正在我为这批货发愁的时候,那个巴西老外打电话给我,说如果我能在一个月内交货,他们愿意按我报的价格给我买两万多双。我一听,心里一阵欢喜,我马上把THEODORE的事情说出来,但后来我又说:“哎呀!你怎么不早两天打电话给我,我已经介绍了一个阿根廷的客人直接去跟THEODORE谈了,不知道结果怎么样,也许THEODORE已经答应人家了。。。这可是一笔划得来的生意,你省了一大笔运费了。”(因为巴西离墨西哥很近)。巴西老外一听很紧张,马上问我给THEODORE的订单价是多少?报给阿根廷的客人价格又是多少?我装着欲言又止的样子,巴西老外又问我能不能把THEODORE的联系方法,最好是电话留给他,我还是装着欲言又止的样子,突然把手机的电池取了下来。电话就这样断了。我马上给THEODORE打了一个越洋电话,我跟THEODORE说了这个事情,并告诉THEODORE如果巴西人打电话来问,千万不要马上答应他,要装着很为难的样子,说你已经基本上跟一个阿根廷的客人谈好了。而且要将我给你的价格加5%,等他第二次或第三次打电话来时再勉强答应他。THEO欢天喜地的答应了,最后幽默地说:“I was hoping to become an actor from an early age, thank you for giving me a chance to revive my old dream. ”.(我从小就想当个演员,谢谢你给我一个重温旧梦的机会).给THEODORE打完电话后,我马上打电话给那个巴西老外,说很对不起,刚才手机没电,我去换了个电池,然后装着很不情愿的口气把THEODORE的电话及传真号报给巴西老外,并告诉他一定要替我保密,千万不要告诉THEODORE是我给的电话号码.巴西人对我说了很多感谢的话.
我明白老板的意思,但我觉得就这样不了了之也太便宜他们了。第二天,我没让老板知道,发了一个传真给那个南非公司的老板(附上他的护照复印件)。大致的内容是这样的: ------------------ Mr. XXXXX
We've sent someone to look into the matter. Our products have had no problems and have been distributed to several boutique stores on sale in Pretoria and Johannesburg. We're very annoyed at your cheat after knowing the truth. You must make up what you owe within one week, otherwise your personal information and bilk facts will be immediately sent to ICPO and embassies and consulates in world countries. You will be treated with contempt as a notorious bilker wherever you go. We'll see about that!
再举一个例子:我妹妹在日本主要是做印刷品进口的,也就是从中国出口印刷品到日本。几乎所有的SONY电器的说明书都是从中国印刷出去的,前几个月我妹妹从日本给我带了一台SONY数码相机回国,日本原装的,说明书只有英文和日文,后面也是写PRINT IN CHINA.。直接放在装相机的盒子里及一张光盘和广告彩页。也就是SONY公司直接从中国进口印刷品到日本,然后在日本生产的产品在包装时把相应的说明书及广告页跟相机一起放在盒子里。所以我不明白中国的厂商单独放一箱产品宣传册出去是想做什么?
七年前我还在一家贸易公司工作的时候,接触过一家澳洲的客户,这个客人算是澳洲较大的采购商。是通过美国拉斯维加斯展会认识的。当时他们对我们的一款牛皮面橡胶底的防水登山鞋很感兴趣。从讨价还价开始,我就感觉到客人是个中高手。开始客人要我按最小订货量3000双报FOB香港价格(100%L/C AT SIGHT ),我报了$15.5P/P(PER PAIR)。客人回了封很简单的邮件:
You really gave me a jump. Your quotation of pro-mountain bootie was 15% higher than other vendors’. I have to put it pending. (你把我吓了一跳,你的登山鞋报价比其它的贸易商高出15%,我只好先搁置一边了。)
We have 20,000PRS Urgent order for Pro-mountain bootie, the latest time of delivery should be the first half of Aug. Please promptly send 2 colors lab-dips for our approval. Our target price is 14.75USD/PR; hope it is a good premise to the success of our first cooperation. Following is the order details: ---------------- Please oblige me with a reply as quick as possible. (译文) 我们有两万双登山鞋的紧急订单,最迟的交货期是八月份的上半月。请马上寄来两个颜色的鞋面料色卡给我们确认。我们的目标价是14.75USD/双。希望这个价格是我们首次合作成功的前提。下面是订单明细:。。。。。。。。。。。请尽快赐复为盼!
