Episode 6 Price

Negotiation starts
 Factors influencing price
• 商品的品质和档次 (quality of the goods including
packing, design and raw material)
• 成交量 (quantity)
• 供求关系和市场行情。 (demand and supply
situation and market situation)
• 竞争者、同行的价格。 (competitors’ prices)
• 季节因素 (seasonality)
• 支付条件 (terms of payment )
• 交货日期，原材料的价格等。 (date of delivery )
• 交货地点和交货条件 （ term of price/incoterms)
• 运输距离 (distance of transportation / origin place
of the goods)
 Questions about the scripts:
• Dialogue 1
• How do the two parties go about with their negotiation on price?
• What elements are included in Mr. B’s offer?
• What price-influencing factors are used in the negotiation?

• Dialogue 2
• What major terms do they discuss in this dialogue?
• Dialogue 3
• What price influencing factors are used here?
• Harmonization Code System (HS-Code ） H 编码
• Harmonized System Codes (HS Code) HS 编码
• 是海关编码，由 10 位数字组成。中国是世界海关组织成员国，所以执
行世界海关组织的编码制度。编码的前 6 位在世界海关组织各成员国
海关都是通用的， 7-10 位由各国依据自己的集体情况进行调整。这也
就是产地证要求提供 6 位 HS 编码的原因。报关行问你报关的税号是
多少，意思也是问你 HS 编码是多少。因为 HS 编码直接关系到了进
出口的监管、征税以及出口退税。有条件的话，建议你公司每年年初
都到当地海关购买一本当年出版的海关进出口税则。
•  
• 海关编码即 HS 编码，为编码协调制度的简称。编码协调制度由国际
海关理事会制定，英文名称为 The Harmonization Code System (HS-
Code) 。
• 海关编码， The Harmonization Code System (HS-Code) 。
• 根据你要报关的商品信息找出所匹配的编码来报关！
• 例如：全棉圆领 T 恤衫 HS CODE ： 6109100021……     
•       LED 灯具  HS CODE: 9405409000
 •Offer
•An offer is an expression to enter into a contract. A
satisfactory offer includes the following: name of
commodities, quality, price, unit price, and type of
currency etc.

•It refers to a promise to supply goods on the terms

and conditions stated ,in which the seller not only
quotes the terms of price but also indicates all
necessary terms of sales for the buyer’s
consideration and acceptance.
 How to organize an offer?
• Step 1: statement/appreciation for the
enquiry
• Step 2: details on
Quantity/quality/price/discount/payment/
packing/time of shipment/validity (in
the case of a firm offer)
 Counter-offer

• A counter-offer usually contains the

following details:
• 1. Thanks the supplier for the offer
• 2. Express regret at inability to accept and state
reasons
• 3. Put forward amendments or proposals (an
alternative to another offer)
• 4. Suggest that there may be other opportunities
to do business together.
• september 6,
2009
• Messrs Healy & Co.
• 73 Hyde Road, Antwerp, Belgium

• Dear sirs,
Men’s Leather Shoes
• Thank you for your enquiry of September 5 for the captioned
goods.
• As requested, we are offering you 7500 pairs of “Hero” Brand
Men’s Leather Shoes at US$12.5 per pair CFR Antwerp for
shipment in November, 2002. payment is to be made by an
irrevocable, confirmed L/C payable by draft at sight. The offer
is firm, subject to your reply reaching here before September
15, 2009.
• We have airmailed you under separate cover some of our
illustrated catalogues showing exactly sizes, designs and
workmanship of our goods.
• There is every indicaition that the market is tending
upwards. It is in view of our long and friendly relations that
we have quoted you the most favourable price and no
counter-offer will be entertained.
• Your early fax confirmation of our effort is anticipated.
• Yours faithfully,
• Shun Da Import & Export Corporation
•1. We are sending you a catalogue under separate cover.
•图书目录将另外函寄。

•2. Under separate cover, we have sent you our catalogue of sporting goods.
•兹随函另寄上我们的运动器材目录，请查收。

•3. We will send you under separate cover catalogue and pricelist.
•关于目录与价目表，我们将另邮寄给你方。

•4. General catalogues and special leaflets are being airmailed under separate
cover.
•我公司的目录和商品转页另以航邮寄上。

•5. Samples were forwarded to you under separate cover.

