Chapter Five Counter-offers and Declining Orders （还盘）

Lesson 15 Lesson 16 Lesson 17 Lesson 18 Lesson 19

Objectives be able to write letters negotiating about trading terms with other companies. know the effect of counteroffer. be able to make concessions and attacks politely and reasonably when writing counter- offers. ObjectivesObjectives

In international business negotiation, the seller’s quotation is often much higher than what the buyer has expected, so in this case, if the seller and the buyer want to conclude a transaction, they must drive a hard bargain. Leading In

Making Counter-offer Proposing other possible opportunities to keep business going. Suggesting the acceptable terms and conditions to maintain business transaction. Expression of regret and statement of reasons for inability to accept the offer. Expression of thanks to the offerer. Structure of the Counteroffer ：

Dear Sirs, Re: Cotton Shirts We have acknowledgement of your letter of August 15 offering us 5000 pieces of the captioned goods at US$ per piece CIF Vancouver on the usual terms. In reply, we very much regret to state that our end-users here find your price too high and out of line with the prevailing market. Information indicates that the price of your products is 15% higher than that of the Indian origin. We know clearly that the quality of Chinese products is slightly better but the difference in price should not be so big. Such being the case, it is impossible for us to persuade our end-users to accept your price, as goods of similar quality are easily obtained at a much lower figure.

To step up the trade, on behalf of our end-users, we counteroffer as follows, subject to your confirmation reaching us before the end of this month: 5000 pieces Cotton Shirts at US $38.00 per piece CIF3% Vancouver, other terms as per your letter of August 15. It is in view of our long-standing business relationship that we make you such a counter-offer. As the market is declining, we hope you will consider our counter-offer most favorable and fax us acceptance at your earliest convenience

acknowledge 承认收到来信 We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 2. 我们已收到你方 7 月 2 日来信。 We acknowledge receipt of your order covering 3 metric tons of groundnuts. 我方已收到你方关于 3 公吨花生的定单。 Language Points Language Points

on （ the ） usual terms 按照惯常的条款 We have acknowledgement of your letter of August 15 offering us 5000 pieces of the captioned goods at US$ per piece CIF Vancouver on the usual terms. 我方已收到你方 8 月 15 号按惯常条款报 5000 件标题项下货物每件 45 美元 CIF 温哥华价的来信。 3.out of line （ with ）（与 …. ）脱节，（与 …. ）不一致 The commodities you offered are out of line with the business scope of ours. 你方提供的产品与我们的经营范围不一致。 Your price is out of line with the prevailing international market. 你方的价格与现行市场价格不一致。

Advising to Accept the Offer Dear Sirs, Re: Cotton Shirts While we thank you for your letter of August 17, 2009, we very much regret that we are unable to entertain your counter-offer of US $38.00/pc CIF3% Vancouver for the above mentioned goods. We have to point out that your bid is obviously out of line with the price ruling in the present market, as other buyers in your neighboring countries are buying freely at our quoted price. For your information, the market is firm with an upward tendency, and there is very little likelihood of any significant change in the foreseeable future. In view of the above, we would suggest in your interest that you accept our offered price, i.e. US $38.00/pc CIF3% Vancouver. Yours faithfully,

be out of line with 与 … 不一致 Your price is out of line with the prevailing international market. 你方的价格与现行市场价格不一致。 be in line with 与 … 一致 In order to enlarge the sales, our price should be in line with the world market. 为了扩大销售，我们的价格应与世界市场价格相一致。 Return Language Points Language Points

ruling 现行的 Your price is severely out of line with the ruling market here. 你们的价格与现行市场严重脱节。 3.freely 大量的，乐意的，无困难的 Goods of the same quality are freely obtainable in the local market. 相同质量的产品在当地市场容易买到。 4. firm 坚挺的 The market is firm with an upward tendency, and there is very little likelihood of any significant change in the foreseeable future. 现在市场正是呈上升趋势的坚挺市场，在可预见的未来，几乎没有 重大变化的可能性.

