付款Payment
賣方與買方就付款方式尋求合理的折衷方案。從以下會話，我們可發現交貨前付款與交貨后付款對雙方的影響：

英文正文

A: If it's OK with you, we would like payment prior to delivery, since this is your first order.

B: I understand why you would like it that way, but we prefer payment after delivery, because these goods are very expensive.

A: I know they are very expensive, but why does that mean you should pay after delivery?

B: It's a large order, so if we give an advance payment, we will have money trouble, because it will take three or four months to sell the goods and start to make a profit.

A: I understand, but if we must pay to make the goods, and then must wait four months for you to pay, we will have money trouble too.

B: Let's do it this way.We will pay in installments, with the first payment to be two weeks after delivery, then once a month after that.

句型總結
●　我了解，但是…
1. I understand, but...
2. I sympathize, yet...
3. I can see your problem, but...

此句型通常用于聽完對方的陳述或解釋之后，仍不能贊同時。語氣婉轉，先表示體諒之心，再告知無法采取同一立場。"but"為轉折連接詞（等于"yet"），后面所接之句子，意義或人氣須與前面之句子相反，但時態則須一致。

短語解說
payment prior to delivery 預付貨款
"payment"‘付款’。"prior"‘在之前的’，"prior to..."‘在...之前’。"payment prior to delivery"意思等于"payment in advance"或"prepayment"，是指簽約后，賣方尚未交貨前買方即須付款。普遍適用于買方信用欠佳、買方所訂的貨物規格特殊、賣方資金短絀等情況。這種付款方式對賣方雖有利，對買方風險卻很高，唯有在賣方信譽可靠時方可行。

payment after delivery 交貨后付款
這種付款方式，由買賣雙方約定付款日期，屬于賒銷（credit sale)。若賣方提供現金折扣，則會在發票上注明折扣的多少以及折扣的期限。若為記帳交易時，則買方只需在賣方所規定的期限之內付款。

advance payment 預付款
"advance"，‘預付’。"advance payment"是指買方在賣方將貨品裝船前，預先付給賣方的貨款。

installments 分期付款
"installment"，‘分期付款’。又稱"easy payment"。由賣方先將貨品交予買方，并按契約規定于未來指定日，分若干期支付貨款。賣方可采動產抵押、擔保信用狀、銀行出具保證函等方式，保障自己的權益。