•样品将随函另邮。
Entertain: 准备考虑，考虑接收（订货等）

• If the terms offered are agreeable,

we may entertain your order.
• They would not entertain any
price lower than RMB2330 yuan
per ton.
Gentlemen:

We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 14.

We take pleasure in making you, as per you request, the

following offer:

Art. No. : W71-72 Canvas Wooden Folding Chairs.

Unit Price: US $ 12.00 per pc. CFR San Francisco.
Quantity: 1000 pcs.
Shipment: during May/June, 2009
Packing: in cartons two pcs. to a carton
payment: by confirmed, irrevocable letter of credit
which should be opened through a third
country bank in the U.S.A acceptable to the
sellers.

The above offer is subject to our final confirmation. We

are awaiting your prompt reply.

Yours truly,
Take pleasure in doing…

• Have pleasure in doing …

• Have the pleasure of doing …
• Have the pleasure to do…
Language skills----how to get down
business
• 1. shift from light talk to business
• Now that you’ve got over jet-lag, I think it’s time we talk
business.
• Shall we get down to business?
• Shall we take up the business of…?
• 2. start with the inquiry
• Your email/fax/telex on June 3rd says/ indicates you
want to buy … from us.
• We understand that you are interested in…..
 How to make an offer
• 1. what should be included in an offer?
• We are pleased to offer you 120,000 cotton
poplin blouses at US $ 16.80 each, FOB
Xigang. The blouses will be packed in plastic
bags, each four dozens in a corrugated
cardboard box. They will be delivered in two
consignments of 60,000 each, the first by
August 20 and the second by September 10.
the terms of payment will be the same as those
in the previous contract, that is sight letter of
credit.
 Elements in an offer
• Name of commodity, quantity, unit price,
terms of price, packing, terms of delivery,
terms of payment, terms of validity of the
offer
 Format of an offer
• We are glad to / ready to
• make an offer/confirmed offer for
• ______( 数量 )of_______ ( 品名 )
• at _______ (unit price/ 单价 ) per_____ (unit/ 单位 )
• CIF/FOB/CFR______ (name of port/ 装运港或卸货港 )
• to be delivered__________(time of delivery/ 交货时间 )
• payable by _________(term of payment/ 支付条件 ).

• 我们很乐意为您报盘 :10 吨的核桃仁每吨 100 美元，纽约

到岸价， 8 月十日前交货，凭货运单据见票即付。
 Exercise for making offers
• 我们可以向您报出 20,000 打 T 恤，每打
FOB 青岛 22.6 美元。

