Commercial Correspondence

Unit 5

Orders and
Cover Letters of Orders
 Orders

Opening
Express thanks for the offer and pleasure in
placing an order
•We thank you for your offer No. 204/PP of
(dated) 15 September 20__ and are pleased
(glad) to place an order on the following
terms and conditions:
… and have pleasure in placing an order
•

2
 Orders

Main Message
7. Methods of payment
• Payment: … to the account of Vietcombank,
in your favour (in favour of the seller) for the
total value of the goods to be shipped.

3
 Orders

Main Message
7. Methods of payment
Bill of exchange
 Sight draft: a bill of exchange payable immediately
upon acceptance (accept to pay)
 Draft at 60 days (after) sight: payable within 60
days of acceptance (60 D/S)
• We should be glad if you would agree to draw on
us at 30 D/S (at 30 days) for the amount of …
4
 Orders

Main Message
7.Methods of payment
Documentary collection
 Documents against payment (D/P)
 Documents against acceptance (D/A)

5
 Orders

Closing
Expressing hope for future business
• We look forward to your early confirmation of
our order (confirmation of sales).
• We look forward to having your confirmation/
acknowledgement soon.
• Please confirm your acceptance of this order.

6
 Cover Letter of an Order

Opening
 Acknowledge receipt of the offer
 Express pleasure in enclosing an order form
• We thank you for your letter/offer of … for … and
are pleased to enclose our order on the following
terms and conditions.
• … and take pleasure in enclosing our order No…
• Please find enclosed our order No. DR435 for
(diesel engines).
7
 Cover Letter of an Order

Main Message: Useful expressions

• We would like to make clear the following points.
• We would like to emphasize (draw your attention
to) the following points.
• We are very interested in the different types of
watches you offered …
• We are quite satisfied with …
• We have decided to accept the 15% discount you
offered …
8
 Cover Letter of an Order

Main Message: Discounts

Confirm for the discounts
•We would like to thank you for the 30% trade
discount you allowed us.
•Although we expected a higher trade discount
than 15%, we will place an initial order and
hope that the discount can be reviewed in the
near future.

9
 Cover Letter of an Order
Main Message: Delivery
Confirm the delivery dates
•Delivery is required not later than the end of this month.
•It is essential that the goods be delivered before the
beginning of November, in time for the Christmas
rush/sales period.
•Delivery before 28 May is a firm condition of this order,
and we reserve the right to refuse the goods delivered
after that time.

10
 Cover Letter of an Order

Main Message: Packing

•Allitems of crockery are to be individually
wrapped in thick paper, packed in straw, and
shipped in wooden crates number 1-6.

11
 Cover Letter of an Order

Closing
Remember to mention the order and other
documents you want to enclose in the
Enclosure section.
Enc: Order No. TL/473

12
Practice 1
1. Please confirm your acceptance of this order. Such
acceptance should arrive not later than 14 days
from the date of (specified in) the order.
2. Please acknowledge this order and confirm that
you will be able to deliver the goods by early
October.
3. We thank you for your offer of 1 December and
find that the terms and conditions mentioned
(quoted) can be acceptable to us. (… and are able
to accept the terms and conditions you quoted).

13
Practice 1
4. We thank you for the samples you sent us on 25
December and should be glad if you would accept
and make up (execute/process) promptly the order
enclosed for various (different) kinds of carpets. (…
and could you please accept and make up
promptly the order …)
5. We thank you very much for your offer No.234 of
6 May 20__ for a number (selection) of small-
sized agricultural machines and are happy to
place an order on the following terms and
conditions.
14
 Practice 1
6. We thank you for the catalogue and price list
enclosed with your offer No.72 of 4 August 20__
but regret to inform you that your prices are
somewhat (rather) higher than those quoted by
some other suppliers. We hope, however, to have
another opportunity of doing business with you in
the future.
7. Please (Could you please) arrange for immediate
shipment (We would appreciate prompt delivery) of
our order and we are enclosing the packing and
marking instructions for your attention.
15
 Practice 1
8. Delivery should be made by the date specified in our
order, and we would refuse taking delivery after 31
December when the goods are out of sales season in
our market.
9. We need three sets of instructions for assembly,
operation and maintenance of the machines. One of
them is to be (should be) airmailed to us in advance
in order to be translated into Vietnamese for home
consumers; the other two sets are to be shipped
with the goods.

