UNIT 6

DEALING WITH ORDERS

Objective: At the end of this unit students are able to demonstrate knowledge
and skills in placing, acknowledging, and advising a dispatch of an order.

A. PRESENTATION

This unit deals with how to write letters placing, acknowledge, and advising a dispatch of
an order using a standard and simple format.

A letter of ordering goods is a letter that is written by a customer to a business to acquire a

product. Usually, a customer would have seen the product in a catalogue or an
advertisement and would like to purchase it through the mail. In a letter of ordering goods,
it is essential to include your personal information, your shipping information, your
payment information, and the actual product(s) you would like to order. It is important to
include a way for the business to contact you at the end of the letter (usually a phone
number) in case there is an issue with the order. However, to an extent, an order letter can
be quite short and its opening part informing the reason to write may begin with direct
instructions.

Read and learn the following two samples of letters.

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Sample letters of ordering goods

Turner Lampshades

1685 Riverside Drive

Blairsville, GA 30512

 Dear Turner Lampshades,

My name is Barbara. I would like to order 13 oriental lampshades from your catalogue. Their item number is
#4564323534. They are listed at $10 each.

I have included a certified check for $130. That should cover the cost of the lampshades.

The address I would like these lampshades shipped to is:

Barbara D. Martin

3940 Lucky Duck Drive

Monroeville, PA 15146

Please use FedEx Express as your shipping method. They seem to be the most reliable delivery courier for my
area.

If you have any questions or if any issues arise with my order, please do not hesitate to contact me at 345-453-
5322.

Thank You,

Barbara

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PURCHASE ORDER

[Date]

[NAME, COMPANY AND ADDRESS, ex.

Tom Atkinson
COMANY Inc.
14 Edith Street,
Hackney West,
ZIP POST CODE]

Dear [NAME, ex. Tom Atkinson],

Please accept this purchase order for the following:

QUANTITY    PRODUCT            UNIT PRICE        TOTAL
[LIST PRODUCTS AND PRICES, ex.
2        Compressor 234A        $2,300.00        $4,600.00
1        Compressor 323F        $1,200.00        $1,200.00
                                    $5,800.00]

We require shipment by [DATE, ex. June 20, 1998] to:

[ADDRESS, ex.
BCA Industries
1223 Second Street
Tempe, AZ
85245]

Please refer to this order as “purchase order #[PURCHASE NUMBER]”. If this order cannot be processed as
requested, please contact me at XXX-XXXX at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME, ex. Tony Montana]

Questions
1. Compare and contrast the above letters including differences in language they use.
2. Identify the suitable expressions for the following items:
a. personal information
b. shipping information
c. payment information
d. actual products
e. information in case there is an issue with an order

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Opening

Expressions to use in the opening are as follows

 We are … (company name)
 Please find enclosed … (our Order No. …)
 Please accept this … (purchase order …)
 The enclosed order ( No. …) is for … (25 boxes of …)

Payment

Expressions to use to confirm the terms of payment are as follows

 We include a certified check for … ($50..)

 As agreed you will draw on us at 30 days, documents against acceptance with the
documents being sent to our bank at …
 Once we have received your advice, we will send a banker’s draft to …

Discount

Expressions to use to confirm the agreed discounts are as follows

 We would like to thank you for the 25 % trade discount

 We would like to thank you for 10 % for quantity discount you allowed us.
 Finally, we would like to say that the 30 % trade discount is satisfactory.
 We will certainly take advantage of the generous cash discounts you offered for
prompt settlement

Delivery

Expressions to use to confirm the delivery dates

 We require shipment by … (10 …) October

 Delivery before … (November …) is a firm condition of this order and we reserve
the right to refuse goods delivered after that time.
 It is essential that the goods are delivered before the beginning of October in time
for the … (Christmas or Idul Fitri)

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Methods of delivery

Expressions to use for the methods of delivery are as follows

 Please use … (FedEx Express) as your shipping method

 Please remember that only air freight will ensure prompt delivery
 Please send the goods by inter-city express as we need them urgently
 We advise delivery by road to avoid …(constant handling of this fragile
consignment)

Closing

Expressions to use for the closing are as follows

 We hope that this will be the first of many orders we will be placing with you
 We will submit further orders if this one is completed to our satisfaction
 I look forward to …(receiving) your advice, shipment, acknowledgement,
confirmation
 Please contact me at … at your earlier convenience
 Please do not hesitate to contact me at …

Exercise

The following is a sample of the products in a catalogue or an advertisement. Write a short

order letter. You may choose any product as well as the number of products you wish.

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Account Sales
By International Trading Co. Ltd.
511 Silom Road, Bangkok, Thailand

October 10, 2011

In the matter of books ex-S.S. Oriana, sold for the account of Educational Books Ltd.,
Chatham, Kent, England
& &
100 Copies English Dictionary @ 4.50 each 450.00
50 “ Adv. Eng. Stud. by P. Bowles @ 3.00 “ 150.00
100 “ Int. Eng by M Nash @ 2.50 “ 250.00
80 “ Eng. for Proficiency by
V. Roberts @ 3.50 “ 280.00
70 “ Eng. for First Cert. by
T. Cubitson @ 2.80 “ 196.00
90 “ Beginning English by
U. Vickers @ 1.70 “ 153.00

1479.00

Less Charges &

Ocean Freight 73.00
Dock Dues etc., 30.50
Marine Insurance 15.80
Customs Tariff 21.00
Comission @ 10%
on 1479.00 147.90

288.20
1190.80

Signed ………………..
E & O. E INTERNATIONAL TRADING CO.