• We would like to offer you 20,000 dozen T

shirts at $22.6 per dozen, FOB Qing Dao.
• 我愿给您报实盘： 250 公吨核桃仁，每公吨 CIF 纽约
家 420 美金， 2009 年 2 月底交货。
• I’d like to make a firm offer for 250 tons of walnut
meat at US$ 420 per metric ton, CIF New York, to
be delivered by the end of Feb 2009.
• 我愿给您报 1500 匹货号 A150 抽纱制品，每匹 120 美
元， CIF 汉堡。收到您方信用证后 21 天内交货。
• I am glad to offer you 1500 pieces of cotton yarn Art.
No. 150 at $120 CIF Hamburg to be delivered within
21 days after the receipt of your L/C.
• 报盘有效期的表达法
• This offer remains good/open/valid for
________days.
• The offer is subject to acceptance within _______
days.
 Expression of prices
• 最低价：
• 价格上涨： •涨价：
• rock bottom price • Go up •Raise the price
• bedrock price • Skyrocket •Increase the
• floor price price
• best price
• Soar up
• the lowest price
• the most competitive •降价：
price/workable price/fair
price •价格下降： •Lower the price
• 最高价： •Reduce the price
• ceiling price •Fall
to…/ by…
• the highest price •Drop
• 市场价： •Make a …%
•Plummet reduction
• market price
• prevailing price
• 零售价： retail price
• 批发价： wholesale price
• 优惠价格： favorable price
 Expressions used by importers
• 请出价：
• 请报 150 匹最低价。
• Please quote/offer us your best price for
150 pieces.
• 请报一个有竞争力的价格。
• Please offer us a competitive price.
• 请报……的现货可供价。
• Please make a firm offer for…… that can be
supplied from stock.
• Would you please make a reply to our
enquiry for ___ of ___ ?
• Would you please make a response to our
email enquiry on___ .
 How To Negotiate The Price In English
Questions For Buyers
• How much?
• What’s your best price?
• How far can you come down in price to meet me
? (what can he take off the price to get closer to
your budget?
• What will your cash price be?
• Can you work with me on this?
• Do you have any flexibility on the price?
• What’s your friends and family rate?
• How much will you reduce the price if I pay cash
?
 Phrases For Buyers
• That’s too expensive.
• I’m sorry but you’ll have to do better than that.
• I can’t take that to my boss/my husband/wife!
• ‘ABC’ are doing it for £5.
• I’m on a tight budget so I’m looking for your best
price.
• I don’t have a lot of wriggle room. = I cannot incr
ease my budget too much.
• I’m not made of money.
• What! That’s ridiculous.
• You’ve got to be joking!
 Phrases For Sellers
• I am afraid that we can’t match that price.
• I don’t think that we could go that far.
• Let me run the numbers and get back to you.
• There may be some room for manoeuvre…
• What I may be able to consider is…
• Let’s meet in the middle.
• I think we can do that.
• Ok, let’s shake on it. (seal the bargain with a
handshake)
• Justin: Hello.
• Rachel: Hi, Justin. It’s Rachel from McQ Corp.
• Justin: Oh hi, Rachel. Did you get our bid for the job?
• Rachel: Yes, we did. We like your proposal, but we still n
eed to come to terms on the price.
• Justin: We’ve already given you our rock-bottom price b
ecause we want to get this job, but we always try to be fl
exible.
• Rachel: Good. Could you do better on what you’ve quot
ed us for labor? The price seemed a little high.
• Justin: We might be able to trim a little off of that. How a
bout if we discount that by 10 percent?
• Rachel: That’s an attractive offer, but we were hoping fo
r 20 percent.
• Justin: You’re driving a hard bargain. We have certain f
ixed costs, you know.
• Rachel: I do and that’s why I’m only asking about labor c
osts. Can you meet me halfway at 15 percent?
• Justin: I think that might be doable, if that’s the only stu
mbling block to us getting the job.
• Rachel: I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best.
• Justin: That’s all I can ask. I’ll send you over a revised bi
d.
• Rachel: Great. I hope to have good news for you next we
ek.
 How to haggle
• 价钱太高
• I am afraid your price is not in line with/in alignment with the
prevailing price.
• I am afraid your price is rather on the high side.
• I am afraid your price is too high for us to accept.
• To be honest, we have received offers from some other suppliers
