- •Clauses of a contract
- •Methods of payment
- •1) By cheque:
- •2) By telegraphic or telex transfers or post:
- •3) By a Letter of Credit (or just: by credit)
- •4) By payment for collection:
- •1) Payment by drafts (Bills of Exchange - b/e):
- •2) Payment in advance:
- •3) Payment in an open account:
- •Terms of delivery
- •Packing and marking
- •Guarantee clause of a contract
- •Inspection and tests
- •Insurance of goods
- •Settling commercial disputes
- •The arbitration clause
- •Force majeure
- •Amendments to the contract
- •Enquiries and offers
- •Questions for discussion
Questions for discussion
BOOK 1
Lesson 1
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What do you usually do at your office?
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What matters do you usually discuss with foreign businessmen?
Lesson 2
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Speak on the goods you sell.
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Speak on the talks you're going to have.
Lesson 6
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When cannot the Seller give you a discount on the price?
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On what terms do you deliver the goods to your Buyers?
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What terms of payment suit you, as a rule?
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What details must you clarify during the talks?
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When can you sign a Contract with a Company?
Lesson 7
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Why do people make reservations for flights in advance?
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When do you have to pay customs duty?
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What things are liable to duty?
BOOK 2
Lesson 4
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When do you usually sell goods on CIF (FOB) terms?
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Why do you sometimes agree to take part deliveries?
Lesson 7
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Why do many companies often improve their models?
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Why does the Buyer want to visit the manufacturing plant, as a rule?
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When are you satisfied with your transactions?
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How do you choose the Company which you'll sell your goods to?
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What do you usually do if the Buyers don't want to accept prices?
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What are you regular terms of payment?
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Speak on a Letter of Credit.
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What is a trial order?
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When do the Sellers give a discount to their customers?
Lesson 9
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Is it convenient to travel overnight? Why?
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Why does the Buyer sometimes ask to give him drawings of the latest model?
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Are your goods popular abroad? Why?
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How do your goods compare with the goods of other companies?
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What shops would you visit at a manufacturing plant? Why?
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What can you see in different shops?
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How does your latest model compare with the previous one?
BOOK 3
Lesson 2
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What kind of stand can impress you when you visit an exhibition?
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Why are exhibitions and fairs growing in size from year to year?
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Why do we say that every exhibition is a good method to advertise different goods?
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Why do fairs and exhibitions pave the way for the consolidation of peace and friendship among different nations?
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What's the purpose of arranging fairs and exhibitions?
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Why do foreign companies show interest in the exhibitions which are held in Russia?
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Why is it necessary to have qualified stand-attendants at exhibitions?
Lesson 4
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Why does the Seller sometimes have to develop special features in their goods?
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Why does the Buyer often want the Seller to quote FOB terms of delivery?
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Why is it necessary for our trading organizations to be in close touch with the world market?
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What information can Buyers find in offers?
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In what case do Buyers agree to increase an order?
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What influences the price increase?
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When can't the Seller offer goods for prompt delivery?
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Are orders usually placed with the companies who give the lowest prices?
Lesson 5
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Why are leaflets often enclosed with offers?
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Why does the Buyer want the guarantee period to be extended?
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Why do the Sellers arrange service visits of their engineers after the guarantee period?
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Are leaflets and catalogues supplied to the Buyer only in the case of the first transactions or regularly? Why?
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What kind of information do leaflets provide?
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What kind of offers do Buyers find attractive?
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What points do Buyers look into before they accept an offer?
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In what cases are export prices revised?
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What are the Seller's obligations during the guarantee period?
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What is the Buyer responsible for during the guarantee period?
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In what cases can the guarantee period be extended?
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Why must faulty parts be replaced urgently?
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In what case are defects in the equipment corrected during the guarantee period at the Buyer's expense?
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Is it necessary for large and popular companies to advertise their goods through leaflets and catalogues?
Lesson 8
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Why does the Buyer sometimes ask to quote for spare parts?
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What information is included in specifications?
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When do Sellers usually enclose specifications with offers?
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What kind of document is a Bill of Lading?
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Why is it very important?
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What does the validity period of an offer mean?
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When is it necessary for the Buyer's inspectors to be present at the test at the Seller's plant?
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When can tests be carried out without the Buyer's inspectors?
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What kind of document is a Notification of Readiness for Tests?
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Why is it to be sent to the Buyer in advance?
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What kind of document is a Test Report?
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What kind of document is a Release Note for Shipment?
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Why are Sellers interested in getting a Release Note for Shipment without delay?
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Why do Sellers always have to pay special attention to packing?
BOOK 4
Lesson 1
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What considerations are usually taken into account when an enquiry is sent?
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What points does an enquiry include?
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Are enquiries usually sent to one or a few different firms?
Lesson 3
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How are offers initiated?
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What items are usually included in an offer?
