Specimen Letters

I. Request for a Sample

Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your letter dated 18th June regarding your DECO Glue for Plastics.

Before making a decision as to whether we should place an order for a quantity, I should be pleased if you could arrange for a sample to be sent to me in order that we may test the suitability of the glue for the application we have in mind.

Yours faithfully,

II. Counter-Offer (Price Too High)

Dear Sirs,

We thank you for your offer of 15th May and the patterns of Cloth No. D 677. The terms of your offer have our approval, but we feel that the price of £ 1.50 per yard is rather high. The cloth is for export to a market where competition is very keen, and at this figure our profit would be only nominal. However, if you could reduce the price to £ 1.25 per yard, we should be glad to place an order for some 30,000 yards.

We trust that in view of the size of this order you will see your way to making this concession.

Yours faithfully,

III. Refusal of Quotation

Dear Sirs,

We regret that we cannot make use of your quotation of 19th October for Tinplate, as we have been able to obtain this material at a lower price from another supplier.

Many thanks for the trouble you have taken in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

IV. Acknowledgments

Replies to Orders—Acknowledgments

Replies to Orders

When an order is received, it is customary for the seller to send the buyer a written acknowledgment. The acknowledgment of an order placed on the basis of a firm offer, in good time, and without any qualifications, is sent merely "for order's sake," as a final confirmation of a contract already in existence. In all cases where the seller is free to accept or refuse the buyer's order, the acknowledgment constitutes the seller's formal acceptance of the order, which results in a contract between buyer and seller.

Occasionally, however, a supplier is compelled to refuse an order. Perhaps the buyer's terms are not acceptable, the goods ordered are no longer manufactured or carried in stock, or the firm which placed the order is known to be financially embarrassed. Manufacturers selling through agents or dealers often have to refuse orders received at the factory.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments of orders may be either letters or printed forms. In his acknowledgment, the supplier thanks the customer for his order and informs him of the date on which the goods will be delivered. In the case of immediate delivery, the acknowledgment includes an advice of dispatch. If the order is incomplete or not clear, the supplier asks the customer to furnish further details or to specify his wishes. The acknowledgment may also contain a request for references or credit information.

In order to avoid misunderstandings, it is often advisable to repeat in the acknowledgment the most important points of the order. The acknowledgment may also be a detailed confirmation of the sale concluded (sales note, contract note). Sometimes the seller sends the buyer a contract in duplicate and asks him to return one copy with his signature.

Specimen Letters

I. Acknowledgment and Dispatch Advice

Gentlemen:

Thank you very much for the order you gave our salesman, Mr. Colbert, on November 7.

Enclosed you will find the bill of lading and invoice for the complete order, which was shipped by rail this morning. You will note from the invoice that we have allowed you a quantity discount of 10%.

We hope that the goods will arrive in good condition and look forward to the pleasure of serving you again soon.

Yours sincerely,

Encl.