外 贸 英 语 函 电
Business English
Correspondence
Chapter Five
Counter-offers
Contents of Chapter 5
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Section One Introduction
Section Two Useful Words & Expressions
Section Three Specimen Letters
Section One Introduction （P76）
A counter-offer is made when the prospective buyers find
any terms or conditions in the offer unacceptable; they
will then place before the sellers terms or conditions they
set fit for the latter to consider.
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Notes
prospective buyer
潜在客户
take the initiative
采取主动
bid 递盘
drop 取消
stand立场
be persistent in matters of principles and policies
坚持原则
with an eye to 着眼于
standpoint
立场
1. The Significance and Effect of Counter-offers
In international trade, when the offeree accepts the terms and
conditions stated in the offer, the transaction is concluded. However,
in most cases, the offeree would reject the terms and conditions or
state his own terms and conditions by return. The rejection or partial
rejection of the offeree to the offer is called counter-offer. A counteroffer is virtually a counter proposal initiated by the original offeree. In
a counter-offer, the buyer may show disagreement to the price, or
packing, or shipment and state his own terms instead. Once the
counter-offer is made, the original offer is no longer valid, and the
offeree now becomes the offeror as the counter-offer becomes the
new offer.
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Counter-offer constitutes the main part of
business negotiations. During the negotiation,
many issues (such as quality, quantity and packing
of the goods, price, shipment, insurance, payment
terms, commodity inspection, disputes and
settlement of disputes, force majeure, and
arbitration, etc.) will be talked about by the sellers
and the buyers. So counter-offers are usually time
consuming and may go many rounds before
business is concluded or dropped.
2. Main Contents of a Letter for Counter-Offer
A satisfactory letter for counter offer generally
includes the following:
(1)Thank the offeror for his offer, mentioning briefly the
contents of the offer.
(2)Express regret at inability to accept the offer, giving
reasons for non-acceptance.
(3)Make an appropriate counter-offer.
(4)Hope the counter-offer will be accepted and there may
be an opportunity to do
business together.
Steps/Contents
Typical Expressions
For letters of acceptance or confirming acceptance
1. Thanking the
offeror for his
offer.
Thank you for your offer of …（谢谢你方……时
候的报盘。）
Many thanks for your reply to our inquiry
for….(很感谢贵公司对我方关于…询盘的答复。)
Thank you for your prompt reply and detailed
quotation.(感谢您的及时答复和详细报价。)
Thank you for the samples you sent in response
to our inquiry of ...(谢谢贵公司对我方…询盘的答
复并寄来样品。)
See also the previous units for other similar
expressions
Steps/Contents
Typical Expressions
Much to our regret, we cannot entertain
business at your price, since it is out of line with
the prevailing market, being 20% lower than
2. Expressing
the average.(很遗憾我们不能考虑按你方价格成
regret at inability
to accept the offer 交，因为你方价格与现时市场不一致，要比一般
and giving reasons 价格低20%。)
for non-acceptance. The price you offer is out of line with the
market, so it is beyond what is acceptable to
us.(你方报价与市场不一致，故我方无法接受。)
We are sorry to tell you that we can not take
you up on the offer since the price you are
asking is above the market level here for the
quality in question. (很遗憾地通知你方，我方不
能接受你方报价，因为你方所要求的价格高于本
地同等质量产品的市场价格水平。)
Steps/Contents
Typical Expressions
We regret to inform you that your offer is
unworkable, as some parcels of Japanese
makes have been sold here at a much lower
price.(很遗憾你方报盘无法接受，因为这里有
几批日本货以低得多的价格出售。)
We regret to say that the price you quoted is
too high to work on. (很遗憾，你方所报价格
太高，无法进行下去。)
3. Making a counteroffer if, in the
circumstances, it is
appropriate.
In view of our long-standing business
relationship we make you the following
counter-offer. (鉴于我们之间长期的贸易关系，
特向你方作如下还盘。)
Your price is on the high side and we have to
counter-offer as follows, subject to your reply
received by us on or before...
