商务英语敲门砖第2期:商讨价格

Peter:I'd like to get the ball rolling by talking about prices.
我们从谈价格开始吧.

Smith:Shoot. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
洗耳恭听.我很乐意回答你的任何问题.

Peter:Your products are very good. But I'm a little worried about the prices you're asking.
贵司产品非常不错,但我有点担心你的价格.

Smith:You think we will be asking for more?
你认为我们会要更多吗?

Peter:That's not exactly what I had in mind. I know your research costs are high, but what I'd like is a 25% discount.
那并不是我想的.我知道你们的研究成本是很高,但我希望能得到七五折.

Smith:That seems to be a little high. I don't know how we can make a profit with those numbers.
太高了.这样的折扣我们没有利润了.

Peter:We said we want 10000pcs over a three-month period. What if we plan orders for a year, with a guarantee?
我们接下来的三个月需要采购10000个,如果我们保证一年的订单怎么样?

Smith:If you can guarantee that on paper,I think we can discuss this further.
如果你能将你的保证写下来的话,我想可以考虑.

1.I'd like to get the ball rolling by talking about prices.

"get the ball rolling"就是"开始做某事"的意思,"to make something start happening".也可以说是"set/start the ball rolling",意思不变.
I'll start the ball rolling by introducing the first speaker. 我来介绍一下第一位讲演者作为开始.

I'd like to get/start the ball rolling by doing sth是一句谈话,谈判时很好的开场白.

t:(让某人把话说出来)说吧,请讲.比较的非正式.

You want to tell me something? OK, shoot! 你有话要告诉我?那好,说吧!

's not exactly what I had in mind.

Have(got) sth in mind:打算做某事,有心做某事
What do you have in mind for dinner tonight? 你晚上想吃什么?
How long have you had this in mind? 你想这件事多久了?

大家要注意了,have sth in mind单纯地指想或者计划某事,不带感情色彩,而 have sth on sb's mind意思就大不一样了.
Don't bother your father tonight─he's got a lot on his mind. 今晚就别打扰你父亲了--他的烦心事儿已经够多了.

if we plan orders for a year, with a guarantee?

Order: 订货;订购;订单
相关词组:
Place an order for sth:订购某物
I would like to place an order for ten copies of this book. 这本书我想订购十册.

Can be made to order:可以定做
These items can be made to order(= produced especially for a particular customer) 这几项可以订做.

you can guarantee that on paper,I think we can discuss this further.

On paper: when you put something on paper, you write it down 写下来;笔录
On paper还有一个意思,就是"仅照字面看;理论上", judged from written information only, but not proved in practice.
例如,The idea looks good on paper. 仅就字面看,这个主意不错.