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FOCUS 1. Read and discuss the letters.

1.1 PLACING AN ORDER

Fashion Ltd.

87 Nelson Road, London EC2M 3HG

We acknowledge receipt of your 20__ sportswear catalogue. Overall design, fabrics and colours are fully in line with both the market trends and our customers’ wishes.

We would therefore appreciate it if you could send us as soon as possible:

-700 ladies’ training tracksuits, codes K21 and K35 in matching colours;

-300 men’s tracksuits, code L52, in deep blue;

-250 children’s tracksuits, code M45, in white and green.

We will settle at receipt of the goods against invoice so that we may claim the 2% cash discount mentioned in your quotation. As to delivery, it needs hardly be said that we would appreciate a prompt dispatch, as we hope to highlight these goods in our spring displays.

Please also let us know your best delivery dates for a repeat order, in case we need to replenish our stock.

Thank you in advance.

Yours faithfully

ElBullfinch

Elizabeth Bullfinch Manager

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1.2 PUTTING FORWARD A COUNTER OFFER FOR A SUBSTITUTE

It was a pleasure to receive your order for sportswear of our manufacture and to hear of your success in disposing of the last consignment. As we mentioned previously, these kinds of sportswear, with their all-purpose utility, have become best-selling models and you cannot go wrong in stocking them.

While sales throughout the world have been good, there has been a persistent demand for in-door fitness activity sportswear rather than for all-purpose one. On careful examination of this demand, we came to the conclusion that the average fitness conscious user of today wants a training suit combining advanced quality facilities with fashionable design. We have therefore manufactured a new version of training tracksuits code L21, which is fitted with the whole assortment of the latest collection.

Model L21 has replaced K21, and at a price of $300 per item, represents the finest value on the market for sportswear of this type. We think you will agree that the difference in price, $50, between this and the previous model is very small for the amazing difference in quality and style which is now possible. It has received an enthusiastic welcome here already.

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Our new publicity campaign is due to begin in a few weeks and L21 will be advertised extensively in national media as well as special sports and fitness magazines in your country. Your stock will reach you in good time for the start of our campaign, so we should be glad if you could confirm the order for 700 items of Model L21 in place of the discontinued Model K21.

We shall be happy to grant you an extra 5% discount for 700 items, and can promise you immediate despatch.

Looking forward to your prompt reply we remain

Yours sincerely,

Jacques Piemont

Jacques Piemont

Sales Manager

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1.3 NEW ORDER CONFIRMATION

Fashion Ltd

March 23rd, 20__

Duchaussoy & Fils 66 Avenue de l’Adour 66403 Anglet, France

Dear Mr Piemont,

Further to your offer of March 15th 20__, we are pleased to enclose our revised formal Purchase Order. We have had to work particularly hard to obtain this order, however, and only managed to secure it at the cost of a 2.5% reduction in commission to ourselves.

We have already had occasion to comment at length on the changing nature of the market – people tend to buy increasing quantities of cheap South Asian and Chinese items and fewer quality items manufactured in Europe. This trend is becoming more marked every day, and it is more and more difficult to win business in the face of such competition.

We are quite willing to step up our advertising and really make a strong sales drive, because we are convinced that there is business to be obtained. However, unless you are prepared to make an all-round price cut, such an effort would have little chance of success. Indeed, as matters stand, we can only

be pessimistic about the future of our pending enquiries.

We are anxious to hear what your position is on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

ElBullfinch

Elizabeth Bullfinch

Manager