(你方价格偏高，我们不得不作如下还盘，以
我方在…时候或以前收到你方答复为有效。)
Steps/Contents
Typical Expressions
We counter offer as follows: …(我方还盘如下：)
Your competitors are offering considerably lower
prices and unless you can reduce your
quotations, we shall have to buy elsewhere. (你
们竞争对手的报价要低很多。除非你们降价，否
则我们得从他处购买。)
4. Expressing your
hope and
expectation.
If you accept our counter-offer, we will advise
our endusers to buy from you.(如你方能接受我
们的还盘，我们将劝用户向你方购买。)
We hope that you will take our counter-offer
seriously into consideration and reply very
soon.(希望你方对我们的还盘给予认真的考虑并
很快地答复我方。)
We hope you will consider our counter-offer
most favorably and fax us your acceptance as
soon as possible.(希望你们很好地考虑我方还盘
并尽快用传真接受。)
Steps/Contents
Typical Expressions
Please keep us informed of the supply position in
your place.(请随时告知你处市场的供货情况。)
For letters in reply to a counter-offer
A negative or uncertain reply to a counter-offer is actually another
counter-offer. The following are some typical expressions.
It is impossible for us to entertain your counteroffer.(我们不能考虑接受你方的还盘。)
The price you counter-offered is not in line with
the prevailing market.(你方还盘与现行市场价格不
符。)
This is our rock-bottom price. We can’t make any
further reduction.(这是我方的最低报价，我们不能
再降价了。)
For letters in reply to a counter-offer
We appreciate your counter-offer but find it too
low to accept.( 谢谢你方还盘但我方觉得太低了无
法接受。)
We will not consider accepting your counteroffer.(我们不会考虑接受你方的还盘。)
We regret to learn that you have turned down
our counter-offer. (遗憾得知你方已拒绝了我方的
还盘。)
A positive reply to a counter-offer is actually an acceptance. Writing a
letter to accept a counter-offer is the same as writing a letter to
accept an offer. Please see the next unit for reference.
Specimen Letter 1
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Dear Sirs
Thank you for your of October 10. As
regards your counter-offer, we regret
we are unable to accept it because our
current price has already been proved
workable by many orders received from
other buyers.
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However, in order to meet you on this
occasion, we are prepared to grant you
a special discount of 2% on condition
that the quantity of other order is not
less than 1000 pieces.
We hope this will enable you to enjoy
the benefit of our special discount.
Yours
sincerely
Section Two Specimen Letters
Specimen 1
P76
Comments
In this letter the writer expresses his regret for being
unable to satisfy the counter-offer. In writing such
kind of letters, you should give the reasons.
Notes
1 workable
可行
2 a special discount of 2% 2%的特别折扣
Specimen Letter 2
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Dear Sirs,
We wish to thank you for your letter of
June 10, offering us 3000 kilos of
Walnut meat at$50 per kilogram.
We regret to say that we find your price
rather high and we believe we’ll have a
hard time convincing our clients at your
price.
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Besides, there are keen competition
from supplies in South Korea and
Thailand. You can’t very well ignore that.
Should you be ready to reduce your
price by 5% we might come to business.
Considering the long-standing business
and relationship between us, 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 as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 2
P77
Comments
The writer in this letter expresses his regret in a
very technical way. In fact, this letter is a
conditional acceptance.
Notes
1 Walnutmeat
核桃仁
2 come to business
达成交易
Specimen Letter 3
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Dear Sirs,
Your offer of October 10 for the
captioned goods and the sample have
been received, for which we thank you.
We would request you to give us a 10%
commission instead of 5% and to
accept payment by D/P at sight, as we
are working with other suppliers on
these terms.
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We trust you will be glad to confirm the
terms by fax at an early date so that we
may send in our formal order with
detailed shipping instructions
accordingly.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 3
P78
Comments
The writing method of this letter is not so good. For
example, nowadays, the sentence like “Your offer of
October 10 for the captioned goods and the sample
have been received, for which we thank you” is no
longer used any more.
Notes
1 D/P, documents against payment付款交单
2 at sight
即期
3 shipping instructions
装船须知
Specimen Letter 4
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Dear sirs,
We thank you for your letter of October
21 and confirm our fax of October 28, as
per the copy attached.
