TRADE ENGLISH 外贸英语 · 邮件写作

模块 03 · 04

询盘 · 报价 · 议价

这段往来决定订单能不能成。核心不是「把价格报低」,而是让客户在信息完整的前提下做决定—— 他越清楚条款,越少在后期扯皮,也越难拿别家的低价来压你。

01回复询盘:四段式

结构固定,内容按客户来信填。四段加起来 120–180 词,超过就是该拆附件了。

段写什么例子
① 确认 + 结论 收到了;能不能供;全部还是部分 Thank you for your inquiry of 12 March. We can supply all five items in your RFQ.
② 核心条款 价、MOQ、交期、付款、有效期 FOB Ningbo, USD 12.40/pc at 500 pcs, MOQ 300 pcs, 25 days after deposit, valid to 25 March.
③ 要确认的点 影响报价或生产的 1–2 个变量 Do you need 4000K or 5000K? Should the cartons carry your label?
④ 时间锚点 什么时候之前确认,能赶上什么 If you confirm by 20 March, we can catch the vessel on 8 April.

02客户信息不全:给假设报价,别只问问题

最差的处理方式是回一封 Please advise your specifications. 然后等—— 客户手上还有六家供应商,其中三家已经给了价格区间。 正确做法是:按最常见配置给一个带条件的报价,同时列出会影响价格的三个变量。

客户没说的对价格的影响可以先假设
功率 / 色温 / 显指±5%–15%,芯片与驱动不同档按最常出的规格报,注明「based on 36W, 4000K, CRI>80」
数量台阶价差 3%–12%给 500 / 1,000 / 3,000 三档,客户自己会对号
包装OEM 彩盒比中性包装贵,且有起订量先报中性包装,注明彩盒另计
认证CE / RoHS / UL 成本差异大明确报的是 CE + RoHS,UL 需另报
贸易术语FOB / CIF / DDP 差价可能 8% 以上默认 FOB,注明可改 CIF,运费按当时报价
Subject
Quotation — LED panel, based on standard spec (reply to your enquiry)

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your enquiry. Since the specification wasn't included, I've quoted our standard 36W / 4000K / CRI>80 panel below — if your project needs a different wattage or colour temperature, the price may move by up to 10%.

500 pcs: USD 12.40/pc  |  1,000 pcs: USD 11.90/pc  |  3,000 pcs: USD 11.20/pc
FOB Ningbo, MOQ 300 pcs, 25 days after deposit, valid to 25 March.

To give you an exact figure, I need three things: the wattage and colour temperature, the destination port, and whether you need CE only or also RoHS.

Best regards,
Lin Tao · Export Sales

先给可用信息,再要关键变量。客户哪怕不回复,也记住了你的价格区间。

03报价:六项缺一项,后面就要吵一次

必须写错误写法正确写法
① 单价 + 数量台阶 USD 12.4 USD 12.40/pc for 500 pcs; USD 11.90/pc from 1,000 pcs
② 贸易术语 + 地点 FOB price FOB Ningbo (Incoterms 2020)
③ MOQ Small orders accepted MOQ 300 pcs; below 300 pcs a USD 60 setup charge applies
④ 交期起算点 Delivery: 25 days 25 days after receipt of deposit and approval of artwork
⑤ 付款方式 T/T 30% T/T deposit, balance against copy of B/L
⑥ 有效期 Price subject to change Valid until 25 March 2026

「交期起算点」是最常被忽略的一项。25 days 从哪天算? 定金到账?样品确认?包装稿确认?写清楚这一句,能省掉后面三次解释和一次争吵。

有效期为什么要写死 铜、铝、芯片、海运费、汇率都会动。写「15 天内有效」有两个好处:客户有决策压力;你到期涨价时有依据。 到期前 3 天发一封提醒(Just a reminder — the quotation expires on 25 March),比到期后直接改价体面得多。

04还盘:先谈条件,再谈价格

客户说 Your price is too high, our target is USD 11.50 时, 直接降 7% 等于告诉他原来的报价有水分,而且下一单他会继续压。 正确顺序是:先问「为了什么」——数量、付款、规格、交期,每一样都能换钱。

