UNIT 4
Making Inquiries

Inquiries/Enquiries are requests for information about the goods to be ordered, or to invite a quotation for the goods needed. They might also be used by traders to ask for information regarding the possibility or the conditions of making a business. An inquiry is usually the first step in a business consultation and is often made by buyers. It is not legally binding upon either the buyer or the seller.

There are two types of inquiries: general and specific. The former is sent to acquire some general information about products, such as asking for price lists, catalogues and samples, etc.The latter expresses a definite wish to purchase a specific product, and it requires more detailed information such as the availability of goods, prices and other terms.

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 usually in more details including the name of commodity, quality or specifications, quantity, terms of price（CFR, FOB, etc.）, terms of payment, time of shipment, packing method, etc. These terms are usually put forward by the buyer so as to enable the seller to make proper offers.

When making an enquiry, keep it brief, specific, courteous, reasonable and to the point. Say what needs to be said, ask what needs to be asked and no more. For instance, you may just want general information, a catalogue or price list, a quotation sheet or a proforma invoice. There is no need to seek carefully those chosen words and phrases to catch the reader's eyes. Sometimes you need to mention the size of your order as large orders may obtain more favorable quotation.

A “first enquiry”, an enquiry sent to a supplier whom you have not previously dealt with, should begin by telling him how you obtained his name. Some details of your own business, such as the kind of goods handled, quantities needed, usual terms for trading and information likely to enable the supplier to decide what he can do for you, will also help.

An enquiry received from abroad must be answered fully and promptly. If there is no stock available for the time being, you should acknowledge the enquiry at once, explaining the situation and assuring that you will revert to it once supply becomes available. If the enquiry is from an old customer, say how much you appreciate it. If it is from a new customer, say you are glad to receive it and express the hope of a lasting friendly business relationship so as to create goodwill and leave a good impression on the reader. In a word, answers to enquiries should be prompt, courteous and helpful.

There are two types of inquiries: general and specific. The former is sent to acquire some general information about products, such as asking for price lists, catalogues and samples, etc.The latter expresses a definite wish to purchase a specific product, and it requires more detailed information such as the availability of goods, prices and other terms.

Specimen Letters

Letter-4 (1) (A General Inquiry)

Letter-4 (2) (A Specific Inquiry)

Letter-4 (3) (A Specific Inquiry)

Letter-4 (4) (A General Inquiry)

Letter-4 (5) (Making an Inquiry after Reading an Advertisement)

Words, Phrases and Notes

1. specifications [spesifi'keiʃ（ə）nz]: n. standard 规格（指产品的规格，常用复数）；说明书

e.g. Specifications are subject to change without notice．说明书如有变动不另行通知。

We would like you to send us details of your various products, including specifications, packing, prices, etc．请把你方各种产品的详细情况发送给我们，包括产品的规格、包装、价格等。

2. sample: n. small quantity of goods drawn out from a certain lot of commodities, and can represent the quality of the whole lot of commodities 样品，样本。也可称为specimen

e.g. What kind of sample size do you need？你们需要多大的样本？

Please send us your samples as soon as possible．请尽快寄来你们的样品。

相关的表达方法主要有：

quality as per seller's sample 品质以卖方样品为准

quality as per buyer's sample 品质以买方样品为准

counter sample 对等样品，回样

e.g. The quality of the goods is subject to the counter sample．货物的质量以对等样品为准。

v． 取样，抽样

3. dealer: n. someone who sells or buys a particular product; businessman 商人

deal: n． 交易 v． 做生意

make a deal 达成协议，达成交易

e.g. He lost a lot from that deal．他在那笔交易中损失很多。

4. promising: adj. hopeful; prospective 有希望的

e.g. a promising market 很好的市场前景

a promising young guy 一个很有发展前途的年轻人

5. price: v. make a price; fix a price 定价

e.g. moderately priced goods 定价适中的货物

n． 价格

e.g. excellent quality at attractive price 物美价廉

6. discount: n. deduction from nominal value or price 折扣

e.g. Can you make us an additional discount of three percent？你们能否再给我们3%的折扣？

We are ready to grant you a discount of 10% on the original price．我方愿意在原来的价格基础上打10%的折扣。

If you are prepared to increase your discount to 20% for the complete stocks, we are willing to buy．如果贵方能够把全部库存的折扣提高到20%，我们就准备购买。

7. freight [freit]: n. transportation charges; carriage 运费（尤指海运费）

8. booth [buːð; buːθ]: n. an enclosed place where people can sell or buy sth. or find out some information, usually at a market or a fair 展位，摊位

9. Chinese Import & Export Commodities Fair中国进出口商品交易会，即广交会，也叫Canton Fair, or Guangzhou Fair，每年春秋两季在广州举办

10. best price: attractive price, having qualities that make someone want to accept 最好的价格，有吸引力的价格

类似的说法还有：

competitive price 有竞争力的价格

favorable price 优惠的价格

better price 更好的价格

lower price 更低的价格

rock bottom price 底价

但不能说cheap price, cheap 会使人与质量低廉相联系。

11. supply: n. an amount of commodity that is available to be used or to sell 供应

e.g. As the demand exceeds the supply, it is impossible for us to accept further orders．因为供不应求，我们不可能再接受新的订单了。

Supply falls short of demand.