16
 Practice 1
10.We suggest that these machines (should) be
guaranteed within 24 months from despatch and 6
months from use.
11.We would like to pay by draft at 60 D/S (at 60 days)
and should be glad if you would agree to this.
12.Thank you for your letter of … and we should be
glad if you would agree to draw on us at 30 D/S,
documents against acceptance.

17
Practice 2
Dear Mr Crane
We are pleased to inform you that the first
shipment of your CT860 multi-function (all-
purpose) tractors sold very well in the first week
of its arrival here. We now would like to place a
firm order on the following terms and conditions.
1.Commodity: multi-function tractors CT860
2.Quantity: 30 units
3.Specification: as per catalogue No. 4/88 and
technical instructions enclosed with (attached to)
your offer No. 67 of 2 March 20__.
18
Practice 2
4. Price: USD2,200.00 per unit CIF Sai Gon Port,
Ho Chi Minh City, including packing.
Total amount: USD66,000.00 (Sixty six
thousand US dollars)
5. Delivery: in two lots. The first one of 10 units is
to be shipped in August 20__ and the second
of 20 units will be in December 20__.
6. Packing: in customary export packing for long
sea voyage.

19
 Practice 2
7. Marking: each case is marked on both opposite
sides in letters not less than 5 cm high in
weather-proof paint as follows:
Order No. TD44/50
Shipper: Export Tractor Co. Ltd.
Consignee: Machines and Components Import Co.
Case numbers : From 1 upward
Net weight:
Gross weight:
Measurements (dimensions/sizes):

20
Practice 2
8. Payment: is to be made (effected) in US dollars by
an irrevocable letter of credit to be opened with
Vietcombank 15 days prior to the first shipment,
valid for 45 days, to the account of Tokyo
Commercial Bank in favour of the seller for 100%
of the (the total) value of the goods to be shipped.
Documents required for payment include:
Commercial Invoice: 3 copies (in triplicate)
Original Bill of Lading: 1 copy
Packing list: 3 copies
Certificate of quality: 1 copy
Insurance Policy: 1 copy
21
Practice 2
9. Technical documents: Two sets of technical
drawings and two sets of instructions for assembly,
operation and maintenance in English are to be
shipped with the goods. Another set is to be sent
by air (airmailed) to the buyer not later than 30
August 20__.
10.Guarantee: 12 months from despatch, 6 months
from use. This provision of warranty does not apply
to the damage caused by the user’s negligence.
We look forward to receiving your confirmation
(acknowledgement) of this order soon.
Yours sincerely
22
 Practice 3
214 Ton Duc Thang Street
Dong Da District
Hanoi
Vietnam
 
Your Ref: 3 September 20__
Our Ref: MH/123
 
15 September 20__
 
Mr A. Suzuki, Sales Manager
Shonan Computers Ltd
1-33 Kistashinjuku -7 Chome
Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 160
Japan

23
Practice 3
Dear Mr Suzuki
We thank you for your offer of 3 September 20__
and are pleased to enclose our order No. BN07
for a number of electronic components
(accessories) as per the attached list. In addition,
we would like to draw your attention to the
following points:
If any of the listed items are not available in stock
for delivery at the time specified (stated) in the
order, please do not send substitutes for them.

24
Practice 3
For this first order, we would like to thank you for
your trade discount of 15%, and we have decided
to accept that payment is to be made by a letter
of credit at sight, documents against payment.
However, for further (the next) orders, could
(would) you please give us a 20% trade discount
and accept payment by a letter of credit at 60
days, documents against acceptance?

