LESSON 23: HOW TO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO RETURN PURCHASED GOODS?--怎样提出退货要求？


CONTENTS

I. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS 常用语

II. SAMPLE 范文

III. TIPS 掌握写作要领

IV. EXERCISE: WORDS, PHRASES AND SENTENCE PATTERNS 精通常用词组和句型

V. WRITING WORKSHOP 写作小作坊

VI. GOODIES & GIFTS 实用小礼物

I. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
常用语

1. How to start your letter?

I would like to return the GDE-300 Processor that was delivered last week.

I would like to arrange to have the three mowers returned to your warehouse.

We have discovered that 50 copies of "Information Management" were mistakenly included in the order you delivered to our store on May 26.

Confirming our Monday conversation regarding the defective mowers, we will be returning 15 units for credit.

2. How to ask the supplier to credit your account or send you a replacement?

Please credit our account accordingly if the defective fax machines were charged to it.

I am shipping the mowers back to your warehouse. Please credit my account accordingly.

We are returning, via UPS, the 5 answering machines for credit. Please apply the credit to our account.

Please let me know how you would like the fax machine returned and send us a replacement as soon as possible.

Please accept the men's sweaters for return and send us 48 women's sweaters as soon as possible.

3. How to end your letter?

We trust that future shipments will be of the quality we have come to expect.

Thank you for a prompt response.

Thank you for handling this matter promptly.


II. SAMPLE
范文


Dear ____________:

We would like to return the Ace-3 Accounting System you shipped to us on April 20 (invoice #AC45980). When we ordered this software package by phone on Feb. 23, we were assured by your sales representative Helen Rundell that the package would be shipped within two weeks. However, we didn't receive the package until yesterday (April 23). We ordered the software in order to fill an urgent need in our Accounting Department, and we had to install the software no later than April 1. When the package you had promised to ship on time had not arrived by March 15, we had no other choice but to order the same product through another vendor. We informed Ms. Rundell by phone on March 15 that we decided to cancel our order with your firm.

Please let me know how you would like this software package returned and credit our account for $898.95. We value your service and would like to order from you again, provided that you could guarantee prompt delivery.

Sincerely,



____________
____________


III. TIPS
掌握写作要领

1. Place your request at the beginning of the letter to capture the recepient's attention.
2. Explain why you want to return the goods.
3. Support your request by facts or evidence if necessary.
4. Maintain good will by ending your letter in a courteous and positive manner.



IV. EXERCISE: WORDS, PHRASES AND SENTENCE PATTERNS
精通常用词组和句型

1. Click on the word or phrase that fits the sentence:

  1. We are _____ the process of rebuilding our factory and cannot use the equipment at this time.
    (A) at
    (B) in
    (C) on
    (D) along

  2. _____ our Monday conversation regarding the defective mowers, we will be returning 15 units for credit.
    (A) Confirming
    (B) Confirmed
    (C) Have confirmed
    (D) We confirm

  3. We request that a replacement shipment ____ made immediately.
    (A) is
    (B) will be
    (C) to be
    (D) be

  4. As I'm leaving Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 30, I need to receive the replacement no later _____ Monday, April 29.
    (A) on
    (B) as
    (C) [none]
    (D) than

  5. Enclosed are sample parts _____ some of the problems that were encountered.
    (A) show you
    (B) showing
    (C) will show
    (D) shown

  6. The software program contains bugs that interfere with other programs, resulting ____ loss of important data.
    (A) to
    (B) from
    (C) in
    (D) with

  7. The multi-national corporation accused a local company _____ stealing its computerized merchandising and distribution trade secrets.
    (A) with
    (B) on
    (C) of
    (D) over

  8. The firm has dramatically boosted its revenue by automatically analyzing past purchases to make recommendations customized _____ each buyer.
    (A) to
    (B) of
    (C) with
    (D) from

  9. Even though the firm is still a long way _____ making a profit, its basic economics suggests its business will grow rapidly in the foreseeable future.
    (A) for
    (B) from
    (C) with
    (D) in

  10. On-line stores can take advantage ____ the Internet's ability to customize its site to each shopper.
    (A) in
    (B) from
    (C) with
    (D) of



2. Fill in the blanks with words chosen from the list below (1):

made, send, advise, returning, misspelled, issued, make, suggest, discovered, handled

I am (1) with this letter a recent shipment of 1,000 college T-shirts. Upon examination of the T-shirts, we (2) that the name of our college had been (3) . Please (4) the necessary correction and (5) another shipment of 1,000 T-shirts as soon as possible.

We (6) that the credit for these units be (7) in one of two ways: Either the replacement shipment be (8) on a no-charge basis or a credit be (9) against the invoice for the defective units. Please (10) which approach you would like to take.



V. WRITING WORKSHOP
写作小作坊


1. Give an order number to each sentence

Below are fragments of sentences taken from a letter requesting the return and replacement of damaged goods. Each sentence has been broken into two parts--the first part and the second part. Number each fragment in the right column so that it matches one in the left column to form a complete sentence:

1. Your October 5 shipment of chocolate and assorted cookies about 1/3 of the cartons were already broken.
2. It appears that how to return to you the damaged shipment.
3. When we received them, because we have almost no inventory left.
4. I'm sure you will look into the case to ensure that arrived damaged.
5. Meanwhile, please let me know when you can ship us a replacement.
6. I would also like to know this sort of problem does not happen again.
7. We need to receive the cookies no later than November 15 the cartons were not properly loaded.

写作小作坊 叁考答案

1. Your October 5 shipment of chocolate and assorted cookies arrived damaged.
2. It appears that the cartons were not properly loaded.
3. When we received them, about 1/3 of the cartons were already broken.
4. I'm sure you will look into the case to ensure that this sort of problem does not happen again.
5. Meanwhile, please let me know how to return to you the damaged shipment.
6. I would also like to know when you can ship us a replacement.
7. We need to receive the cookies no later than November 15 because we have almost no inventory left.



VI. SOMETHING FOR NOTHING
GOODIES & GIFTS （实惠小礼物）

New Words, New Meanings

Words for "on-the-road" computers:

laptop; laptop computer; on-the-road PC; notebook; portable:

EXAMPLE:

He eventually abandoned the DOS-based handheld when it became too hard to make it work with the windows programs he used on his laptop PC.

the handheld; handheld computer; handheld PC; HPC:

EXAMPLE:

These handheld PCs come with the Windows CE operating system.

He tried one of the first handhelds based on Windows CE operating system.

Palm; palmtop; palm-sized PC; pocket PC:

EXAMPLE:

The vast majority of Palm owners stick with the built-in programs.

People use their palmtops to carry around contact lists, calendars, and to-do lists.

Many palm-sized PCs include calendar and contact software, e-mail, voice recorder, web browser.