Supply is inadequate to meet the demand．供不应求。

Supply goes over demand．供过于求。

12. revert [ri'və:t]（to）: v. reply to an earlier subject or topic 回复；使恢复原样

e.g. Please revert us as soon as possible．请尽早回复。

13. place an order with sb.; place sb. an order：下订单，订货

e.g. We are glad to place an order with you for 50 tons Dried Potato Slices．我们很高兴向你们订购50吨干土豆片。

If you reduce the price by 3%, we will place you an order immediately．如果你们能降价3%，我们将立即向你方订货。

14. regular: adj. periodic; occurring at a fixed intervals 定期的；正常的；稳定的

e.g. If your prices are reasonable, our company will be pleased to place regular orders with you.如果你们的价格合理，我们将很高兴向你方稳定地订货。

We will place you a large and regular order if your price is competitive．如果你们的价格有竞争力，我们将向你方大量稳定地订货。

15. prompt [prɔm（p）t]: adj. immediate; rapid 即刻的，迅速的

e.g. Answers to enquiries should be prompt, courteous and helpful．对询盘的回复应当是迅速的、有礼貌的和富有建设性的。

16. artificial [ɑːti'fiʃ（ə）l]: adj. man-made 人造的，仿造的

artificial leather gloves 人造革手套

17. in bulk quantities: a great quantity 大量，数量巨大

e.g. Are you ordering in bulk or small quantities？你想批量购买还是少量购买？

a bulky buy 大批购买

bulk mailing 大量邮购

18. appreciate: v. be thankful; be grateful 感激，感谢

We shall appreciate it if… 此用法委婉、有礼貌。

e.g. We shall highly appreciate your corporation.

Or: We shall appreciate it if you can give us your corporation．贵方如能合作，我方不胜感激。

19. particulars [pə'tikju:ləz]: n. details 细节，详情

e.g. Please write a letter with the following particulars．请按下列细节要求写一封信。

20. descriptive literature: instruction book 说明书

a set of literature 一套产品说明书

literature: n． 在商务信函中，通常指商品说明书之类的印刷品，或有文字说明的商品资料

21. fierce competition: intensified competition; rat race 激烈的竞争

22. commodity [kə'mɔditi]: n. merchandise; goods to be sold or bought 商品

23. demand: n. call for commodity by consumers; urgent or pressing requirement 需求

a steady demand 稳定的需求

an active demand 畅销

e.g. There has been a steady demand in our market for this kind of washing machine．这款洗衣机在我方市场上需求稳定。

There is a steady/growing/active demand here for the above mentioned commodities of

high quality at moderate prices．这里对上述物美价廉的商品有稳定/旺盛的需求。

vt. require, need 需要，要求

e.g. The buyer demanded punctual shipment of the goods．买方要求货物准时装运。

24. EMP: European Main Ports 欧洲主要港口

按照航运公会统一规定，EMP包括以下港口：

Genoa 热那亚（意大利）

Marseilles 马赛（法国）

Antwerp 安特卫普（比利时）

Rotterdam 鹿特丹（荷兰）

London 伦敦（英国）

Hamburg 汉堡（德国）

Copenhagen 哥本哈根（丹麦）

25. substantial [səb'stænʃ（ə）l]: adj. in big quantity 大量的

Commonly Used Sentences

1. Would you tell us your best prices CIF Hamburg for the chairs？请告知你方椅子CIF汉堡港的最低价。

2. Will you please tell the quantity you require so as to enable us to make an offer？为了便于我方报价，可以告诉我们你方所需的数量吗？

3. We'd like to know what you can offer as well as your sales conditions．我们想了解你们能供应什么，以及你们的销售条件。

4. How long does it usually take you to make delivery？你们通常多久才能交货？

5. Could you make prompt delivery？你们可以即期交货吗？

6. Would you accept delivery spread over a period of time？不知你们能不能接受在一段时间里分批交货？

7. Could you tell me which kind of payment terms you'll choose？能否告知你们将选用哪种付款方式？

8. Will you please tell us the earliest possible date you can make shipment？你能否告知我们你方最早的装船日期？

9. Prices quoted should include insurance and freight to Vancouver．所报价格须包括到温哥华的保险和运费。

10. I would like to have your lowest quotations CIF Vancouver．希望你方报CIF温哥华的最低价格。

11. Will you please send us your catalogue together with a detailed offer？请寄商品目录和详细报价。

12. We would appreciate your sending us the latest samples with their best prices．请把贵公司的最新样品寄给我们并附上最好的价格，我方不胜感激。

13. Your advertising in today's China Daily interests us and we'll be glad to receive samples with your prices．你们刊登在今天的《中国日报》上的广告，我们很感兴趣。如能寄来样品并附上价格，不胜欣慰。

