How to Write Purchasing Emails in English: Quotation, Delivery Date and Follow-up Examples

Need to ask an overseas supplier for a quote, confirm a delivery date or chase an order that still hasn’t shipped, but not sure how to write the email in English? You may already know words like quotation and delivery, but when you sit down to write, it’s easy to get stuck on which details to ask for and how to chase a supplier without sounding rude.

A purchasing email doesn’t need difficult vocabulary. Making the item, quantity, dates and next step clear matters more than elegant wording, and it stops the two sides from understanding the price or delivery date differently.

This article follows the purchasing process and gives you English templates for requesting quotations, confirming delivery dates, chasing shipments and following up on delays, with key notes, common phrases and tips for adapting them. Whether you work in purchasing, assist a sales team or simply need to deal with overseas suppliers, you can start practicing with the situation closest to your own job.

A clear purchasing email usually has a subject line, context, a specific request, a reply deadline and a closing. The reader should be able to see at a glance which transaction it is about and what they need to do.

For a first contact, you can use “Dear [Name],”. Once you have an established relationship and a more everyday tone, “Hi [Name],” works. If you don’t know the contact’s name, address the team, for example “Dear Sales Team,”, rather than guessing the person’s gender or job title.

If one email contains several questions, put them in a list. It’s easier for the supplier to answer each point, and easier for you to check that nothing is missing.

Lead Time, Ship Date and Arrival Date: What’s the Difference?

Lead time is a period of time; the ship date is the day the goods are sent; the arrival date is the day they reach the agreed location. The three are not interchangeable.

When a supplier says “The lead time is four weeks.”, it doesn’t necessarily mean the goods will be in your warehouse in four weeks. It may mean the supplier needs four weeks to ship after the order is confirmed or the deposit is received.

You can check further:

Does the four-week lead time start from order confirmation or receipt of the deposit?
Use this to pin down when the lead time starts.

Does this lead time include transit time to our warehouse?
Use this to check whether shipping time to you is included or comes on top.

Cross-border purchasing also involves shipping methods and trade terms. The templates below help with the language only. They don’t replace your purchase contract, your company’s approval process or professional confirmation of trade terms.

A request for quotation should state the item, specifications and quantity, and what you want the quote to include. If you only write “Please send me your best price.”, the supplier may still have to come back and ask about the model, quantity and delivery location.

Request for Quotation Email Template

Subject: Request for Quotation – [Product / Part Number]

Dear [Name],

We are interested in purchasing [product / part number] for [brief purpose]. Please find our requirements below:

- Specifications: [specifications or attached specification sheet]
- Quantity: [quantity and unit]
- Delivery location: [city, country, and relevant address details]
- Required arrival date: [day month year]

Could you please provide a quotation that includes the following?

1. Unit price and currency
2. Minimum order quantity
3. Production lead time and estimated ship date
4. Shipping costs and proposed delivery terms
5. Payment terms and quotation validity

Please let us know if you need any additional information. We would appreciate receiving your quotation by [day month year].

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Job title / Company]
[Contact details]

Key Points and What to Replace

The email first says what you want to buy, then lists the details the supplier needs to quote, and finally sets out the five things you want the supplier to answer.

• Product / Part Number: Enter the product name or part number instead of just writing “the product”.
• Specifications: If the specifications are complex, attach a file and state the version.
• Quantity and unit: Give both the number and the unit, for example 500 units, not just 500.
• Required arrival date: This is the date you need the goods to arrive. It does not mean the supplier has committed to it.
• Quotation validity: Check how long the quote is valid, so the price hasn’t changed by the time you place the order.

If shipping costs affect your comparison, ask suppliers to state whether the quote includes freight, taxes and other charges. Don’t decide which supplier is cheaper on unit price alone.

Useful Phrases for Requesting a Quote

When confirming delivery, ask for both the ship date and the arrival date at the agreed location, and note which dates are estimates and which are confirmed. If the supplier made an earlier commitment, say what it was based on, rather than only asking “When can you deliver?”.

Delivery Date Confirmation Email Template

Subject: Delivery Schedule Confirmation – PO [Number]

Dear [Name],

I’m writing to confirm the delivery schedule for PO [number], covering [quantity and unit] of [product / part number].

Based on your order confirmation dated [day month year], the agreed ship date is [day month year]. Our required arrival date at [delivery location] is [day month year].

Could you please confirm the following?

1. Whether production is on schedule
2. The confirmed ship date
3. The estimated arrival date at [delivery location]
4. Whether there are any issues that may affect this schedule

Please reply by [time, day month year, and time zone] so that we can finalize our receiving arrangements.

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Company]

What to Watch Out For

The phrase “agreed ship date” in the template only applies when both sides have actually agreed on the ship date. If you are only proposing a date you would like, rewrite it as:

We would like the goods to be shipped by [date]. Could you confirm whether this is feasible?
Use this when the date is only your request, not something already agreed.

If the supplier has only given an estimated date, use “estimated ship date”. Don’t change it to “confirmed ship date” on your own.

Useful Phrases for Confirming Delivery

• Is production still on schedule? Checks whether production is still running to plan.
• Could you confirm whether the goods will be shipped by [date]? Asks for a clear yes or no on a specific ship date.
• What is the estimated arrival date at our warehouse? Asks when the goods should reach you, not when they leave.
• Please notify us if there are any changes to the schedule. Asks the supplier to tell you about changes without waiting to be chased.

