A specimen Letter

Dear Sirs:

We are in receipt of your offer of March 26 for 300 cases of black tea at 30 pounds per kilogram, C.I.F. Liverpool.

In reply, we regret to inform you that we cannot do business at the prices you have given. You may be aware that some Indian dealers are lowering their prices. No doubt there is keen competition in the market.

We do not deny that the quality of Chinese tea is better and no other tea can compare with yours either for flavor or color, but the difference in price should, in no case, be as great as 8 percent. To close the business, our counteroffer is as follows:

300 cases of black tea at 25 pounds per kilogram, other terms as per your letter of March 26.

As the market is declining, we recommend your early acceptance.

Yours faithfully,

先生：

我们收到了你们三月二十六日关于三百箱红茶，每公斤三十英镑利物浦到岸价的报盘。

很抱歉，我们不能接受你们的价格。你们可能知道，有些印度商人正在削价销售。无疑市场竞争很激烈。

我们承认，中国茶叶品质较好，在香味和色泽方面，其他品牌的红茶很难与之相比。但是价格差距不应高过百分之八。为了成交，我们还盘如下：

三百箱红茶，每公斤二十五英镑，其他条件照你方三月二十六日信中所述办理。

由于市价看跌，我们建议你们早日接受。