1. What is an offer?

An offer is a business letter offering to sell a good/ goods on stated terms and conditions.
2. How many kinds of offer are usually made?
- 02 kinds: Firm offer & Free offer
- Difference between a free offer and a firm offer:
 Firm offer:
 Usually made to one buyer
 Without supplier’s sales confirmation
 With time validity
 Free offer: (Offer without engagement)
 Make to many buyers
 With supplier’s sales confirmation
 No time validity
3. Difference between an offer and a quotation:
- Offer:
 Necessary includes 07 terms and conditions.
 Name of the goods
 Quality and specifications
 Quantity
 Price
 Packing and marking
 Delivery time
 Terms of payment
 Legally binding when a firm offer is accepted
- - Quotation;
 Details of prices, discounts & payment terms
 Clear indication of what prices cover (FOB, CIF, CFR… whether packing includes…)
 Not necessary to include 07 terms and conditions
 Not legally binding
4. How to write an offer:
- Opening:
 Express your thanks for the enquiry
 Express pleasure of offering
- Message:
 07 terms and conditions
 More with machines & equipments (technical documents & warranty)
- Ending:
  Express hope for order & future business
- Opening (for a free offer):
 We thank you very much for your inquiry dated/ of 8 August 2000… asking for/ for…
and are happy/ glad to make you an offer on the following terms and conditions
 We thank you very much for your inquiry dated/ of 8 August 2000… asking for/ for…
and take great pleasure in making you an offer on the following terms and conditions
- Opening (for a firm offer)
 We thank you very much for your inquiry dated/ of 8 August 2000… asking for/ for…
and are happy/ glad to make you a firm offer which is valid until October 15, 200… on
the following terms and conditions
 We thank you very much for your inquiry dated/ of 8 August 2000… asking for/ for…
and take great pleasure in making you a firm offer which is valid until October 15,
200… on the following terms and conditions
- Useful expressions for a firm letter:
 We are pleased to:
 Make you a firm offer which is valid until…
 Offer firm until…
 This offer remains open for acceptance within 15 days
 This offer is firm for … days
 This offer is subject to acceptance within…
 This offer is valid until…
- Message:
 Name of the commodity/ goods (woolen sweater, washing machines TD 236…)
 Quality and specifications: As per enclosed catalogue no. 234/ DL
 Quantity: 1,000 pcs/ units
 Price:
 Unit price:…including packing,
 Total value:
 Packing: in export customary packing
 Delivery: in one lot/ shipment in the middle of December 200…
 Payment: is to be made/ effected in US dollar/ Pound sterling by an irrevocable letter of
credit at sight/ at 60 day’s sight to be opened at/ through/ by the Bank for Foreign Trade
of Vietnam (Vietcombank), 15 days prior to shipment, valid for 45 days, to the account
of Lloyd’s Bank, London, in the favour of the seller for the total value of the goods to be
shipped.
 Technical documents: 02 copies of user’s manual to be supplied with each unit of goods.
 Warranty: 12 months from use or 18 months from dispatch.
- Ending:
 Express hopes for order and future business:
E.G.: We assure you that any of your orders will be given our best attention.
We are looking forwards to your order soon.
We are looking for the opportunity of doing business with you
We are looking for the opportunity of being of service to you.
Final test:
Essential of Economics I, II: Speaking
Writing: Translation from English to Vietnamese.
Dear Sirs,

We thank you for your enquiry no. 2431 dated 1st August, 2007 asking for men’s leather shoes code
306/TLd and women’s leather shoes code 295MT/td and take great pleasure in making you a firm
offer for men’s leather shoes 306/TLd, which is open for your acceptance within 15 days on the
following terms and conditions:
1. Name of the goods: men’s leather shoes code 306MT/td
2. Quality and specifications: as per enclosed catalogue sent to you.
3. Quantity: as requested
4. Price: $20/ pair CIF Briston including packing.
5. Packing and marking: in export customary packing.
6. Delivery time: within December 200…
7. Terms of payment: is to be made in US dollar/ Pound sterling by an irrevocable letter of
credit at 60 day’s sight to be opened at the ABC Commercial Bank, 15 days prior to
shipment, valid for 45 days, to the account of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam
(Vietcombank), Vietnam, in the favour of LEAPRODEXIM for the total value of the goods
to be shipped.
As for the women’s shoes code 295MT/ld, we have no longer produced them. In stead, we can offer
you our women’s shoes code 305LT/tdA1, which is more fashionable than, but not as expensive as
the shoes code 295MT/td (their price is $25.50 CIF Briston).
We enclosed herewith our latest catalogue and current price list of these shoes.
We assure that our products are good in quality, attractive in design and competitive in price and
any of your orders will be given our best attention.
We look forward to receiving your order soon.
Yours faithfully,