25
Practice 3
We would highly appreciate your special
attention to the execution of this order, the time
of delivery in particular, and we reserve the right
to cancel the order or return the goods with all
the expenses and risks to your account if the
delivery time is not met.
We hope that the first order will be completed
(processed/executed) to our satisfaction which
will lead to good relationship between the two
companies.

26
Practice 3
We look forward to having your confirmation
soon.
Yours sincerely,
Signed
Mai Hoa (Mrs)
General Director
 
Enc. 1. Order No. BN07
2. List of the goods
27
Practice 4
46 Ngo Quyen Street
Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi
Vietnam
 
Your Ref: 15 November 20__
Our Ref: LA/123
 
17 November 20__
 
F. Lynch & Co. Ltd
Nesson House
Newell Street
Birmingham B3 3EL
UK
28
Practice 4
Dear Mr X
We thank you for your offer of 15 November 20__ for
high quality ceramics and are pleased to enclose our
order No. PO/024 for a selection of items in your
catalogue attached to (enclosed with) your offer.
We would like to emphasize the following points:
Each piece (item) is to be individually wrapped in
thick paper, carefully packed in straw, and shipped in
10 wooden crates, marked with the buyer’s address,
order number, crate dimensions and the words:
“CERAMICS”, “FRAGILE”, “HANDLE WITH CARE”, and
numbered from 1 to 10.
29
Practice 4
We would appreciate your special attention to the
delivery date as we urgently need the goods for our
traditional New Year sales period. We reserve the
right to refuse taking delivery of the goods if they
arrive at Haiphong Port after 10 January 20__.
We would like to confirm that having shipped the
goods you will draw on us at 30 D/S and send the
draft together with a full set of shipping documents
to our correspondent bank, Northminster Bank (City
Branch), Deal Street, Birmingham B3 ISQ, UK, which
will transfer them to Vietcombank. Payment is on
D/A basis as we agreed on (over) the telephone
yesterday.
30
Practice 4
This is a trial order, and if we are satisfied with it
and feel that we can develop this market in
Vietnam, we will place larger orders with you in the
future.
We look forward to your sales confirmation soon.
Yours sincerely
(Signed)
Nguyen Thi Lan Anh (Mrs)
General Director
Enc: Order No. PO/024

31
Practice 5
HOACO HANOI LTD
37 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Gia Lam District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel. and Fax: 84-4-8715340 – Mail:

Your Ref: BL/1439

Our Ref: TT/123

25 November 20__
 
Brothers Co., Ltd
18 Caranation Road
Singarore 2478
32
Practice 5
Dear Mr Smith
We thank you for your offer of 1 November 20__ for
air conditioners, models Freshman 2034 and 2035.
Please find enclosed our trial order No. OR11/06 for
350 units of Freshman 2034 at the price of
US$750.00 per unit CIF Haiphong Port including
packaging for delivery in February 20__.
It is essential that (We suggest that) the above items
be delivered in mid-February at the latest, in time
for distribution to our agents across (throughout)
the country for sale in early summer.

33
Practice 5
The goods are to be (should be) wrapped in water-
proof paper and packed in cartons, marked with the
buyer’s address, order number, carton dimensions
(measurements), and the words: “KEEP DRY” and
“HANDLE WITH CARE”.
As we agreed on (over) the telephone yesterday, we
would like to confirm that payment is on a D/A
basis, and that after shipping the goods you will
draw on us a 60-day draft and send it together with
a full set of shipping documents to our
correspondent bank, Singapore Commercial Bank,
which will transfer them to Vietcombank.

34
Practice 5
Could you please send us in advance a set of
technical documents in both English and
Vietnamese?
We regret that at present we are not in a position to
place an order for the Freshman 2035 because its
price is rather high and we are not quite sure that it
will sell well in Vietnam. However, if this order is
completed to our satisfaction and if we find that
there is a ready market for this kind of goods in
Vietnam, we shall probably place further orders.

35
Practice 5
We look forward to your order confirmation soon.
Yours sincerely
(Signed)
Nguyen Thanh Trung
General Director
Enc: Order No.OR11/06

36