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Commercial invoices, bills of lading.
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Commercial invoices, bills of lading.
Commercial invoices are usually issued by sellers or sellers’ banks after the goods are shipped, together with shipping documents invoices are usually sent to the buyers’ bank for payment.
Commercial invoices generally contain the following information: number and date of the invoice, number and date of the contract, date of delivery, number and date of the transport document, description of the goods, price per unit, quantity and total amount to be paid.
Transportation documents are usually attached to commercial invoices as a proof of shipment which also enables the buyers to receive the goods. Transportation documents include: bills of lading, air waybills, railway bills, road carriage bills and others depending on the mode of transportation used.
Since sea and river shipments are considered most economical, they are most often used and bills of lading are thus most popular transportation documents.
Bills of lading usually contain the following: name of consignor, name of consignee, name of vessel, shipping date, weight, measurement, marking, number of cases, contents of the cases.
Sometimes, when the packing is bad or the cases are damaged, the master of the ship makes a certain note of it on the bill. It makes the bill dirty then. If no notes are made on the bill it is clean. Usually the contracts say that only clean bills of lading can be attached to the commercial invoices and thus considered a proof of shipment.
Practice
Task 1. Fill in the gaps, choosing from the words below:
terms, reclaim, charges, delivery, letter of credit, arbitration, freight/loading, penalty, substandard, parties, payment, specification, late, invoked.
DRAFT CONTRACT
between WIDGETRY Ltd (hereafter known as “the seller”) and MERCURY plc (hereafter known as “the buyer”)
The seller undertakes to supply the buyer with 120, 000 super widgets, to BSI (1) … 999and to pay all (2) … and insurance (3)... .
The terms of (4)... . and immediate payment of (5)... charges by confirmed and irrevocable (6)... are to be standard.
A (7)... clause will be included in the contract. It will be (8)... against the seller for late delivery or (9)... quality; against the buyer for (10)... payment.
In the event of non-payment, the seller shall be entitled to (11)... the goods.
In case of a dispute between the (12)... to the contract, the matter will be taken to independent (13)... . All the (14)... of the contract must be complied with by both parties.
Task 2. You are an Order processor for Office Universe Limited, a London-based stationery and office equipment company. A customer rings with a problem over an invoice.
Here is a copy of the invoice:
Office Universe Limited
430-4 Upper Richmond Road
London SW15 5TY England
Telephone 0171 434 7272 Fax 0171 434 5286
INVOICE
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Angus Ltd
Galloway Industrial Estate North Side
Building 15 Your ref: OOU22. 10
Aberdeen AB24 5TR Our ref: RG3472/5
Part ref Qty Item Price
2356-1 100 A4ZoomCopyPaper@$2. 20 $220. 00 4563-1 2 packsMarkerpens@$5. 80 $11. 60
2156-2 1 Staples 5000 pack $5. 20
2134-8 20 Rulers@ $0. 80 $16. 00
3672-2 100 Coloured ring binders@ $2. 10 $210. 00 3482-1 100 Pack of dividers @ $0. 56 $11. 20
Sub-total $473. 00 Less discount 5% $23. 65
Sub-total $449. 35
VAT@ 17. 5% $78. 64
Sub-total $527. 99
+ Carriage and packing $20 + $3. 50 VAT @ 17. 5% $23. 50
TOTAL $551. 49
Terms: 30 days from invoice date. Thank you for your custom. Telephone or fax your orders to Julie 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Notes:
• You have checked with the original telephoned order and can find no mistake: the customer did order all the goods you have sent. You do sell cheaper copy paper and cheaper ring binders, but with different part reference numbers.
• You accept the customer should have received a 10% discount and free
carriage and packing offer to send a new invoice.
• Your company recently altered its terms to 30 days for all customers and all were notified in a separate letter.
• You cannot take back the order but if the customer is unhappy he/she can return the goods and no fee will be charged.
• Offer to send different quality (standard, not laser quality) copy paper and different ring binders (plain coloured).
Task 3. Watch BBC Business Course, unit Concluding a Deal, make up your own dialogues.
APPENDIX 1.
LIST OF TERMS AND WORD-COMBINATIONS
1.
Sales manager
Export/import manager
Marketing manager
to conclude an agreement
to send a fax (~ a letter by fax)
to delay the delivery
to pay penalty
to open a letter of credit
Chief executive officer
an interview
Cover Letter
Resume
Curriculum vitae
a competitive company
to offer a job with
opening position, vacancy
2.
Аpplication for the position
situations vacant/wanted, appointments
a reference, Letter of Recommendation, Testimonial
an experimental period, term of probation
subordinate
superior
entrepreneur, undertaker, businessman
to discharge, fire, sack
deadline
to go on business
a return ticket
two-way or round-trip ticket
Arrivals
Departures
an open-date ticket
to pay cash
fax., fax machine
reference details
3.
Business correspondence
price-list
original contract
letter of credit
invoice
to get through the customs (to clear ~)
to apply for a visa
to declare smt
to be liable to duty
to be duty free
Bill of lading
Bill of sale
Inquiry
Goods, wares, merchandise
Wholesale/retail
4.
Availability of goods
In stock/available from stock
Delivery dates
Terms and discounts
Method of Transportation
Insurance
Prices of goods, quotations
Samples of goods
Distributors
to effect payment by letter of credit (cheque, bank transfer)
to meet the standards
company, firm, corporation
to be on sale
Daughter company, subsidiary, affiliated company
Public Limited Company
Shareholder, stockholder
5.
Correspondent account
Draft Contract
Joint venture
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to establish (run, close down) a business
Supplier /Buyer/ Seller/Consignee
Typical Contract
Packing
Transportation costs
Terms of delivery and payment
Range of goods, assortment of goods
Firm offer
to be valid till
Performance, technical characteristics
to outperform smth
Guarantee period
to place an order with a company for a product
Private Limited Company
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