and most of their prices are much lower than yours.
• We don’t find your price competitive at all.
• Your price is unacceptable/unreasonable/ridiculous.
• You must have learned/been aware/been informed that India has
entered/come into the market of black tea as well. And their offers are
averagely as much as 20% lower than yours.
• Granted the market has gone up, but the cheap cost of labor must have
made up for it.
• It’s hard for us to push/make/promote any sales at this price.
• It’s hard for us to convince/persuade our customers to buy at this price.
• 那你说多少吧？
• What would you suggest?
• What is your proposal?
• What price/discount do you have in mind?
• What then is your idea of a competitive
price?
 How to haggle
• 要求降价
• I think it’s reasonable for you cut your
price by____ / to____.
• If you can’t reduce / cut / lower your price,
I’m afraid I have to turn to other suppliers.
• If you can’t make any concession( 让步 ) /
make any reduction in price, we’ll have to
cancel this deal.
• A …% reduction is in order/ reasonable.
 How to haggle
• 价钱合理
• Our offer has been most favorable and it’s only because of our long-term
relationship that we offered you such a price.
• Our prices compare favorably with those from other sources.
• Our price has been made on the basis of a thorough market research / all-
round consideration of different factors.
• Our offer is well founded. It’s in line with the international market.
• I am sure you can’t get this price from elsewhere.
• This has been our rock bottom price/bedrock price and there is no room
for any concession.
• This price really has put us in a/an difficult/awkward situation.
• We can make no further concessions. / we’ve in a tight corner and cannot
step back anymore.
• Granted that our price is a little higher than that of other sources, but our
products are of superior/ better /top quality.
• When comparing prices, you can not separate them from qualities, can
you? / you must take quality into consideration.
 价钱合理
• Our products are fashionable in design, discriminating in textile, fine in
workmanship and solid in endurance.
• You may have been well informed / aware of the strong upward/rising
trend of the market. Our products can hardly meet the demand from all
parts of the world.
• It’s been the sellers’ market for black tea this year. And I’m even not
sure if we can offer you such quantity of goods.
• With the depreciation of RMB and the rising of labor cost, this is the best
price we can offer.
• The currency fluctuation are responsible for our difficulties in pricing.
• Our price this year did rise a little bit, but as you know the price of steel has
been tending upward.
• Indeed ， our raisins are of higher prices than what you can get from
elsewhere. However, we use grapes from as far as Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region. Compared to other sources, our cost is much higher.
 Translate the following sentences into
English
• 1. 尽管我们非常希望与你方交易，遗憾的是你方出价
实在太低，我方无法接受。
• 2. 如果你方能接受我方的数量，并答应提前交货，我
方就接受你方的价格。
• 3. 这种产品的起订量是 300 箱，如果你方订购 500 箱
以上，我们就削价 3% 。
• 4. 这的确是我们的最低价了，我没办法再让你了。
• 5. 你看这样行不行，你在发盘的基础上减百分之五，
我在还盘的基础上加百分之五，怎样？
• 6. 恐怕有点偏高。在贵方报价的基础上达成交易的可
能性很小，因为报价明显不符合市场。
 Key to the exercise
• 1. We are willing to do business with you, however, it is a pity
that your price is too low for us to accept.
• 2. We’ll accept your price if you accept our quantity and
advance the date of delivery.
• 3. 300 cases is the minimum quantity of order we accept. If you
place an order for 500 cases, we can consider a 3% cut in
price.
• 4. This has been our rock bottom price. I am afraid we could
make no more concessions.
• 5. How about this? You increase your offer by 5% and we lower
our counter offer by 5%.
• 6. I am afraid it is still on the high side. There is a slim
possibility that we can conclude any deal on your offer as your
price is not in line with the market.
 Translate the following sentences into English
• 1. 八百美元一台的价格我方可以接受，但条件
是你方应将订货数量增至三千台。