Thale

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Acknowledging the Order

Once an order is received by a supplier, it should be acknowledged for sure that the order is
being processed and it should be ready for dispatch by …(in the near future)

Sample 1 Acknowledging the Order

Manhattan – Windsor
Steward Street
Birmingham B18 7AF
UNITED KINGDOM
Redways Ltd. Your Ref:
Unit 161 Our Ref: SB/SM
New Kowloon Industrial Estate 30 September
Kowloon
Hongkong

Dear Sirs

Purchase Order No. 4462M

We are pleased to acknowledge your order of 26 october for:

200 large ‘Cat’ paperweights
100 large ‘Bird’ paperweights
300 small ‘Rabbit’ paperweights
We are enclosed our pro forma invoice as requested. The goods will be dispatched by air on
receipt of your banker’s draft.
Yours faithfully

N. Abraham

Novita Abraham
Sales Manager
Enc. 1 Bahasa Inggris Bisnis 2 55
 Satex S.p.a
Via di Pietra Papa
00146 Roma
ITALY
Your Ref: Order DR4316
Mr. L. Crane Chief Buyer Our Ref: D/1140
F. Lynch & Co., Ltd
Nesson House 24 April
Newell Street
Birmingham B3 3EL
Dear Mr. Crane
Thank you for your order (No. DR4316) which we are now making up. We have all the
items in stock and will be advising you in the near future.

Yours sincerely
C. Wright

The following expressions are commonly used to give an acknowledgement

 Thank you for your order No. … which we received today. We are now dealing
with it and you may expect delivery within the next two weeks.
 Your order NO. … is now being processed and should be ready for dispatch by next
week.
 We are pleased to say that we have already made up your order, No. … of …and are
now making arrangements for shipments to … (Indonesia)

Exercise

Writing sentences acknowledging the following:

Date Items
a) 14 April Order for 3000 x 20 clocks
b) 12 May Letter
c) 3 June Order for 165 x M16 generators
d) 17 August Enquiry
e) 20 October 1500 L63 Audio Cassettes Recorders

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 1000 M16 Video Cassettes Recorders

a. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
b. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
d. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advice of dispatch

As soon as the supplier has made up the order and arranged shipment, the buyer or
customer is to be informed of this in an advice.

Sample 1 Advising the Dispatch

Manhattan – Windsor
Steward Street
Birmingham B18 7AF
UNITED KINGDOM
Redways Ltd. Your Ref:
Unit 161 Our Ref: SB/SM
New Kowloon Industrial Estate 14 October
Kowloon
Hongkong
Dear Sirs

Purchase Order No. 4462M

We are pleased to advise of the dispatch of your order No. 4462M, which was collected today for
transport by British Caledonian Airways to Hong Kong.
The airway bill, insurance certificate and invoice for freight charges and insurances are enclosed.

We look forward to receiving further orders in the future.

Yours faithfully

N. Abraham

Novita Abraham
Sales Manager
Enc. 3
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Sample 2

Satex S.p.a
Practice Via di Pietra Papa
00146 Roma
ITALY
Your Ref: Order DR4316
Mr. L. Crane Chief Buyer Our Ref: D/1140
F. Lynch & Co., Ltd
Nesson House 10 May
Newell Street
Birmingham B3 3EL
Dear Mr. Crane
We would like to advise you that your order has been shipped on the SS Marconissa and should
reach you within the next ten days.
Meanwhile our bank has forwarded the relevant documents and sight draft for $2,354.00 to the
Nerthminster Bank (City Branch) Birmingham.
We are sure you will be pleased with the consignment and look forward to your next order.
Yours sincerely

C. Wright

The following expressions are commonly used to advise the dispatch.

 Your order No. … has now been placed on board …(name of a ship)… sailing from
… to … on 10 October and arriving in … , on 10 November. The shipping
documents have already been sent to your bank in … for collection.
 We are pleased to advise you that the … (name of goods) .. you ordered No. … put
on flight …(name of flight) leaving Hongkong at … arriving Indonesia 13.00.
Please find enclosed air waybill No…. and copies of invoice.
Exercise
Write sentences advising the dispatch as follows:
a. Order number ML.1627
b. Order number 1700 H/LD

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 c. The 10 generators missing from order HD/17/T6000
d. Order number 16ML 64 and 17 ML 69
e. The 6 replacement photocopiers damaged on delivery from order number 17KLM
N/165
a. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
b. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
d. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. PRACTICE

Writing Letters
1. Write a letter from the Indian Steel Company to John Brown plc. 19 Tratton Way,
Ashford, Kent acknowledging and order for 10,000 M20 steel girders and 20,000 L47
steel sheets. Enclose a pro forma invoice and advise conditions of dispatch (CIF
London : ship : on confirmation of opening of an Irrevocable Letter of Credit).
2. Write a letter advising dispatch of an order (LM/260/C4) by air for Khartoum (Sudan)
from London. The order is for 20,000 pairs of pink rubber gloves (small), and 25,000
pairs of green rubber gloves (large). Enclose an air way-bill, insurance certificate, and
freight and insurance invoice. (Invent companies and addresses.)
3. Write a letter to your own company or yourself acknowledging receipt of an order.
State how and under what conditions the order will be sent. (Invent a suitable order and
exporting company.)
4. Write a letter to your own company or yourself advising dispatch of the order in
question 3, and starting what documents are enclosed.

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