How to reply to an export enquiry: a 6-step method with a template
Key takeaways
- Speed is part of the answer. Aim to reply within one working day; a fast reply signals a supplier who'll be easy to work with.
- Restate their request so they know you read it, not a mass mailing.
- Attach one document: the spec sheet for the product they asked about.
- Ask only what you need to quote: quantity, destination port, delivery month, packing.
- End with one next step, never "let us know if you need anything".
How fast should you reply?
Within one working day, and the same day when you can. A buyer who sends an enquiry has usually sent similar ones to other suppliers. The replies that arrive first, and answer the question asked, are the easiest to take forward.
If you can't answer fully the same day, send a short acknowledgement that says when the full reply will come, and keep that promise. "Thank you for your enquiry about cumin seeds. I'll send our spec sheet and quotation by tomorrow, 5 pm IST" is better than silence.
Speed isn't the only reason buyers go quiet. Our guide to why foreign buyers don't reply covers the others.
The 6-step reply
- Thank them and use their name. One line, not a paragraph about your history.
- Restate the request. Product, form, grade and quantity as they wrote it. If they wrote "turmeric", ask whether they mean fingers or powder.
- Answer with specifics. The grade you supply, the parameters you test and your usual packing. Only state specs you can show on a certificate of analysis later.
- Attach the spec sheet for that product, as a one-page PDF with a version date. See what a spec sheet contains.
- Ask for the missing details, in one short list (next section).
- Propose one next step, for example: "Once you confirm the quantity and port, I'll send a quotation within one working day."
What should you ask for?
Only what you need to quote properly. Usually:
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| Quantity and frequency | Price and MOQ depend on it |
| Destination port | Freight, and the Incoterm you'll quote |
| Delivery month | Crop timing and your production plan |
| Packing preference | Bag type and size change the price |
| Specification or grade, if they have one | So you quote the right product |
| Certifications they require | So you don't quote something you can't certify |
Don't ask for everything at once. Five questions, numbered, is the most a busy buyer will answer in one reply.
Template: first reply
Subject: Re: [product] enquiry: spec sheet attached
Dear [name],
Thank you for your enquiry about [product, form] for [destination, if given].
We supply [product, grade], packed in [packing]. I've attached our spec sheet (version [n], [date]). It lists the parameters we test on every lot, with their limits.
To send you an accurate quotation, could you confirm:
1. the quantity, and whether this is a one-off or regular order;
2. the destination port;
3. the delivery month;
4. any specification or certification you require.I'll send the quotation within one working day of your reply.
[Name, title], [company]
[WhatsApp number] · [email] · [website]
Once they reply, use a quotation they can compare like with like. See the export quotation format.
Template: when the enquiry is vague
Some enquiries are one line: "Send price of spices." Don't send a price list. Reply briefly, show you're a real supplier, and ask the questions that turn it into a quotable request:
Subject: Re: your enquiry: which product and quantity?
Dear [name],
Thank you for contacting [company]. We export [two or three main products] from [city], India.
So I can send the right specification and price, could you tell me:
1. which product and form (for example, whole or powder);
2. the quantity and destination port;
3. your company name and website?Our product pages are at [your website].
[Name], [company] · WhatsApp [number]
Why ask for the company name and website? It costs a genuine buyer ten seconds, and it gives you something to check before you send samples or detailed prices.
Before you press send
| Check | Yes? |
|---|---|
| The buyer's name is spelled correctly | |
| You've restated their product, form and quantity | |
| Every spec you mention is one you test, and it appears on the attached spec sheet | |
| The attachment is the right product's spec sheet, current version | |
| You've asked for no more than five missing details, numbered | |
| There's one clear next step with a time ("within one working day") | |
| Your signature has a name, a direct email and a WhatsApp number | |
| You're sending from a company email address |
The checklist takes thirty seconds. It prevents the mistakes that make a buyer doubt everything else in the message: the wrong attachment, a misspelt name, a spec you can't certify.
What should you not do?
- Don't send a price without a basis. A price with no Incoterm, port, validity or packing can't be compared.
- Don't attach a 20-page catalogue. Send the spec sheet for the product they asked about.
- Don't claim certifications you don't hold, or specs you don't test.
- Don't send samples or documents to an unverified buyer who asks you to pay fees, change payment details, or move quickly to a personal email. See how to verify a foreign buyer.
- Don't use a free email address if you have a company domain. Buyers notice.
How do you reply on WhatsApp or a marketplace?
Use the same six steps, shorter.
- WhatsApp. Send the spec sheet as a PDF with one or two lines of context. Ask the missing questions as a numbered list. Move the quotation to email if the buyer prefers a record.
- Marketplaces (for example IndiaMART or Alibaba.com). Reply inside the platform first, since that's where the buyer is watching. Keep the facts consistent with your website and spec sheet, because buyers compare them.
Next step. Want to see what a buyer finds when they check your company after your reply? Our free Buyer Check is a one-page report with the 3 fixes that matter most.