《商务英语函电教程》Unit 13代理.ppt

Unit Thirteen Agency Learning Objectives To define what is an agent To understand an agency agreement To learn how to apply for a sole agency General View Agency is widely used nowadays in international trade. In practice a lot of business work is handled not only by direct negotiations between buyers and sellers, but also by means of agencies and intermediaries. When a company seeks to develop its markets, it often resorts to the help of agents, who will be employed to represent the company and sell its products in an area too distant to be effectively covered by the company itself. General View Qualifications of an agency An agent agreement Types of Agency 1) General agent 2) Sole agent / Exclusive agent 3) Broker 4) Factor 5) Forwarding agent General View 1. Qualifications of an agency their reliability and financial soundness; their market connections and the effectiveness of their sales organization; their technical ability to handle the goods to be marketed; the nature and extent of other agencies they may hold, and in particular whether these are concerned with the sale of competing products. General View 2. An agent agreement The agreement usually stipulates the commodity, validity, territory, minimum purchase amount, payment terms for the agent commission, terms of price, exclusive rights and obligations, remedial measures for breach of the contract, market information, the governing law and method of arbitration in the event of dispute, etc. General View 3. Types of Agency According to the different rights and responsibilities, the agents may be categorized into two main types: general agency and sole/exclusive agency. 1) General agent A general agent may be a firm or a person who acts under some degr