Examples of letters

1. Proposal to a company to act as agent. Dear Sirs,

We have been in touch with your Chamber of Commerce¹, who recommend your firm as a possible agent for our products in your country.

We manufacture the AUTOCOPIER range² of automatic document copiers, and wish extend sales³ over the whole of Europe. This copier has proved highly successful wherever it has been introduced, and we are confident that you will be able to build a good market in a short time⁴.

Our catalogue showing the full range is enclosed, and you will notice that we offer a commission of 7¹/₂ % on all orders. To begin with we should supply you with sufficient stock⁵ on six months' credit, and follow this payment by quarterly draft⁶.

Please advise if you are interested in representing us, and if you think the volume of business you can do would warrant our granting you the sole agency for your country.

Yours faithfully,

2. Reply to the above— proposal accepted. Dear Sirs,

We were very pleased to receive your letter of the 30^th of May suggesting that we might be interested in representing you.

We are willing to sell your products throughout this country on the basis outlined⁷ in your letter, and have asked one of our directors, Mr. J.N. Steinberg, to call on you, as he will be in your country in five days' time.

You will no doubt be drawing up an agreement, and we suggest the inclusion of the following points, some of which have already been agreed:

a) We operate as Sole Agents⁸ for a period of three years, after which period the contract to be renewed annually⁹. \

b) A commission of 7^x/₂ % to be paid on all sales, whether from us or direct from customers.

c) Monthly account¹⁰ of sales to be kept and sent to you. We will accept your quarterly drafts for the net amount.

d) We agree not to handle" any imported competitive machines.

e) All advertising expenditure for the first year to be refunded by you, thereafter to be divided equally between us.

f) All reasonable outlays¹² for postage, cables, and trunk calls¹³ to be refunded by you. Office expenses payable by us.

Regarding point (e) above, we think that it is fair¹⁴ to ask you to pay for the first year's advertising, as sales will be small until your products are known. Mr. Steinberg has had considerable experience in advertising office equipment in this country, and would like to talk over with you the best way to set about it, while at the same time you can advise him how much you wish to spend on this item in the first year.

Yours faithfully,

3. Company offering itself as agents. Dear Sirs,

I understand that you have no agent in Sweden, and I would like to offer my services.

For the past six years I have been selling confectionery¹⁵ to wholesalers and large retailers¹⁶ in all parts of Sweden, and have built up a considerable number of well-established connections showing excellent trading results.

Until recently I was not in the position to look for additional lines, as I was doing all the work myself; however, I have now taken on two representatives, and if you agree to grant me a sole agency I shall hand over existing accounts to them to enable me to devote full attention to establishing ypur products on the Swedish market.

Sales could be either on a consignment basis or by placing firm orders¹⁷, whichever you prefer.

If you are interested in my proposal, I should be very happy to provide bank and trade references.

Yours faithfully,

4. Reply to the above — offer can be accepted if references are provided.

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter dated the 9^th September requesting us to consider you as our agent for Sweden.

For some time now we have been thinking of appointing an agent in your country, and your proposal has come at an opportune moment. If you would be good enough to furnish us with the references you mentioned, we shall get in touch with you further. Sincerely yours,

5. Continuation — references received and agreement finalized.

Dear Sir,

We have now received replies from the referees you gave in your letter of .the 19^th September, and subject to the agreement of terms¹⁸, we shall be pleased to grant you a sole agency for the period of fihree- years, after which time the agreement would be renewed annually.

A commission of 4 % will be paid on all sales made through you, and we will allow reasonable expenses incurred¹⁹ on our behalf.

Enclosed you will find our export catalogue with price list and order forms, and we shall be pleased to supply you with goods on credit not exceeding £ 20,000.00. We shall draw on you at sight quarterly. Goods supplied where credit would exceed the limit should be paid for by banker's transfer²⁰.

We look forward to receiving your first order.

Sincerely yours,

6. With regrets the offer of agency is declined.

Dear Sir,

We have for acknowledgement your letter dated the 9^th of September regarding your request to represent us in Sweden.

At the moment we are fully represented in your country and are not in a position to take on any further agents. Should the position change in the future we shall be glad to get in touch with you.

Sincerely yours,

7. Company offering its services as commission agent.

Dear Sirs,

A few days ago we had the opportunity to see a display of your products at the Russian Industries Pair in Moscow and we were most impressed with their quality and low prices.

We should like to offer you our services as a commission agent for Belgium and Holland, and could mention that we have excellent connections in the trade and are fully experienced with import regulations, customs formalities, and shipping arrangements for this type of product. In addition, we operate our own advertising agency, and use the latest marketing procedures.

You can be sure of increasing your turnover considerably⁸¹ if you would allow us to promote sales²² of your products throughout this part of Europe.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

8. Russian agent writes to English manufacturer concerning an order.

Dear Mr. Jennings,

I have received an enquiry from the Russian-Finnish firm "SMART", St Petersburg, for thirty G.B.25 and fifty G.B.75 tape-recorders.

The recorders should arrive in St Petersburg not later than the 10^th of November and terms required are C.I.F.

Please advice if you can supply this order within the time stated.

Yours sincerely,

9. Reply to the above — principal giving instructions. Dear Mr. Sidorov,

We refer to the prospective order for tape-recorders by the Russian-Finnish firm "START", St Petersburg, required by the 10^th of November.

You can inform these buyers that both the G.B.25 and 75 models are in stock²³, and we have reserved the number required pending receipt²⁴ of your official order. C.I.F. rate will be £ 2,560.00.

Delivery can be effected by the 6^th of November if the order is received before the 28^th of October.

We await your instructions.

Yours sincerely,