Conversations

Dialogue 1
A: Now we have settled the terms of payment. Is it possible to effect shipment during September?
B: I don’t think we can.
A: Then when is the earliest we can expect shipment?
B: By the middle of October, I think.
A: That’s too late. You see, November is the season for this commodity in our market, and our Customs formalities are rather compli- cated.
B: I understand.
A: Besides, the flow through the marketing channels and the red tape involved take at least a couple of weeks. Thus, after ship- ment it will be four to five weeks altogether before the goods can reach our retailers. The goods must therefore be shipped before October;otherwise we won’t be in time for the selling season.

-- 现在我们已经谈妥了付款条件，你方是否能够在九月份装船?
-- 我看不行。
-- 那么最早什么时候可以装船呢?
-- 恐怕要在十月中旬。
-- 那太迟了。你知道，在我方市场上，十一月份是这种商品的上 市季节，而我们的海关手续又相当复杂。
-- 我明白。
-- 另外，通过销售渠道以及繁琐的公文程序，起码要花上几个星 期。这样从装船后到我们的零售商收到货物，总共要用四、五 个星期。因此，十月份前货物必须装船，否则我们就赶不上销 售季节了。

B: But our factories are fully committed for the third quarter. In fact, many of our clients are placing orders for delivery in the fourth quarter.
A: Mr. Brown, you certainly realize that the time of delivery is a mat- ter of great importance to us. If we place our goods on the market at a time when all other importers have already sold their goods at profitable prices, we shall lose out.
B: I see your point. However, we have done more business this year than any of the previous years. I am very sorry to say that we cannot advance the time of delivery.
A: That’s too bad, but I sincerely hope you will give our request your special consideration.
B: You may take it from me that the last thing we want to do is to disappoint an old customer like you. But the fact remains that our manufacturers have a heavy backlog on their hands.
A: But can’t you find some way to get round your producers for an earlier delivery? Make a special effort, please. A timely delivery means a lot to us.
B: All right. We’ll get in touch with our producers and see what they have to say.

-- 但是我们工厂第三季度的生产任务已全部排满了。事实上，我们很 多客户在订第四季度交的货呢。
-- 布朗先生，你知道的，交货时间对我们来说很重要。如果在我 们把商品投放到市场上去的时候，别的进口商已经把商品脱手 赚钱了，那我们就亏了。
-- 这点我明白。但是今年我们做的贸易比以往哪一年都要大。很 遗憾不能提前交货。
-- 那糟了，但我真心希望你们对我们的要求给予特殊的考虑。
-- 我可以向你保证，我们最不愿做那些让像你们这样的老客户失 望的事，但是我们的厂家眼前的交货压得很重，这是事实。
-- 你不能想些办法说服厂家提前一些时间交货吗? 请你特别加把 劲。及时交货对我们关系可大啦！
-- 好吧。我们和厂家联系一下，听听他们的意见。