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Are prospective Buyers usually invited to inspect the equipment before the Contract is signed?
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Do offers usually contain an element of advertising? What factors determine a discount?
Lesson 4
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What do Contracts guarantee?
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Into what 2 groups can Contracts be divided?
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What important items do Contracts cover?
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What are the most important clauses of the Contract?
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In what way is payment to be made under the Contract?
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What kind of Letter of Credit is to be opened by the Buyer?
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When is the Letter of Credit to be opened by the Buyer?
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For what value is payment to be made?
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How long is the Letter of Credit to be valid?
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In what case do the contracting parties have the right to renegotiate the price?
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Why does the Contract state the right of both parties to renegotiate the price?
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What factors can affect the prices for the goods (e.g. asbestos, equipment, coffee, nylon, chemical, etc.)?
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What can affect the construction projects?
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What factors can affect the production capacity of the plant (the delivery schedule, production programme, etc.)?
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What information does a shipping schedule contain?
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When are shipping schedules drawn up?
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Why is it important to draw up Contracts in foreign trade? In what way do they protect the interests of the partners?
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Who charters a vessel if goods are sold on FOB terms'? What terms of delivery do Russian import (export) organizations practice?
Lesson 5
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Why do Buyers often visit Sellers' premises before (after) a Contract is signed?
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What clauses of the Contract are more liable to changes? What is the procedure of making amendments to Contracts?
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In what cases are amendments, alterations and modifications made?
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Is much work done before a Contract is concluded? Support your point of view.
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Do Sellers often extend invitations to visit their premises?
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How are programmes for visits worked out?
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Why are visit programmes sometimes modified?
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Are Buyers invited to Sellers' premises more often before or after the Contract has been signed?
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For what purpose are they invited?
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What arrangements are usually made before specialists come to the Sellers' premises?
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Are Sellers usually willing to show their customers round their premises? Why?
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Do businessmen always send letters to express thanks for the hospitality shown to them?
Lesson 6
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Why do Sellers inform their Buyers of their decision to raise the prices?
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Why do Sellers indicate the exact date when the new prices will come into force?
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What factors affect the price?
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Why are visits necessary for the promotion of business?
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Which party usually arranges the programme of the visit?
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At whose expense are visits arranged?
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Why are Buyers interested in visiting Seller's premises?
BOOK 5
Lesson 1
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Which clause of the Contract seems most important? Give your reasons.
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In what way can each of the clauses be amended?
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For what reasons can Buyers sometimes delay the visit of inspectors?
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In what cases do Buyers waive inspection?
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What are the main clauses of the Contract?
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What manners of payment are practiced by importing and exporting trade organizations?
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Why is the guarantee sum often stipulated in the Contract?
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Is the time of delivery subject to changes?
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What is the importance of inspection and tests?
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When and where are inspections and tests carried out?
Lesson 2
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For what purpose are amendments added to Contracts?
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What documents are usually presented for payment?
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What is the procedure of issuing a Release Note for Shipment?
Lesson 3
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Against what risks are goods usually insured?
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Why must shipments be insured?
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What kind of document is a Letter of Guarantee?
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When are Sellers not responsible for the quality of the goods during the guarantee period?
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What information do Guarantee Clauses usually contain?
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On what factors do Sellers' guarantees depend?
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Why are two dates specified in the Guarantee Clause of Contracts for equipment?
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What are usual responsibilities of Sellers in respect of packing and marking?
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What packing problems may arise in the course of executing orders?
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Why should extra care be taken to mark the shipments properly?
Lesson 4
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Why is it preferable to settle claims in an amicable way?
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Why is it wrong policy to reject unjustified claims off-hand?
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What does the sum claimed depend on?
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When does the dissatisfied partly claim compensation?
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When does the Buyer have the right to claim a penalty?
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What penalty can be claimed for the first 4 weeks of delay?
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Does the Buyer have the right to claim a higher penalty after a month's delay? What does it amount to?
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What is the maximum penalty that can be claimed?
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Do force majeure clauses cover such complications as government decrees?
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How can Buyers refund the charges incurred through the fault of Sellers?
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Why do claims frequently arise in business?
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What claims are made by Buyers (Sellers)?
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How are claims classified?
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How should a justified claim be documented?
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What can the responsible party undertake after receiving the claim?
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What are the ways of handling justified claims?
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When do the parties in dispute resort to arbitration?
Lesson 5
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What losses could be involved in the execution of the order?
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Who can cover travelling expenses?
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Do the parties concerned often refer their disputes to the Arbitration Commission?
Lesson 6
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Do claims connected with shortage of goods often arise in foreign trade practice?
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What usually causes shortage of goods delivered?
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How can claims affect the relationship between trading partners?
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Why do businessmen try to avoid referring claims to arbitration?
Lesson 7
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What might be the cause of overdue payment?
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What may be the reasons for cancelling the visit of Sellers’ experts?