下定单在国际贸易中意味着真正交易的开始。定单虽然不是合同，但是在很多情况下定单也具有一定的法律效力。
下定单
1.惯用口语句子：
We're going to place an order for this product.
我们要就这种产品下个定单。
I'd like to order 500 women's Eva raincoats.
我想订购500件伊娃牌女式雨衣。
We'd like to order 1000 pieces of this type of pure silk women's blouses at $20 each.
这种真丝女士衬衫，我们想以每件20美元的价格订购1000件。
blouse n. 女士衬衫
place an order “下定单”
We can take 300 cases.
我们能订300箱。
I'll take table linen, 5,000 sets, and the same type as before.
我要订亚麻桌布5000套，要和以前是同一种类的。
case n. 箱子
linen n. 亚麻布，亚麻制品（table linen指“桌布”）
How many sets of this type of washing machine do you intend to order?
这种洗衣机您想订购多少台？
How many would you like to order?
您想订购多少？
What's the quantity?
数量是多少？
We'd like to place a trial order for a small amount of the new varieties.
我们想少量试购你们的新品种。
I'd like to place a trial order for some Sunflower raincoats then.
那么，我想试购一些向日葵牌女式雨衣。
I'd like to place a trial order for 150.
我想试购150件（个）。
This is a trial order. Please send us 50 sets so that we may teat the market.
这是试购单，请发过来50台，以方便我们观测市场。
trial a. 试验的
variety n. 品种，各类
Our minimum quantity of an order for this product is 200 cartons.
订购这种产品，我们的起订量是200箱。
carton n. 纸板箱
If the goods sell as well as we expect, we shall send further orders in the near future.
如果货物的销售情况像我们预期的一样好，我们不久还会继续订购。
If the goods sell well, We will give, you larger orders in the future.
如果销售情况很好，将来我们会给你们下更大的定单。
We hope that this will be the first of many orders we will be placing with you.
希望这将是我们向你们大量订购的第二份定单。
I hope this order is followed by many other orders.
我希望这个定单的后面还跟着许多定单。
Do you have this kind of product in stock? We'd like to place an order.
这种产品你们有现货吗？我们想订货。
stock n. 库存，存货
in stock “有现货，有库存”
We'll do all we can to fulfill your order.
我们将全力以赴把你们的定单完成。
Thank you for your order.
谢谢你们的定购。
fulfill v. 完成
2.实用对话
Placing an Order下定单
Buyer: I'd like to order 500 women's Eva raincoats.
买方：我想订购500件伊娃牌女式雨衣。
Seller: I'm sorry, but that item is out of stock at the moment.
卖方：对不起，这种货品暂时缺货。
Buyer: Are you expecting any to come in soon?
买方：会很快进货吗？
Seller: We expect to have them back in stock around September 15th. However, we can offer you another brand of similar
quality.
卖方：我们预计在9月15号左右进货。不过我们可以向您提供相似质量的另外一种牌子的雨衣。
Buyer: What's the brand?
买方：是什么牌子的？
Seller: It's Sunflower, also one of our best-selling items, which we can sell for as low as US$15 each.
卖方：向日葵牌，也是我们的一个畅销货品。我们开价很低，每件是15美元。
Buyer: I'd like to place a trial order for the Sunflower raincoat then.
买方：那么，我想试购一些向日葵牌女式雨衣。
Seller: That's fine. How many would you like to order?
卖方：好的。您要订多少？
Buyer: 150. If the goods sell as well as we expect, we shall send further orders in the near future.
买方：150件。如果货物的销售情况像我们预期的一样好，我们不久还会继续订购。
3.详细解说
1.“out of stock”意为“缺货，已脱销，无库存”,例如：I'm sorry,that swimsuit is completely out of stock.（抱歉，那种泳衣现在
已经完全脱销了。）
2.“in stock”意为“有库存，有现货”,例如：All our items are in stock now. Please allow us 10 business days for delivery.（
我们所有的商品都有现货。请准许我们10个工作日的运送时间。）
3.“best-selling”是形容词，指书等商品时，意思是“畅销的”,指“作者、编辑”等时，意思是“其作品畅销的”,也可写成
“bestselling”的形式。“best seller”或“bestseller”是名词，意思是“畅销品（主要指畅销书）”.例如：She is one of the UK's
best-selling authors.（她是英国作品最畅销的作者之一。）His new book went straight to number one on the best-seller list.（化的新书直接登上了畅销榜的榜首。）
4.“place a trial order for sth.”的意思是“试购某物”,例如：The government has placed a trial order for some new weapons.（政府试购了一些新武器。）
原文来自 必克英语http://bbs.spiiker.com/topic-11462.html
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