ENQUIRIES
 Methods of enquiry
 Writing letters of enquiry
 Specimen letters
ENQUIRIES
 Methods of enquiry:
• An enquiry can be made by telephone, fax, or email.
• The contents of an enquiry will depend on 3 things:
o How well you know the supplier
o Whether your supplier is based in your country or
abroad
o The type of goods/services you are enquiring about.
ENQUIRIES
 Writing letters of enquiry
• Opening:
o Tell your supplier what sort of organization you are.
Eg: We are a co-operative wholesales society based in
Zurich.
Our company is a subsidiary of Universal Business
Machines and we specialize in…
We are one of the main producers of industrial
chemicals in Germany and we are interested in….
ENQUIRIES
o How did you hear about the company you are
contacting?
Eg: We were given your name by the Hoteliers
Association in Paris.
The British Consulate in Madrid has told us that you are
looking for an agent in Spain to represent you.
You were recommended to us by Mr John King, of
Lasworn and Davies, Merchant Bankers.

ENQUIRIES
o It is possible to use other references:
Eg: We were impressed by the selection of gardening
tools displayed on your stand at this year’s Hamburg
Gardening Exhibition.
Our associates in the packaging industry speak highly of
your Zeta packing machines, and we would like to have
more information about them. Could you send us…
ENQUIRIES
• Main section: asking for certain purpose (price list,
sample…)
o Asking for catalogues, price lists…: remember to give
your postal address
Eg: Could you please send your current catalogue and
price list for exhibition stands? We are particularly
interested in stands suitable for displaying furniture.
I would appreciate your sending me and up-to-date
price list for your building materials.
ENQUIRIES
o Asking for details: goods/services you want to know.
Eg: I am replying to your advertisement in the June
edition of “Tailor and Cutter”. I would like to know more
about the steam presses which you are offering at cost
price.
Could you please give me more information about
course BL362, which appears in the language-learning
section of your summer prospectus?
ENQUIRIES
o Asking for samples, patterns, demonstrations
Eg: As these are children’s toys, we pay much attention

to safety. Could you therefore send us at least two
samples?
Where can I see a demonstration of this system?
ENQUIRIES
o Suggesting terms, methods of payment and discounts:
cash discount, trade discount, quantity discount and
loyalty discount.
Eg: We usually deal on a 30% trade discount for orders
over 1,000 units.
Could you let us know if you allow cash discount?
As we intend to place a substantial order, we would like
to know what quantity discounts you allow.
ENQUIRIES
o Asking for goods on approval, or on sale:
Eg: We want to test the demand for new products, so
would you please give us half of dozen goods on
approval?
ENQUIRIES
o Asking for an estimate or tender:
Estimates are quotations to complete a job (eg. installing
machinery).
Tenders are similar quotations, but in written form.
Eg: We are writing to a number of building contractor to
invite estimate for the refitting our office.
ENQUIRIES
• Closing: usually a simple “thank you”
Eg: We hope to hear from you in the near future.
We look forward to hearing from you.
We would be grateful for an early reply.
ENQUIRIES

 Specimen letters
• Short enquiries
• Reply to an advertisement
• Enquiry from a buying agent
• Enquiry from a retailer to a foreign manufacturer
• Request for goods on approval
• Request for an estimate
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
 Replying to letters of enquiry
 Quotations
 Specimen letters
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
 Replying to letters of enquiry
• Opening: thank the writer for his/her enquiry. Mention
the date of his/her enquiry and quote any other
references.
Eg: Thank you for your enquiry of 6 June 2010 in which
you asked about…
Thank you for your letter, NJ1691, which we received
this morning.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
• Main section:
o Confirm that you can help:
Eg: We can supply from stock and will have no trouble
in meeting your delivery date.
We can offer door-to-door delivery services.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
o “Selling” your product: persuade the customer to do
business with you by showing some selling point of your
product.

Eg: We can assure you that the Alpha 2000 is one of
the most outstanding machines on the market.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
o Suggesting alternatives: offer an alternative if you do not
have what the customer asked for. Do not criticize the
product he/she originally asked for.
Eg: We are out of stock model DS 102. Model DS 103 is
our new improvement with many advantages. We
enclose…
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
o Referring customers elsewhere: tell the customer
another company if you may not be able to handle the
order.
Eg: The book you mention is not published by us, but by
Oxford Co.,Ltd. Their address is…
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
o Sending catalogues, price lists, samples Remember to
enclose current catalogues with your reply.
Eg: Please find enclosed our current price lists quoting
CIF prices Kobe.
We enclose our summer catalogue.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
o Arranging demonstrations and visits.
Eg: As the enclosed booklet can not show the efficiency
of this system, we would be happy to arrange for our
representative to visit you and give a demonstration.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
• Closing:
Eg: Once again we would like to thank you for writing.
We would welcome any further questions you might

have.
Please contact us again if you have any questions.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
 Quotations:
• Prices:
o Are the gross prices (include other costs: transport,
insurance, taxes) or net prices
o Are subject to change or not
o Are in your customer’s currency.
Eg: We can offer you a net price of 150,000 USD per
item, firm 21 days, after which the price will be subject
to an increase of 5%.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
• Transport and insurance costs: according to Incoterms
2000 with 4 group: E, F, C, D.
Two other terms are used mainly in UK:
o Carriage Paid (C/P): charges will be paid by the sender.
We will send replacements for the damaged goods C/P.
o Carriage Forward (C/F): charges will be paid by the
receiver.
As you are responsible for the damage, we will send
replacements C/F.
REPLIES AND QUOTATIONS
• Discounts:
We allow a 3% cash discount for payment within one
month.
The net price of this model is 170,000 USD, less 15%
discount for quantities over 100.
The prices quoted are CFR Kobe, but are subject to a
20% trade discount off net price.