As regard your request for a
10%commission and payment by D/P
at sight, we regret being unable to meet
your wishes as we are doing business
with other buyers on the basis of a 5%
commission and payment by irrevocable
letter of credit.
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Consequently, we would suggest that
you reconsider our way to fall in line
with other buyers.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 4
P78
Comments
This is a letter confirming the fax sent on October 28.
It is a letter rejecting the buyer’s request for a 10%
commission instead of 5% and payment by D/P
instead of L/C.
Notes
1 as per the copy attached
内容详见附件
2 Irrevocable Letter of Credit
不可撤消信用证
3 see one’s way
尽力
4 fall in line with
与……一致
Specimen Letter 5
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Dear sirs
Thank you for your letter of July 3, and
we are not accepting orders for 2000
ream MG Cap Paper.
Recently there has been a heavy
demand for this kind of paper, and we
are not accepting orders for November
shipment we regret being unable to
meet your wishes for November
shipment.
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However, in view of our long connection
and as the quantity involved is rather
small, we are prepared to entertain your
order at $2300 per CFR Amsterdam
provided your friends accept December
shipment. The date may appear
somewhat extended, but it is the best
we can do under the circumstance.
If you find our offer acceptable, please
fax us your acceptance before the end
of the current month for our final
confirmation.
Yours sincerely
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it might interest you to know that the
buyers concerned are among the
leading importers of edible oils in this
city. It is very likely that they might
want to duplicate their order before the
month is out.
Thank you for your cooperation. We
hope we have more businesses in the
future.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 5
P79
Comments
This letter is an example of good salesmanship. It is
sincere and reasonable. No matter whether the new
terms are accepted or not, the letter will leave a good
impression which will help promote future business.
Notes
1 ream
令
2 MG Cap Paper
油光纸
3 final confirmation 最后确认
Letter 6
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Dear sirs
From your letter of April 20, we are
disappointed at learning that you find our
unacceptable because other suppliers are
offering lower prices.
We are not in a position to accept your
counter-offer because our price is reasonably
fixed. Regarding the qualities of the goods
offered by others, we are rather doubtful
whether fixed similar to or comparable with
those of ours.
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Please call the attention of your
customers to this point and convince
them that not only price but also quality
should be taken into consideration.
We hope to hear from you before long.
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Yours sincerely
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Specimen 6
P80
Comments
Even though the price offered is a little higher, the
quality of the goods is better. When you mention this,
maybe the buyer will accept your offer.
Notes
1 be in a position to do…打算，有可能
2 call the attention of your customers
提请你方客户注意
Letter 7
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Dear sirs
We thank you for your letter of February
10, quoting us for 200 metric tons of
Wool on terms. We regret however that
we prefer to have your quotations on
CIF terms.
For your information, we have taken out
an open policy with the Lloyd insurance
company, London. All we have to do
when shipment is made is to advise
them of the particulars.
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Furthermore, we are on very good term.
We usually receive from our
underwriters quite a handsome
premium rebate at regular intervals.
In the meantime, we should be obliged
if you could supply us with full details
regarding the scope of the cover
handled by the people’s insurance
company of China for our reference.
We look forward to hearing further from
you at an early date.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 7
P80
Comments
In this letter the buyer made a counter-offer, asking for
CFR price terms.
Notes
1 CIF 成本、保险加运费
2 open policy 预约保单
3 take out
办理
4 the People’s Insurance Company of China
中国人民保险公司
5 for one’s reference
供某人参考
Letter 8
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Dear sirs
We have received your letter of January
23,asking us the captioned order for an
amount of 30% above the invoice value.
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Although it is our usual practice to
insure shipments for the invoice value
plus 10%, we are prepared to comply
with your request for covering for 130%
of the invoice value. But the extra
premium will be borne by you. Please
take note of the above.
Yours faithfully
Specimen 8
P81
Comments
This is a reply to a request made by the buyers for an
extra insurance amount.
Notes
1 usual practice
惯例
2 insure … for an amount of 30% above the invoice
value
发票金额加30%投保
3 extra premium
额外保险费
Thank you!