很多业务员会碰到这样一种情况:当你给一个新客户 寄样品,往往会碰到费用的问题。可能这个样品非常便宜,一两美元,但快递费很贵,或许要50美元以上。如果这个样品不是非常紧急,客人或许就会写邮件:Please help to ship the sample via surface mail.
这里的surface mail,跟“表面”没有关系,指的是“平邮”!英语的解释是:Mail transported over land and sea rather than by air.
上面那句的含义就是,“麻烦你帮忙用平邮寄这个样品。”
Goods may be sent by surface mail or airmail.
货物可通过平寄或空运发送。
Which is better airmail or surface mail?
航空邮件或普通邮件哪个比较好?
Do you want to send the package by airmail or by surface mail?
你的包裹要平邮,还是空运?
In that case, I would recommend sending it by air, because an ordinary mail will take too long, that is, three weeks to go surface mail from here to China.
要是这样的话,我建议您寄航空邮件。普通邮件从这里寄往中国要花3个星期左右的时间。