, the negotiation is getting started.

According to the content or purpose, an enquiry may be either a general enquiry or a specific enquiry. If the importer wants to have a general information of the products or commodities, which the exporter is in a position to supply, he may ask the exporter to send him a catalogue, a brochure, a price list and samples. This is a general enquiry. If the importer intends to purchase a certain product or commodity, he may ask the exporter to make an offer or a quotation on this product. Such kind of enquiry is called a specific enquiry.

Enquiry may include all or parts of the following contents Ω (1) Supposing that the enquiry is the first letter, the enquirer should tell the receiver how and by whom he was introduced or from where the enquiry got the supplier’s name and address. Ω (2) If the enquiry is a response to a letter from the addressee party (the supplier), thanks should be expressed first. Ω (3) The company’s line of business. What commodities it intends to buy and the types, quantities and specifications of them. Ω (4) Asking for the trade terms, such as the quotation/offer, terms of payment, package, insurance, etc. telling the supplier the terms he wishes to have.

Ω (5) Giving a clear picture of the market for the commodities concerned. Ω (6) Asking for catalogue, price-list and samples… Ω (7) Expressing his earnest desire to do business with the opposite party and expecting an answer. Ω (8) The others.

☺ Specimen Letter 2 ☺ Specimen Letter 4 ☺ Specimen Letter 5 ☺ Specimen Letter 6 ☺ Specimen Letter 7 ☺ Specimen Letter 8 Section Two Specimen Lett

☺ Specimen Letter 1 P46 Comments: This is a short and simple letter of enquiry for you to get acquainted with the general form, from which you can see that the enquiry from regular customers is short, simple and brief to the point. Notes 1 first grade 甲级 2 representative sample 具有代表性的样品 3 by airmail 航邮 4 earliest possible time of shipment 最早装运期 Section Two Specimen Letters

☺ Specimen Letter 2 P47 Comments: This is a letter of inquiring for leather gloves, in which the writer asks for sales terms and samples Notes 1 genuine leather 真皮 2 rowing demand 日益增长的需要 3 at one’s end 在某地 4 terms of payment 支付条款

☺ Specimen Letter 3 P47 Comments: This is another short and simple letter of enquiry. Remember to keep your enquiry brief, specific, courteous and to the point. Notes 1 at … price 按照 …… 价格 2 pon/on … terms 按照 …… 条款 3 to cover all our present requirements through/from… 从 …… 购入我方目前全部所需

☺ Specimen Letter4 P48 Comments: In this letter, the writer answers the enquiry in detail. Even though the writer does not say how good their products are, we can see clearly from the lines that the writer thinks of his products highly.

☺ Specimen Letter 5 P49 Comments: When replying the enquiry, the writer submits his quotation. Notes 1 As requested 按照要求 2 in triplicate 一式三份 3 in duplicate 一式两份 4 to place order with/before… 向某人下订单 5 captioned 标题

☺ Specimen Letter 6 P49 Comments: This is a very good example of enquiry letter to follow, sentences are short, words and phrases simple. But the meaning expresses very clearly. Notes 1 sizes 尺寸 2 freight 运费 3 allow/grant/give discount 给予折扣

☺ Specimen Letter 7 P50 Comments: The writer in this letter gives details of the goods and the sales terms. While showing comments on the goods, the writer invites the buyer’s attention to his other products. This is often used in letter-writing. Notes 1 by separate post/by separate mail/under separate cover 另封航邮； 2 be both excellent in quality and reasonable in price 价廉物美 3 not less than 不迟于 4 irrevocable L/C 不可撤消信用证 5 at sight 即期 6 be popular 受欢迎

☺ Specimen Letter 8 P51 Comments: 1 This letter responds to seller’s sales promotion letter by inviting an offer and ends up with remarks to secure better terms and encourage future business. 2 Note how the writer presents his rather strict demands in a friendly, sincere, and matter-of-fact attitude to make his letter effective in both business and human aspects. Notes 1 captioned goods 标题商品 2 prompt delivery 立即装运 3 handle 经营 4 associated firms 联营公司 5 ready market 有销路