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The word“counter-offer”more often implies an alternation in the price or other terms and conditions. At any rate，a counter-offer can bemade either by an exporter or by an importer. The letter given in this lesson is a counter-offer made by the importer. As a matter of fact，there is seldom a case in which an offer is accepted straight-forwardedly without price haggling or further exchange of letters and cables after an offer ismade. In making a counter-offer the w riter would have to explain why the offer is unacceptable and atwhat price or on what terms business can be done.

II. Additional notes:

1. on the usual terms按照惯常条款

under/according to the usual terms

作“条款”解，用复数主要指付款方式，间或指其他付款条件。

2. regret v.抱歉;惋惜，引为遗憾

We regret our inability to do as requested.

2) regret+(to say)+ that clause

We regret(to say) thatwe cannot accept your price.

We regret(to say) thatwe cannotmake you an offer at present.

3) When modified by“very much”，the verb“regret”usually comes after themodifier.

We very much regret our inability to accept your price.

We very much regret to say thatwe cannotmake you an offer at present.

We regret being unable to meet your request.

3. find vt. taking a complex object

We find your price too high.

We find your quotation too high to be workable.

We find your offer very interesting and shall give you a definite reply in a few days.

2) find+ noun+ prepositional phrase

We find your price out of line with the prevailing market level.

3) find+(anticipatory) it+ adj.+ inf.

We find it difficult to work on your quotation.

We find it necessary to ask you for an extension of the L/C.

4. indicate vt.指出

Please indicate your idea of price.

Please indicate the earliest possible shipment.

indication(sign or suggestion) n.迹象，征兆

Please give us indication of price atwhich you can accept our order.

Indications show that themarketw ill advance further.

From present indications，themarketw ill continue to be weak.

5. level n.水平，此处引为价格

No business can be done at your level.

Business is hopeful if you reduce your level.

6. deny v.否认，拒绝

1) deny+ that clause

We do not deny that the quality of Chinese kernels is slightly better.

They denied that their agentswere to blame.

They denied having done so.

They denied their agents having made amistake.

3) deny+ sth.+ to be sth. else

We deny this to be the case.

4) It cannot be denied+ that clause

It cannot be denied that your L/C arrived late.

It cannot be denied that your agentsmade amistake.

under no circumstances

We will，in no case，depart from the principle.

Your offer should，in no case bemade on FOB basis.

Notice: the inverted order of the above sentences for emphasis

8. market is declining市场正在下跌

Here“market”means“market price”

Market is declining.

Market is advancing.

Market is strong.(Rising steadily)

市场坚挺，持续上涨

9. recommend v.推荐，劝告，建议

1) recommend sb. sth.(double object)

recommend sth. to sb.

They request you to recommend them somematerials that suit theirmarket.

他们请你方推荐一些适合他们的市场的商品。

We recommend your immediate acceptance.

We strongly recommend concentration of offers.

我们极力建议集中报盘。

3) recommend+ gerund

We recommend buying a small quantity for trial.

4) recommend+ that(subjunctive present)

We recommend that you make a trial of these goods.

We recommend that the buyers be on the lookout for substitutes.

5) recommend+ sb.+ complement(verb to be phrase)

We recommend the buyers to be on the lookout for substitutes.

We recommend you to buy a small quantity for trial.

III. Chinese version of the letter:

收到你方八月二十二日来信，按照惯常条款来报标题商品50公吨，每公吨1 300美元。

为复你方来信，我们抱歉地告知，我们在鹿特丹的买主认为你们的价格太高。有消息表明，有几批印度货已按比你方低大约10%的价格出售。

我们并不否认中国花生仁的品质略佳，但无论如何价格的差距不应大到10%。为促进贸易，我们特还盘如下，以你方在九月十四日或以前复到我方为准。

50公吨花生仁良好平均品质2010年收成

每公吨1 220美元，CIF鹿特丹，

其他条款按你方八月二十二日来信所述。

由于市况下跌，建议你方立即接受。

IV. Key to exercises:

1. Fill in them issing words:

1) quote，at，on，for

2) of，at，per，on/under

3) in，into，w ith

4) to，reply，reaching，at

2. Com p lete the follow ing sentences:

1) As themarket is declining，

a. your price should in no case exceed RM B￥500 per ton.

b. shipment of the goods should in no case be later than June this year.

c. your packing must be improved and should in no case remain as it is.

2) While we thank you for your letter of March 9，

a. we regret having to decline your counter-offer.

b. we very much regret to say that your quotation is really too high.

c. we are very sorry thatwe have nothing available for the time being.

3. Translate the following into English:

1) We regret that your customers have not accepted our offer for canned fruits.

2) We regret being unable to supply at the price indicated in your letter No. HG123.

3) We do not deny that our groundnut price is slightly higher than thatof Indian orgin but there is such a w ide difference in quality that the comparison between the two is entirely out of the question.

4) Your L/Cmust reach us on or before the25th thismonth; otherw isewe shall notbe able to catch the steamer“Dong-feng”.

5) As themarket of groundnuts is declining，there is no possibility of business unless you can reduce your price by 5%.

6) We regret to inform you that our customers here find your price too high.

7) We do not deny that the quality of your products is superior to thatof Japanesemake but the difference in price should in no case be as big as 20%.

8) Information indicates thatquite a few of our customers here are inclined to place ordersw ith other suppliers.

V. Optional reading:

Thank you for your offer of July 23 for 50，000 pieces of scooters. We regret to say that，compared w ith the offers from other sources，your price is too high and obviously out of line w ith the prevailing market here.

As far as we know，prices of similar goods have declined by about 15% since last December. Some suppliers have even offered a special discount of as high as 20% on orders exceeding USD50，000.00. Therefore，it is rather difficult for us to accept your price of USD 18.50 per piece FOB Shanghai. Unless you can see your way clear to reduce your price by 10%，we will have no choice but to cover our requirements elsewhere. It is in view of the long-term friendly business relations between us that we have made you this counter-offer. Therefore we hope you w ill consider it carefully and accept itw ithout any delay.

感谢你方7月23日关于50 000件儿童踏板车的报盘。我们很遗憾，和其他来源的报盘相比较，你们的价格过高，显然不符合本地现行市场价格。

据我们了解，去年12月以来，类似商品的价格下跌了15%。一些供货商对超过50 000美元的订单甚至给予高达20%的特殊折扣。因此，对于你方FOB上海每件18.5美元的价格我们很难接受。除非你方降价10%，否则我方将别无选择，只得向别处报盘。

我们是考虑到我们之间长期有好的业务关系才做出此还盘。因此我们希望你方认真考虑并立即接受。