12 Order Letter Templates | How to Write – Examples

An order letter is written by a potential customer or client, which formally requests that the product seller or service provider go ahead and deliver the goods or services of interest.

Your order letter must be in formal language while also following a standard format due to its specific details. It is a common practice to use order letters to assign orders daily. A formal letter represents the terms and conditions of the purchase. This benefits and protects both parties (buyer and seller) involved. The alternative names for an order letter are purchase orders or PO’s.

First, the potential customer or client will reach out to the product seller or service provider to inquire about certain goods or services of interest (such inquiry entails product price, quote, mode of payment, terms of sale, quantity, and quality of goods, and the alternative measures in case of late or wrong delivery). Thus, if every piece of information provided by the seller meets the customer’s satisfaction, the customer then writes an order letter to initiate the purchase and delivery process.

In addition, it is used to establish the delivery timeline. After the seller goes through it and all facts are established, the seller will carry out the purchase order and delivery process based on the customer’s order letter details. Therefore, the buyer must provide accurate information to avoid delivery problems such as wrong or late delivery.

Both individuals and companies use order letters. Individuals may use these to request the delivery of products meant for personal use. In contrast, businesses or companies may use these letters to request the delivery of office equipment or raw materials from their suppliers. It is a tool necessary to initiate a product purchase or business transaction.

This article will guide you on how to write order letters and assist you with pre-made templates to save you the time and stress of starting from scratch.

The following are the significant aspects of writing an order letter that will be covered in this article:

• Format of an order letter
• Essential elements of letter
• Templates
• Best practices for writing an effective letter

The details of an order letter can significantly affect the transaction between a seller and a buyer if not accurately written. As a buyer who does not want any delivery issues with their order, you will want to know that it is vital that you get it right the first time. This is why using pre-made templates to write your letter will be greatly helpful. These templates will give you a prepared idea of what to write and help you save time and effort creating order letters from scratch.

In addition, you may download our free customized templates to start writing your order letter immediately.

What is the Format of an Order Letter?

The format of an order letter is quite similar to an everyday formal letter. The following are the features that must be included in your letter:

• The sender’s address
• The date the letter was written
• The receiver’s address
• The subject of the letter
• Salutation
• The type of goods the buyer intends to purchase
• The quantity
• The product specifications, such as color, size, and model
• The mode of payment
• The shipment details (including shipment timeline and shipment fees)
• Complimentary and closing remark
• Sign off
• Customer or sender’s name in the block ledger
• Designation if necessary

You will want to ensure that your order letter is in a professional, polite, clear, and concise tone. In addition, add an appreciation statement to thank the seller for their service. The buyer or sender should sign off the order letter. If the buyer is writing on behalf of a company, the order letter should be on the company’s letterhead.

The following are the basic elements of an order letter:

Contact details

An order letter must include both the sender’s and the receiver’s contact information, such as phone number, email, and official address. In addition, it is crucial to add the date and the names of the parties involved (receiver/buyer and seller).

Example:

From,
Josh Vince,
Prime Point LTD
8807 Andover Ave.
Camden, NJ 08105
United States
24-10-2022
To,
Veronica James,
Global Paints
6457 Summit Road
Meriden, CT 06450
United States

The subject line and salutation

Subject lines are used to describe the purpose of the letter. In addition, it helps the receiver/seller to understand your order letter at first glance. Therefore, your subject line must be descriptive and concise. The letter starts with a salutation, just like any formal letter. Salutations can be made using “Dear” or “Hello”, which comes before the seller or receiver’s name.

Example:

Subject – Order for Office Desks

Example:

Salutation — “Dear Phyla” or “Hello Phyla”.

Information about the items being ordered

This generally covers the specifications of the item or product that a buyer is interested in. For example, the following are typical goods specifications: brand name, product name, model number, quantity, catalog number, color, size, weight, and unit price.

Example:

In response to the quotes we (Prime Point LTD) demanded from your company – Global Paints, on 16th October 2022, we want to inform you that we are interested in your paints and would like to place an order immediately. Therefore, we now demand 2000 gallons of paint (3.785 liters each) in white color only.

Information relating to shipping

Information relating to shipping mainly focuses on the delivery of the goods. This is an essential aspect of your letter, as no delivery can occur without it.

Shipping information includes the following:

• The date the buyer wants to receive the goods
• The location that the goods will be shipped to
• Means of shipping (waterways, rail, road)

Example:

We hope to deliver these 2000 gallons of paint to our office address – 8807 Andover Ave, Camden, NJ 08105, United States by 12th November 2022.

Information relating to payment

Payment information starts with confirmation of the price amount, the mode of payment (cash, cheque, draft), and payment data. The seller will only move on with the delivery process if the payment information aligns with the seller’s expectations.

Example:

We will make the payment of $10,000 cash via bank transfer once you acknowledge our order letter. We hope that you get back to us as soon as possible.

Closing

Assure the seller that you enjoy patronizing their brand and look forward to future business dealings. You may also let the seller know that they can contact you any other time if needed. End the letter with “Sincerely”, followed by signature and name.

Example:

We trust your service as always. You can contact us any other time if needed. We look forward to more business dealings in the future. Please feel free to call if you have any queries.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
Josh Vince

The following are tips that will assist you in writing a personalized and effective letter:

• An order letter should be straight, to the point, professional, and formal.
• No irrelevant references or informal conversation should be initiated in your letter. A buyer’s objectives should be the product, payment, and shipping details.
• Individuals can use regular A4 sheet pages, while corporations are advised to write their order letters on the company’s letterhead. This ensures professionalism and accurate representation of parties involved in the business transaction. For example, a seller can ascertain the authenticity of an order letter from a corporation if the letter is written on the company’s letterhead.
• Customers have the freedom to make inquiries whenever necessary. However, whenever there are suspected mix-ups or new useful information after sending in the order letter, buyers should not hesitate to contact the seller instantly in case a remedy is possible before shipping takes place.
• Avoid jargon and language errors when writing model number specs, contact details, or delivery addresses. The quality of your order letter will determine the outcome of your delivered goods. In addition, you will want to know that your order letter serves as the legal document between yourself and the seller.
• Always plan ahead of time. If you do not plan, you might make mistakes such as forgetting to check spelling or necessary attachments.
• Use a polite and warm tone. It will be nice to be on a good page with the seller, which makes communication smoother.
• Avoid sounding impolite. Use a warm, friendly tone.
• Do not overload the order letter with excessive adjectives.

The content of your order letter will determine the success of the delivery of your goods. Therefore, your order letter must cover all necessary specifications, shipment details, and the expected delivery date. Using the templates and guidelines provided in this article to write your order letter from now onwards will make your business transactions with your suppliers smoother. This will make communication between you and the seller easy and save you from many shipments problem. Do not forget to show professionalism and use formal language. Download our pre-made templates to get started.