Declining Price Reduction Dear Sirs, Re: Cotton Shirts We note from your letter dated August 17, 2009 that the price quoted by us for the subject goods is found to be on the high side. While we appreciate your cooperation in giving us the information about the Indian supply in your market, we are regretful that we are unable to accept your counter-offer or even meet you half way. We are of the opinion that the quality of other makes does not measure up to that of our products. Moreover, the market is firm with an upward tendency, and there is very little likelihood of the goods remaining unsold once this particular offer has lapsed. In view of the above, we hope you will direct the attention of your users to the superior quality of our products. Faithfully yours,

on the high side 偏高 Compared with other suppliers, your price is rather on the high side. 与其他供应商相比，你们的价格偏高。 The price for cotton is rather on the high side in our country, so we have to purchase from other countries. 在我们国家棉花的价格偏高，所以我们不得不从其他的国家购买。 Return Language Points Language Points

be of high quality 高质量 We can assure you that our products are of the best quality. 我能向你保证，我们的产品拥有最优良的品质 The quality of your products is so bad that we have no choice but to return them to you. 你们产品的质量太差，我们不得不将他们退还给你们。 Return

meet you half way 双方各让一步 Let us meet each other half way… 让我们双方各让一步 Let us meet each other half way and reduce the price by 5%. 让我们双方各让一步，将价格降低 5% 。 Let us meet each other half way and make the payment by D/P. 让我们双方各让一步，用付款交单的方式付款。

Concession on Price Dear Sirs, Re.: Cotton Shirts We have received your letter of August 20, 2009 and regret that you have turned down our counter-offer. As we are in urgent need of the goods and anxious to conclude the business with you, we have made our every effort to persuade our client to accept your offer of US$ per piece CIF Vancouver. Fortunately, our customer in Vancouver has changed his mind and approached us again with an order for 5000 prices of the above goods on your terms. We are very pleased to have been able to finalized this initial business with you after protracted exchange of correspondence, and look forward to your sales contract, upon receipt of which, we will open the relative L/C without delay.

Declining Orders Dear Sirs, Tablecloth We are pleased to receive Order No. AP0811 for the above goods, but much to our regret owing to shortage of stocks, we are unable to accept it, nor our manufacturers undertake to entertain your order for future delivery on account of the uncertainty of raw materials. We will, however, revert to this matter and contact you by fax, as soon as our new supplies come into stock. Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to let us know your specific inquiries for any other goods and you can rely on our best attention at all times.

． We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 17. 我们已收到你方 8 月 17 日来信。 2. We found your price is rather on the high side, we cannot accept it. 我们发现你们的价格偏高，我们无法接受。 3 ． Compared with other suppliers, your price is rather on the high side. 与其它供应商相比，你们的价格偏高。 4 ． Your price is out of line with the prevailing international market. 你方的价格与现行市场价格不一致。 5 ． The gap between your prices and those of other offers is so big that we cannot accept. 你们的价格与其它报价间的差距太大，我们无法接受。 Useful Sentences:

If you could reduce the price by, say 30%, we may conclude the transaction. 如果你方能降价，比方说 30% ，我们可能达成交易。 7 ． In order to cope with the heavy competition, please reduce your price by 10%. 为了适应激烈的竞争，请降价 10% 。 8. If your order is more than 300 dozen, we would like to make a further reduction by 2%. 如订货超过 300 打，愿再降价 2% 。

． We regret to say that we are not in a position to reduce the price to the level you mentioned. 我们很遗憾，我们不能将价格降到你提及的水平。 10 ． Let us meet each other half way. 让我们双方各让一步。 11. to set up trade, we counter offer as follows:500 tons of walnuts at USD600/ton CIF EMP. 为了促进贸易，我们还盘如下： 500 吨核桃，每吨 600 美元成本加运费保费欧洲主要港口价。

Thank You!