English translation: the cost of parts will be charged at our discretion
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06:17 Feb 23, 2008
Chinese to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Manufacturing / Guarantee
Chinese term or phrase:酌收零件成本费
如需换零件,本公司酌收零件成本费,服务手续费则免.
if spare parts are needed, the company would (consider?)
Explanation: If replacement of parts is necessary, the cost of parts will be charged at our discretion, no service fee applies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2008-02-23 11:28:31 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
or
If replacement of parts is needed, the cost of parts will be charged at our discretion, no service fee applies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2008-02-23 11:36:52 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Note: if spare parts are needed 的意思是：如需备件，指作备用的零件。
如需换零件---- 的“换”，（是用好的把坏的换下来）replacement.
This process includes ：1. parts 2. replacement ( replace the faulty one with the good one.)
1. the cost of parts 2. the labour/service etc involved for the replacement.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 7 hrs (2008-02-23 13:30:09 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
酌收是一个含蓄的表达，暗含的意思是“一定要收”。每个零件的“成本“是一个相对固定的。这里的“酌收”，如果理解成，看情况再说，收多少到时候再算，如果是这样的话，这个公司就成了“自由市场”了，没有一个固定的规矩。同样的，at our discretion 并不是说“收不收到时再算”而是告诉顾客，这个收费是一定要收，是由我们说了算，不可以讨价还价。因为是前面用了含蓄的被动语态will be charged，表示该收费的客观性，（显示公道,非人为强加），那么，在后面用一个“at our discretion“来限定这种客观性的不容改变，是建立在我们的决定上。也就是说，这个客观事实，您必须接受。
从另外一个角度考虑“酌收“，也是我最初的想法，就是“每个零件的成本各有不同”，这里的“酌情”就是根据具体零件的成本，作相应的收费。这也是合理的practice. 因此，句子就翻译成
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary , the cost of parts will be charged accordingly, no service fee applies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 7 hrs (2008-02-23 13:33:31 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
no service fee applies--------- another better alternative is:
no service fees apply
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 7 hrs (2008-02-23 14:13:26 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
如果是要说，到时候收不收，要看具体情况再算，句子中的“will“就得换成”may” 了。
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary , the cost of parts may be charged accordingly, no service fee applies.
Or
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts may be charged at our discretion, no service fee applies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 8 hrs (2008-02-23 14:30:20 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Conclusion: 根据“酌收”所含意思的可能性，分以下几种情况，及其相应的译法：(其中的needed 和necessary 以供选择之用，具体写成条文时，只用其中一个)
1.酌收是一个含蓄的表达，暗含的意思是“一定要收”。
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts will be charged at our discretion, no service fees apply
2.酌收是一个含蓄的表达，暗含的意思是“要收成本费，具体多少，根据具体零件的成本价”
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts will be charged accordingly, no service fees apply
3.“酌收”的“酌”，是酌情考虑“到时候收不收，要看具体情况再算”。
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts may be charged at our discretion, no service fees apply
最后的结论，为了把第一种情形，和第二种情形，都包括在译文中，可以把两者合二为一，成为：
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts will be charged accordingly at our discretion, no service fees apply
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 8 hrs (2008-02-23 15:17:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
或者，把“at our discretion”去掉也影响不大，因为will be 已经肯定了“要收”，至于“酌情”，就是考虑具体是哪个零件，就有哪个零件的相应成本价（注意：这里的成本价，是该公司所定的，当然比标价便宜，但是不一定是该公司真正的买入价，因为，它可以把该公司的有关费用包含进去，例如存货费，人员管理费等等），用accordingly 就包含了这种“酌情”。
If replacement of parts is needed/necessary, the cost of parts will be charged accordingly, no service fees apply
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 9 hrs (2008-02-23 15:24:20 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
用accordingly 就包含了这种“酌情”-----就是考虑具体是哪个零件，就有哪个零件的相应成本价。
例如，A 零件， 标价50元，如需换零件时，收取的成本价是35元
B 零件， 标价60元，如需换零件时，收取的成本价是45元
C 零件， 标价150元，如需换零件时，收取的成本价是120元
accordingly means: if the A part is needed, then 35 will be charged, if B, then 45, if C, then 120.
I personally think one should first understand what 酌收 means, rather than whether discretion is the commonly used in any warranty policy web page or not, or whether it's “霸王条款”. To me the term means 斟酌情况收取, any suggestion？
Regarding the use of the term “at one’s discretion”. Such wording is very very very common in writing an agreement, it doesn’t mean “霸王条款”. Please type agreement and discretion in google search.
agreement discretion http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=agreement discretio...
in the above quoted link, Nokia warranty policy webpage, search for “discretion”, you will also find the use of this term. Again, as I already explained in detail each possible scenario based on the possible understanding of the term “酌收”,and how to deal with those situations in terms of translation. Thanks!
@Ralph: In that case, well, the customer has already bought the product and delivery himself at the mercy of the company. No way out, even when he reads "at our discretion." I accept it as a right answer.
I believe the asker's question relates to the product warranty. Therefore, what is to be covered and what is not to be covered in this warranty are set forth therein. See http://www.nokia.com.au/A4521194
When a company is doing marketing, it won't put on an offensive/arrogant attitude by telling customers that there will be costs at the company's discretion, less the mercy of letting go the service fees.
Such texts like this one must be for marketing, telling potential customers: If you buy our equipments and need spare parts for replacement, the appropriate costs for/of the parts will be charged, but there won't further fees.
成本当然是一个相对固定的概念，但每家公司的产品总有定价吧？既然都把产品卖给了客户，零件价总该早定了、早公布了吧？那么，零件的成本总不会超过零件的定价吧？还会有公司那么老实说，这个成本价要跟你收或不收、要收多少，就 at our discretion 看我们爽不爽的？后头还加上个“服务手续费则免”，好像开了什么恩似的！客户看了不火冒三丈，才怪！
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +3
