Situation 2：Writing“Replying to an Inquiry”

A prompt reply may well be appreciated. Different areas have different timings, therefore, for customers from China, Japan, Korea or Australia, an immediate reply letter after receiving the inquiry letter is needed, but for customers from India, reply before 11 o'clock.As for customers from the Middle East, reply before 1pm.For customers from Europe, reply before 3 pm.And reply before 5 pm for customers from America, Canada, Mexico and other American or Latin-American countries.But sometimes, some inquiry letters are mass mailings or defrauding letters which requires caution and patience.Below are some reply samples of various customers and inquiry letters.

Sample 1：To Uncertain Buyers

Dear Mr. Matheson，

Thanks for your letter. Large companies such as Wall-mart, now take our company as their reliable supplier of child's clothes.

For a cost equating to ABC Company, your customers will be able to save cost by 5%.

We are reliable supplier and have passed COC and WRAP. You can select from an abundant variety of stylish child's clothes of good quality at very reasonable prices.

Best regards，

Maggie

Sales manager

F&L Co.，Ltd.

Notes：

An inquiry letter without definite purchase list may be attracted by some simple and direct questions. Do not provide detailed information and prices.

Sample 2：To Negotiating Buyers

Dear Mr. Lee，

We are very pleased to receive your email. You asked about the FOB Hong Kong price（100%L/C at sight）for the children's zipped hooded sweater.Would you please tell me the MOQ?And do you have any specific quality requirements for the products?

We are the supplier of Chouchou（a famous Chinese brand）and Disney. The design and quality are perfect.Enclosed are our best-selling products catalogue.We look forward to your earliest feedback.

Warm Regards，

Janice

Sales manager

Qunli Garment Cooperation

Notes：

Price inquiry would list price as the key and the trickiest problem in trading. But quotation may not be the first topic of discussion, whereas the purchase power and buyer's specialty will affect the price negotiation strategy.

Sample 3：To Big Buyer

Dear Mr. Nelson，

Thank you for the email. Here below are the quotations of the T-shirts you mentioned（Table2-1、Table2-2）.

Table2-1

Table2-2

Enclosed are our most popular products.

Awaiting your prompt reply.

Cengiz Dana

Sales supervisor

O&OU Co.，Ltd.

Notes：

Big buyers care about prices less than small ones, as long as the suppliers meet their requirements. To be professional in quotation, products, market and in foreign trade will help you get the business done in a blink.

Sample 4：To A Purposeful Buyer

Dear Mrs. Adrian，

I sent 2 samples via FedEx this morning. The tracking No.is******，please take note.Thanks！

As for the unit price, I had a long and arduous talk with the factory after receiving your mail. The factory and I ended up meeting each other half-way, to reduce the unit price to$19/Piece.The following are the quotation details for your review（Table2-3）：

Table2-3

Client：　　Date：

Style：Girls'Skirt　　Style No：

Exchange

Total 55. 79 Rate6.2，USD9.0

An early reply will be much obliged.

Best regards，

Peter Lee

Sales manager

Sunshine Sand

Notes：

For inquiry letter with a clear purpose, right product and confidence are two keys to success. Send out a persuasive quotation to the buyer and list him or her into your contact book.

Exercise：

1.According to the former inquiry letter you wrote in Lesson 1，please write a reply letter.

2.Can you list the differences among different buyers?

3.If you reply to an inquiry letter but receive no letter afterwards, what would you do?

Words and Expressions

abundant　豐富的、充裕的

appreciate　欣賞、感激、鑒別

arduous　努力的、費(fèi)力的

caution　小心、謹(jǐn)慎

consumption　消費(fèi)

definite　確切的、確定的

defraud　詐騙

equate　使相等

feedback　反饋、回復(fù)

fob　船上交貨

garment wash　衣服水洗

iron　熨斗

mass　大量

moq　最小訂貨量

mutually　互相地

negotiation　談判

oblige　迫使、幫忙

patience　耐心

persuasive　有說服力的

profit　利潤(rùn)

purposeful　有目的的、有決心的

quotation　報(bào)價(jià)

reliable　可靠的

requirement　需要

stylish　時(shí)髦的

supervisor　監(jiān)督人、管理人

supplier　供應(yīng)商

timing　時(shí)間控制、時(shí)機(jī)

tracking　追蹤、跟蹤