Thank you for calling off the pending state of the order(^_^). I sent 2 colors lab-dips via FedEx this morning. The Tracking No is ******. Please note, thanks! As for the unit price, I took a long and arduous negotiation with factory after received your mail. Factory and I ended up by meeting each other half-way to reduce the unit price to $15.30P/P. We sure hope you would see our pure wishing which was to set up the mutually profitable cooperation with you. Following is the quotation details for your review: ---------------- Await your prompt reply. (译文):谢谢你解除此订单的搁置状态(呵呵)。今天上午我通过联邦快递寄出了两个颜色的皮料色卡,快递号是******,请知悉,谢谢! 至于单价方面,收到你的邮件后,我跟工厂进行了长时间及艰苦的谈判。我们最终决定各自做出一些让步并把单价降到每双$15.30。真诚希望你能看到我们想跟你建立互利合作的心愿。下列是我们报价的明细供你参考:--------------,请尽快回复为盼!
I am appreciated your great efforts for ornamenting this suffering order to a mysterious jashmak. But your last quotation still seemed like an air castle which made me failed to reach for. We all need survive and do not necessarily spend too much time on the price issue. Let’s settle on the price to 15USD/PR, which is that I can ultimately accept. Therefore the total quantity will be reduced to 10,000PRS. Please do not shilly-shally again. An early reply will be much obliged. (译文) 我非常感谢你们巨大的努力给这张多灾多难的订单披上神秘的面纱。只是你们上次的报价还是象空中楼阁一样让我可望而不可及。我们都需要生存,不一定要花太多时间在价格问题上。就让我们把价格定在15USD一双吧,这是我最终所能接受的价格了, 由此,此订单的总数将减少到1万双。别再犹豫了,请尽快回复。
看了这封邮件,我总算弄清楚了客人开始说的2万双的订单数量只不过是想以虚假的大订单数量套出我的价格底线。我也是第一次收到这种夸张及幽默并带有调侃的英文商务信函。到了这个份上,虽然已经把价格争取到了我的目标价了,但也不能这么爽快的答应客人,得在付款方式上做做文章,因为100%L/C AT SIGHT虽然已经是很不错的付款方式了,但由于客人有说过要指定香港的某家验货行来验货,所以客人占的优势很大,也就是主动权仍然在客人手里,所以在这种时候要客人给订金是必要的,但必须利用这个讲价的机会提出来:
Your last mail made me trouble sleeping whole night. Moreover, this suffering order took me for a drowsed weekend. After a thorough discussion to those concerned, we finally accept the price of $15 per pair. But the payment terms indeed need change to 50% T/T deposit with 50% L/C at sight because we have to pay dearly for raw materials. This is the only condition I can give you under your price issue. ……..Await your early reply. (译文) 你的上封邮件让我彻夜难眠,这张多灾多难的订单更让我度过了一个昏昏沉沉的周末。经过与相关人员仔细商量,我们最终同意你提出的每双15USD的价格。但付款方式绝对应该更改为50%的TT订金及50%的即期L/C,因为我们要花很大的成本去购买原材料。这是我们在你出的价格下唯一能接受的条件了。希望你早日回复。
Here is a Branch of Taiwan XXXX Trading Co., Ltd in Chinese mainland. Your info was given us by XXXX, one of the biggest HK forwarder. About 40 days ago, XXXX Corp placed an order with us for 10,000PRS pro-mountain bootie. The goods had passed the final inspection by HK **** certification Company and have arrived Melbourne port for a few days. Unfortunately, XXXX Corp is facing the financial crisis and they could not afford to make payment for goods, which is the reason for why we have got to resell the goods. Please review to Page 1 for shoe illustration and description, Page 2 for final inspection report, Page 3 for B/L copy. We shall be pleased to receive further inquiries from you for price and sample. Your enquiry will be replied as soon as possible.
Our Contact Info: Australian Forwarder Info:
Best wishes, ---------------------- (译文):敬启者,我们是台湾XXXX贸易股份有限公司的中国分部,我们从一家香港的大货代公司那得知贵公司的资料。大约40天前,XXXX公司下了10,000双登山鞋的订单给我们公司;目前这批货已通过香港****检验行的验货且到达墨尔本已经有几天了。不幸的是,XXXX公司目前正面临财政危机,他们无法付款提货,所以我们只好将此批货物转卖。请参看传真的第一页,鞋型图及产品描述,第二页为验货报告;第三页是提单复印件。我们欢迎您就价格及样品的问题提出询问并会尽快回复您的问题。
Since then we have been waiting for you for over one month, but no further responses have been received from you. We have to resell the goods to other Australian importers in order to bail us out of difficulties. This is the only thing we can do under the circumstances. Hope you understand!