筹码换取方式可用句式
数量 从 500 提到 1,000,摊薄换型与采购成本 If you can take 1,000 pcs, we can move to USD 11.90.
付款 30% 定金 → 100% 预付,省资金成本与汇率风险 We can meet USD 11.80 if payment is 100% T/T in advance.
交期 接受 35 天标准交期,而不是 25 天赶货 At a 35-day lead time we can offer USD 11.95; 25 days needs overtime.
规格 换驱动品牌、缩短质保、简化包装 With a 2-year warranty instead of 3, the price is USD 11.80.
长期 年度框架协议、季度滚动预测 With an annual commitment of 6,000 pcs we can quote USD 11.40 for the year.

一个实用技巧:永远给两个方案,而不是一个价。 方案 A 便宜但要改条件,方案 B 保持原条件但价格不动。 客户选了 A,你让的是成本不是利润;客户选了 B,你守住了价格还显得配合。

05拒绝降价:三段,别辩护

  1. 认可目标。I understand the target — most of our European buyers start there.
  2. 说明依据,只讲一条。选最能站得住的那条:材料成本、认证成本、或品质差异。不要列五条理由,像在找借口。
  3. 给替代路径。改配置、改数量、改付款、分批出货——总有一条能走。
千万不要写 Our price is already very cheap. —— cheap 在英文里等于「便宜且劣质」,客户会立刻怀疑你的质量。 要说便宜,用 competitive;要强调价值,用 the price reflects …。

06客户不回复:三次跟进,每次都要有新东西

时间主题行核心内容
D+3 Following up — two things that may help 补一条新信息:现货、船期、价格有效期、同规格出货记录
D+7 Sample available — 2 pcs, freight prepaid 给一个低成本决策动作:免费样品、小批量试单、视频验厂
D+14 Should I close this file for now? 留门 + 明确停止。这句话的回复率意外地高,因为回答成本极低
D+30 New 2026 range — 2 models you may not have seen 换成行业动态或新品,不再提上次报价

判断标准很简单:如果这封邮件删掉「please reply」,客户还能从中得到一条新信息吗? 不能,就别发。

07三封往来:从还价到下单

① 客户还价(原文)

From
p.weber@nordlicht-gmbh.example
Subject
RE: Quotation — 500 pcs LED Panel / RFQ-2603-18

Lin,

Thanks for the quotation. To be honest, USD 12.40 is too high for us. Our target is USD 11.50 for 500 pcs. Can you improve?

Peter

② 我方回应(条件交换,不直接降)

Subject
RE: Quotation — 500 pcs LED Panel / RFQ-2603-18 (two options at your target)

Dear Peter,

Thanks for being direct about the target. At 500 pcs, USD 11.50 is below our material cost on this specification, so I can't get there without changing something. Two ways forward:

Option A — 1,000 pcs at USD 11.90. Same specification, same 3-year warranty. The quantity lets us buy drivers at a better tier.

Option B — 500 pcs at USD 11.80. Two-year warranty, and our standard driver instead of the Meanwell unit.

Both are FOB Ningbo, 25 days after deposit, valid to 25 March. If neither fits, tell me your annual volume and I'll quote a frame agreement — that's usually where the real gap closes.

Best regards,
Lin Tao · Export Sales

没有一句「sorry, our price is fixed」,也没有直接降到 11.50。给的是两条路,不是一道墙。

③ 客户接受(并改量)

From
p.weber@nordlicht-gmbh.example
Subject
RE: Quotation — 500 pcs LED Panel / RFQ-2603-18

Lin,

Option A works. Let's do 1,000 pcs. Please send the PI, and confirm you can ship by 8 April.

One question: can you ship 200 pcs first so we can start installation?

Peter

这一步之后进入订单确认与货款环节,见 订单与货款。 注意客户最后那句「先发 200 pcs」——这是典型的追加请求,回复时要同时给出可行性、额外费用、以及对原交期的影响, 不能只说 Yes, no problem.