國際商務英語學習[十五]

關於價格　Ａ

　　某家公司的營業部經理和財務部經理為新產品的定價持相反意見，而且各有說辭。

　　英文本文

A: I really think this price is too high. A price has to be based on costs and the profit you want.
B: I know. But pricing has to be based on what customers want too, which differs from place to place and time to time.
A: Yes, experience shows the same product is priced differently in different markets. But why so much higher in this market?
B:
There are many rich people in this area, so a skimming price is OK --
and even needed, because they think only a high price means a good
product.
A: But the market prices for other similar products are
much lower. Buyers will notice the flexibility in the price structure,
and buy from other companies.
B: I don't think so. I think the
others will have to raise their price ceiling to make customers believe
that their products are as good as ours.

　　中文翻譯

A: 我真的認為這個價錢太高。價錢是要根據成本和你所想要的利潤而定。
B: 我知道。但是定價也須以顧客的需要為基礎，而這種需要是會因時因地而異的。
A: 沒錯。根據經驗，相同產品在不同的市場會訂出不同的價錢。但為什麼在這個市場要訂這麼高？
B: 這個地區多的是有錢人，所以最高利潤價行得通，甚至可以說是必要的。因為他們認為只有高價位才能代表好產品。
A: 但其它同類產品的市價就低了很多，購買者會注意到價格上的差異，轉而購買其它公司的產品。
B: 我可不認為。我倒覺得其它同行得提高價格的上限，讓顧客相信他們產品和我們的一樣好。

　　短語解說

skimming price 最高利益擷取價；吸脂價格
"skim"，當動詞，有‘撇取液體表面浮物’的解釋。而"skimming"
在商業上則有其引申之意，指‘擷取最高利益的定價策略’。這種策略通常用在一項新產品剛上市時，因產物本身的特殊性吸引消費者，再加上尚無競爭者，使得
製造商哄抬價格，賺取最大可能之利潤。"skimming price"即指‘廠家最高獲利之價格’。

market price 市價
商品在市場上由供給與需求情形所決定的價格。

flexibility in the price structure 價位伸縮性
"flexibility",‘彈性’。"price structure"則可解為‘價格幅度’。"flexibility in the price structure"乃指某產品之既定最高至最低價錢的伸縮空間。"structure"，‘結構’。

price ceiling 價位上限，最高價
"ceiling"，原指‘天花板’；引申為‘上限’，經常用來指財經商業方面的最高幅度限制。相反詞則為"price floor"—‘最低價位、下限’；"floor"原意為‘地板’。

　　句型總結

●　 根據經驗顯示…
1. Experience shows that...
2. It's well-known that...
3. It's common knowledge that...
用這樣的句子開頭語通常是為了強調自己的論點是依客觀的觀察和實際經驗而來，並非個人主觀的想法或臆測。因此這說法聽起來就比"I think"‘我個人認為...’有說服力得多。