• 2. 五千台要即期交货，以此价格，我们无法接
受。
• 3. 产品的质量不一样，价格当然不一样。你要
的是我们今年的顶尖产品，价钱当然不一样。
• 4. 十一月份是圣诞产品的销售旺季，如果你能
赶在 10 月份前交货的话，我们就接受这个价格。
• 5. 由于原材料涨价，我们也不得不调整商品价
格。
 Key to the exercise
• 1. We accept $ 800 per set under the condition that
you increase the amount of your order to 3000 sets.
• 2. We can not deliver 5000 sets promptly at this price.
• 3. Products of different qualities surely have different
prices. What you want is the state-of-art / edge-cutting
product of ours. Of course, it sells at a higher price.
• 4. November is the season for Christmas products. If
you could make delivery in October we accept this
price.
• 5. We have to adjust the prices of our product due to
the price increase of the raw materials.
 Reaching an agreement
• 达成一致
• 让我们均摊差额，互相折中一下，就算 ____ 好吗？
• You say___ and I say___, let’s / why don’t we split /share
the difference and meet each other halfway and make
it____.
• 好吧， 看在我们多年合作的份上 / 考虑到我们长久的合作 / 作
为我们友好的表示 / 本着互惠互让的原则，我们接受这个价格。
• Well, with an eye on our long-term relationship, taking
our ___ into account, as a gesture/token of/to show our
good will,/ in view of.../under the principle of mutual
benefit and mutual concession, we accept this price.
• 那就成交吧。我们扼要地再重复一下我们所达成的协议：
• Let’s make/strike /close/conclude the deal/business.
Now let’s have a recap on what we have agreed so far:
you’ve offered us___ at___ CIF___ per___, to be
delivered____, payable by____.
 Reaching an agreement
• 1. 我们是老朋友了，为了进一步扩大业务往来，
也为了表示我们的诚意，我方准备破例减价百分
之五。这下你满意了吧？
• 2. 尽管你方价格低于我方水准，考虑到与你方
初次交易，我方破例接受你方订单。
• 3. 考虑到我们之间长期的友好关系，我接受了。
祝我们这笔买卖成功。
• 4. 我很欣赏你的诚意。那我们就各让一步。就
按 1900 美金一台吧。
• 成交
• Make/strike/conclude/close a
deal/business/transaction
• To bring this deal/business/transaction to
a successful conclusion
 Reaching an agreement
• 1. We’ve been friends for years. As a gesture of our
goodwill/sincerity and also in order to expand our
future cooperation, we are ready to make an exception
and cut our price by 5%. What do you say?
• 2. Considering it is the first deal with you we would
make an exception and accept your order even though
your price is lower than our expectation.
• 3. Taking our long term relationship into consideration,
we accept your price. May we have a successful
cooperation.
• 4. I appreciate your sincerity. Well then, let’s meet
each other half and make it $1900 per set.
•早上好，亨特先生，很高兴再次见到您。
•早上好，李女士。很高兴再次见到您。啊，您气色很
好啊！
•谢谢，请坐。
•谢谢。亨特先生此行的目的是商谈核桃仁这件事吧。
•是的。情报核桃仁的现货可供价。好的，您很幸运，
亨特先生，我们刚刚备足货。请问，对于包装有什么
特殊要求吗？
•没有。坚固而且是与海上运输的普通包装就行了。
•我愿给您报实盘： 250 公吨核桃仁，每公吨 CIF 纽约
价 420 美元， 1997 年 2 月底前交货。
•该报盘几日接受有效？
•该报盘 5 日内接受有效。
•李女士，就我所知， 你们的价格上涨了，比去年同期
价格几乎上涨了 10% ，这样的价格使我们无法销售，
希望能降低价格。
•亨特先生，您该知道，核桃仁的价格在过去的几个月中
已大大上涨，我方价格比其它地方的价格仍然要低，你
最好全面考虑一下。我方产品质量高，其它产地的核桃
仁是无法与之相比的。
•我承认贵方货物质量比较好，不过，这样的价格使我们
很难说服我们的客户购买你们的产品。另外， 来自韩
国和泰国的供应商的竞争是很激烈的。我想您不应忽视
这一点。 李女士， 您放报价下调 6% 怎样？
•我方报价已经考虑到了众多的因素，其中包括世界市场
的上涨趋势。如果我是您的话， 我是不会担心的。从
全面考虑，我方可以保证， 我方所报价格是非常优惠
的。我认为， 您方推销我方产品不会有任何困难。坦
率的说， 如果不是为了贵我双方之间的长期关系，我
们是不愿以此价格向您报盘的。
•市场价格是经常变化的。我怎能保证货物到达我方港口
之前，价格不会下降呢？
•这得由您决定。
•如果能保证 1 月份前交货，我就能做出决定。到那时，
市场似乎不会下跌。
•二月份交货是最好的。不过我们向您保证，我方将尽最
大的努力提前装运。
•好的。请问给不给佣金。
 Role play
• You represent China’s first most modernized stationery
manufacturer: The Rainbow. Your company manufactures
everything that kids and students need. This year, one of your
latest products is a combination set( 组合套装用品） , which
includes a pen, a ball point pen and a fully automatic pencil. All
these three pens come in different colors. There is also an
eraser that smells like a pepperoni pizza, because some
scientists say kids can study better when they feel hungry and
when they smell the aroma of a wonderful meal in the air. And
the smell of the eraser can be tailor-made, from pizza, Kentucky
Fried chicken, to hamburgers, etc. your price is a special offer
as it is the first time to enter the market:$25 per combination,
FOB Dalian. Minimum order: 1000 sets. Now a Japanese
businessperson is extremely interested in your products ,but he
counter offers 20 dollars. You can’t agree, so you negotiate with
him.