Useful Expressions and Phrases

 Firm offers

We have pleasure in offering you, subject to your acceptance by cable, 1,000 tons…

This offer is made subject to your acceptance by fax (or subject to an immediate reply).

We offer you the goods subject to receiving your confirmation within…days of the date of this letter.

We hold (or We are holding) this offer open for your acceptance until the 15^th May.

 Offers without engagement

We have pleasure in offering you, without engagement (or without obligation), 1,000 tons of…

This offer is made without (any) engagement on our part.

This offer is subject to the goods being unsold on receipt of your reply.

This offer is made subject to the machine being free on receipt of your reply.

This offer is subject to prior sale (or is made subject to prior sale).

• Declining an offer

We thank you for your letter of …offering us …, but regret to inform you that at the present time we cannot make use of your offer.

We have, however, noted your address and, should need arise, will communicate with you again.

In reply to your letter dated … we regret not being able to accept your offer as other firms have offered us better prices and more favorable terms.

If you are in a position to quote us lower prices and improve your terms, we may revert to the matter again.

 Accepting an offer

We thank you for your letter of…offering us…at the price of…per…. We accept your price and the terms stated in your letter, subject to our General Conditions sent you with our letter of…

Our contract will be sent you tomorrow.

 Expressions used in offers and contracts in connection with terms of payment

1. Cash on delivery (C.O.D.)

2. Cash with order (C.W.O.)

3. Sport cash.

4. Cash (or In cash) against first presentation of documents.

5. Terms: Net by (or against) a three months’ draft from date of invoice.

6. Terms: 1.5% discount for cash in 14 days or net within 60 days with interest at 5 per cent p.a.

7. 3 d/s D/P.

8. 60d/s D/A.

9. Terms: 10 per cent with order, 20% within 3 days against shipping documents, and the balance against a 90 days’ draft with interest at 5%p.a.

10. Payment is to be made by the Buyers in instalments successively as the machine is being completed at the Sellers’ works, as follows: …

Reading Specimen Letters

Read the following letters carefully and answer the questions.

I. Firm Offer.

1. What do Grant & Clarkson offer in the letter?

2. Are all the models obtainable at the moment?

3. When can all other models be supplied?

4. What are the terms of payment?

GRANT & CLARKSON 148 Mortimer Street London W1C 37D Messrs Matthews &Wilson 421 Michigan Avenue Chicago, Ill. 60602 30th October, 2005 Attention: Mr. P.Wilson, Jr. Dear Sirs, We are pleased to make you an offer regarding our ‘Swinger’ dresses and trouser suits in the sizes you require. Nearly all the models you saw at our fashion show are obtainable, except trouser suits in pink, of which the smaller sizes have been sold out. This line is being manufactured continuously, but will only be available again in February, so could be delivered to you in March. All other models can be supplied by the middle of January 2005, subject to our receiving your firm order by 15th November. Our c.i.f. prices are understood to be for sea/land transport to Chicago. If you would prefer the goods to be sent by air freight, this will be charged extra at cost. Trouser suits sizes 8-16 in white, yellow, red, navy blue, black sizes 12-14 also in pink per 100 $2,650.00. Swinger dresses sizes 8-16 in white, yellow, red, turquoise, black per 100 $1,845.00 Prices: valid until 31st December, 2005 Delivery: c.i.f. Chicago Transport: sea freight Payment: by irrevocable letter of credit, or cheque with order. You will be receiving cuttings of our materials and a colour chart. These were airmailed to you this morning. We hope you agree that our prices are very competitive for these good quality clothes, and look forward to receiving your initial order. Yours faithfully, F.T.Burke F.T.Burke