14. If your prices are reasonable, we may place a large order with you．若贵方价格合理，我们可能向你们大量订货。

15. If your quality is good and the price is suitable for our market, we would consider signing a long-term contract with you．若贵方商品质量好且价格适合我方市场的话，我们愿考虑与贵方签署一项长期的合同。

16. As there is a growing demand for this article, we have to ask you for a special discount．由于此货的需求日增，我们不得不请你们给予特别折扣。

17. Please quote your lowest price CIF Seattle for each of the following items, including our 5% commission．请给我方报下列每项货物CIF西雅图的最低报价，其中包括我们5%的佣金。

18. Please quote us your price for 100 pairs of Item 6 in your catalogue．请就你们产品目录上的6号产品给我方报价，数量为100双。

Effective Writing Skills

Inquiry letter writing is one of the routine work of a salesman. This kind of letters should be written directly, courteously and specifically. In other words, they should be written in a straightforward way but just to the point and conform to the rules of writing inquiry letters.

The general steps and commonly used sentences for writing an inquiry letter are as follows:

1. If it is a first inquiry, that is, an inquiry sent to a supplier whom you have never dealt with, begin your letter by telling the recipient from which source you got his name, and address（through what channels）and a brief introduction of your own business.

e.g. We have got your name and address through the introduction of our friend Mr. Li.

Your name has been given to us by Bank of China of this city…

2. Put forward your requirements, and tell the reader what you want him to do.

（1）State directly the goods you want to buy.

e.g. We are interested in importing chemicals.

We are regular buyer of men's knitwear.

（2）Ask the other party to send catalogue, pricelist, sample, and other terms and conditions.

e.g. Would you please send us your latest catalogue and price list?

Please let us have your lowest FOB Yantai prices, quantity available, packing, and terms of payment, etc.

（3）Stress the importance of a competitive and reasonable price

e.g. If your offer is really competitive, we will send you a trial order.

If your terms compare favorably with those of other suppliers, we can place you regular orders.

3. Express the hope that a positive reply can soon be received.

e.g. Please let us know by returning e-mail whether you would be interested in such an order. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Letters for Optional Study

LOS-4 (1) (A General Inquiry)

LOS-4 (2) (A Specific Inquiry)

LOS-4 (3) (A General Inquiry)

LOS-4 (4) (A Specific Inquiry)

LOS-4 (5) (A Specific Inquiry)

Exercises

I. Answer the following questions.

1. By whom are the enquiries usually made in foreign trade?

2. What is the aim of making enquiries?

3. How should you reply when you receive an enquiry?

4. What is a “first enquiry”?

5. What are the contents of an enquiry?

6. What are the two types of inquiry?

II. Translate the following sentences from Chinese into English.

1．如果你们的价格能比其他供应商的价格更优惠，我们会马上订货。

2．价格具有竞争力的商品在这里有良好的市场。

3．从A公司获悉，贵方出口轻工业产品。对品质优良价格公道的商品，本地区常有需求。

4．我方用户对这种商品有稳定需求，请给我们报最有竞争力的价格。

5．如果你们能将折扣提高到4%，我们就马上向你们订货。

6．报价时请注明单项商品购买量不少于800打可给予的折扣。

7．如果贵方能告知所需要的货物种类及质量，我们就会马上向你们具体询盘。

8．我们相信价格适中的上述商品在这里会有稳定的需求。

III. Translate the following sentences from English into Chinese.

1. As we are in the market for pears, we should be pleased if you would send us your best quotations.

2. If you can supply goods of the type and quality required, we may place regular orders for large quantities.

3. Please quote us your most favorable price CIF London, stating the earliest date of shipment and the discount you will allow.

4. We are likely to place a large order with you if the quality of your product is acceptable and your price is favorable.

5. We find that the selling prospects for your color TV in our country are very good and look forward to receiving your samples and quotations as soon as possible.

6. We should be much obliged if you could quote us your best price and indicate the quantities that you could supply for prompt shipment.

7. There is a great demand for the products of superior quality at reasonable prices.

8. Please inform us the quantity that can be supplied from stock.

IV. Letter writing.

Yantai Xiangyu Import & Export Corporation wants to import white sugar. Please write a letter to ABC Company in USA for an inquiry with the following particulars:

1. How did you get the information of the said company?

2. What is your desire? And what are your requirements?

3. Ask the other party to reply as soon as possible.