Buyer guidance for preparing a container enquiry. Availability and commercial terms are confirmed separately for each offer.
The buyer country and delivery country are different inputs
A container enquiry should describe both who is buying and where delivery is requested. A company based in Ghana may request delivery in Ghana or Nigeria. Record its company country separately from the requested delivery country. Neither the language used to contact sales nor a WhatsApp country code determines the destination. Keeping these inputs separate helps the sales team review the actual requirement without assuming a route or service.
Name the requested port or place when you know it
“Delivery in Ghana” or “delivery in Nigeria” is a useful starting point, but it does not identify the exact port or place or the delivery scope you need priced. Add the named location when known and describe any handling you expect to discuss. If you have not chosen a port, write “to be determined”. A requested destination is a buying input, not confirmation that supply, carriage, unloading or inland delivery has been arranged.
Keep product origin separate from the shipping and delivery locations
Product origin describes where the goods originate; it does not automatically identify where a shipment will depart or be delivered. For rice, record the preferred origin and commercial type as separate specification fields. Mark whether an origin is essential or whether alternatives may be reviewed. A product catalogue introduces the product family. It does not establish a current supplier offer, stock location, price or shipment schedule.
Treat an Incoterm as a preference until the offer is agreed
If you have a preferred Incoterms® rule, include it with the named port or place and the version you want reviewed. If undecided, ask sales to clarify the proposed scope. A short label such as CFR or CIF should not replace the full written offer. Check its stated responsibilities, inclusions, exclusions, timing and requested documents. The team must review the request before any commercial terms are confirmed.
Use a short template, then review the resulting offer
Use this buying brief: company and buyer country; product and essential specification; preferred origin; packing; container size and count; requested delivery country and named place; preferred period; requested trade term; business contact. Mark each unresolved item as “to be confirmed”. Share required documents or acceptance criteria separately.
Resolve differences before accepting
When an offer arrives, compare these same fields and ask for written clarification of differences. Keep your request and the proposed terms in separate columns. Reconfirm an expired offer or a changed requirement. If no valid matching offer exists, a sourcing request can be opened; sourcing starts a search and is not a commitment to deliver.
Discuss your requirement
Share your specification, container quantity and requested destination with our team.