Best wishes, (译文)我们等了你一个多月了,一直没有收到你的任何回应。我们只有转卖此批货给其它的澳洲买家以摆脱困境。在目前的情势下我们也只能这样做了,希望你理解! ------------------------ 狡猾的Stephen收到传真后并没有马上回复,他可能是认为我在跟他闹着玩的,想引他出来,因为他知道我之前并没有跟其它的澳洲客人做过生意;第三天,大概是澳洲的货代告诉他有其它的澳洲买家在询问此批货的事情。他有点紧张了,在沉默了一个多月后,终于实施了他蓄谋已久的计划,同时给我发了封紧急传真和邮件: Dear Sunny,
Business is now rather difficult; it goes pretty tough day to day. I was full of confidence in attending shoe show abroad but failed to accomplish the purpose desired. That is the reason I never responded your messages. Sorry Sunny. Almost every month I have to pay off a sizeable amount for dozens of containers. Borrow from Peter to pay Paul that reminds me of an old saying of “Money Talks”. So I often ask for help from suppliers to tide me over until I recall the part of currency issued. If you give 2% discount of the total sum of pro-mountain booties to me, I shall arrange the remittance immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Please confirm by return.
Best wishes, (译文) 现在生意很难做,日子天天不好过。满怀信心出国参展,灰头土脸空手而回。抱歉SUNNY,这就是我一直没回复的原因。 几乎每个月我都要为几十个柜子付一大笔钱;我不得不拆东墙补西墙;这使我想起一句俗话:钱是万能的。因此我经常请求供应商帮忙摆脱困境直到资金回笼。如果在这批登山鞋的总金额的基础上你能给我2%的折扣,我会马上安排汇款。谢谢你的合作。请尽快确认及回复。 --------------------------- 我认为,做生意应该讲原则,讲信用,既然大家原先已经签好的协议是见到提单传真件后两周内汇款的,即使你客人真有困难,也可以把问题摆出来大家商量,只要是诚心诚意的,总会有解决的办法,不应该这样把人家凉在那一个多月,也不给个答复。做为一个打工的,不管是国内还是国外,7万多美金都不是个小数目,即便是老板不追究责任,做为我当事人在精神上都很难承受,玩这种花招太没意思,这种客人如果不给他点教训,他以后还会去用同样的方法对付别人。
收到这封传真,当时我想,收到了钱,我再慢慢陪你玩。所以就在传真上签了如下的几个字:
CFM.TTL SUM OF T/T: $72,000 (DDT 2% DISCOUNT) +$450(INSPTN COSTS) =$72,450. PLS ARRANGE T/T ASAP, IN ORDER TO OUR T/R [确认!T/T总金额为:$72,000(已扣除了2%的折扣)+ $450(检验费) =$72,450. 请尽快安排汇款以便我们电放] [注:TTL=TOTAL;DDT=DEDUCT;INSPTN=INSPECTION;PLS=PLEASE;ASAP=AS SOON AS POSSIBLE;T/R=TELEX RELEASE]
I had to run away from my creditor whom I made a usurious loan. Since I swallowed your promise of paying the rest within two weeks, I signed an agreement with factory without permission of my boss that we would pay off the balance after three weeks of delivery. The mischief of this case was that you didn’t keep your promise; I had no choice but to go to the Jews in order to keep my words to factory. My company could do nothing for me under such circumstance. Now the interest of usury is moving up to $3,000.
Whoever will be accountable for one’s actions, and so do we! I will not release the B/L till you pay off the interest of $3,000 because you wreaked the mischance. Please note, thanks! (译文) 我借了高利贷不得不四处躲债。因为我轻信了你说的两周内支付余款的诺言,所以我未经老板允许就跟工厂签订了一个协议,我们在工厂出货三周后将余款付清给工厂。这件事情坏就坏在你没有信守诺言而我为了不对工厂失信,没有别的选择只好去借高利贷了。在这种情况下,我们公司不能帮我做什么。现在高利贷的利息已经达到$3,000.
这件事情过去一周后,我主动先给STEPHEN写了封邮件谈及有关新款式打样确认的事情。在邮件的最后我加了一句:Let’s get over bygones, embrace the future! (让我们忘掉过去,拥抱未来)。STEPHEN在回信中也表示,非常愿意跟我合作及交朋友,希望大家都不要再提过去的事情。