An email chasing a shipment should state the originally agreed date, what information is still missing and what you need the supplier to do. You can be polite with “Could you please…”; clarity comes from the order number, dates and a reply deadline, not from adding “urgent” again and again.

Shipment Follow-up Email Template

Subject: Shipment Status Follow-up – PO [Number]

Dear [Name],

I’m following up on the shipment for PO [number]. The agreed ship date was [day month year], but we have not yet received a shipping confirmation.

Could you please confirm whether the goods have been shipped?

If they have been shipped, please send us the shipment details and tracking number, if available. If they have not, please provide the reason for the delay and a revised ship date.

This order is needed for [brief business reason]. Please provide an update by [time, day month year, and time zone].

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Company]

Why Is This Clearer Than “Please ship ASAP”?

This email lets the supplier answer according to the actual status:

• Already shipped: Provide the shipment details and any tracking information available.
• Not yet shipped: Explain the reason for the delay and give a revised ship date.

“I’m following up on…” shows you are checking on an earlier matter, so it suits an existing order or conversation. If you simply haven’t received a shipping notice yet, don’t write “You have not shipped the goods.” The goods may already have shipped, and the notice just hasn’t reached you.

Once a delay is confirmed, the email should move from asking about progress to confirming the impact and the available options. You can ask for a revised date, ask whether a partial shipment is possible and check the cost of expedited shipping. Don’t agree to extra charges without approval.

Delay Follow-up Email Template

Subject: Revised Shipping Plan Required – PO [Number]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for informing us of the delay affecting PO [number]. The revised schedule may affect our [production / receiving / customer delivery] plan.

Please provide an updated shipping plan that includes:

1. The reason for the delay
2. The earliest feasible ship date
3. The estimated arrival date at [delivery location]
4. Whether a partial shipment of [quantity and unit] is possible
5. Any additional costs for partial shipment or expedited shipping

Please do not arrange any service that incurs additional charges without our written approval.

We would appreciate your response by [time, day month year, and time zone] so that we can review the available options.

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Company]

“Earliest feasible ship date” asks for the earliest realistic ship date. It doesn’t ask the supplier for a promise they can’t be sure of. If the issue involves breach of contract, compensation or cancelling the order, follow your contract and company procedures rather than copying forceful wording from the internet.

Don’t make “ASAP” your only deadline. The supplier may not know whether you need a reply today, tomorrow or this week. If the deadline matters, give a specific date, time and time zone.

“Please kindly…” isn’t necessarily wrong, but “Please…” or “Could you please…” is usually polite enough. A polite email doesn’t need a courtesy word in every sentence.

1. The subject line only says Inquiry or Urgent

Include the purpose and an identifier instead, for example “Quotation Follow-up – Part A-100” or “Shipment Status – PO-2048”. The supplier can find the records more easily and see what the email needs them to prioritize.

2. Treating the ship date as the arrival date

Don’t just ask “Can you deliver by Friday?”. Say clearly whether you mean “ship by [date]” or “arrive at our warehouse by [date]”, and confirm that the supplier can meet it.

3. Ambiguous dates and units

“10/11” could be read as 11 October or 10 November. In international emails, write “11 October 2026” and add the time zone where needed. State the units for quantity, weight and dimensions too.

4. Unclear attachments or versions

If you attach a specification sheet, give the file name or version, for example “Please refer to the attached specification sheet, version 3.”, and check that the attachment is really there before you send.

5. Explaining the issue but not saying how to reply

Don’t end with just “Please advise.”. Write something like “Please confirm the ship date and send the tracking number by [deadline].” so the information you need and the deadline sit together.

Keep the email structure first, then swap in your own work details, and finally practice answering the supplier’s follow-up questions. This is how a template gradually becomes English you can actually use.

1. Pick one situation: A quote request, a delivery confirmation or a shipment follow-up. Start with the one you use most.
2. Replace five details: The item, quantity, order number, dates and what you need in the reply.
3. Close the template and write three sentences: Give the context, make the request and state the deadline, then compare and correct.
4. Add a twist: For example, the supplier can only deliver part of the quantity, or the quote doesn’t include shipping. Practice asking one more question.

You can start with this short version:

I’m following up on PO-2048. Could you confirm the revised ship date? Please reply by 3 p.m. on 12 October 2026 (Taipei time, UTC+8).

This is a fictional practice scenario, not a real order. If you ask a teacher or an AI tool to help edit your emails, first remove customer names, contact details, prices, real order numbers and confidential company information, and follow your company’s data policy.

An effective purchasing email lets the supplier quickly answer three questions: Which item or order is this about? What needs to be confirmed now? What information is needed, and by when?

When requesting a quote, set out the specifications and quotation requirements clearly. When confirming delivery, keep the ship date and the arrival date separate. When chasing, ask for an update or a revised plan based on the actual status. You don’t have to write every email from scratch, but you do need to understand what each phrase is for, so you can adapt it correctly when the situation changes.

To practice other business emails and workplace communication, see our guide to business letter writing in English and tips for communicating in English at work.

Want to Turn English Practice into Skills You Can Use at Work?

If you can understand the templates but get stuck replying to suppliers, explaining delays or handling an unexpected phone call, set your next goal as completing a real work task, rather than memorizing more vocabulary.

When you talk to Ambitious Learner about your English learning needs, it helps to note the situations where you use English most, where you get stuck and how much time you can put in each week, so your practice fits your work.