Thanks in advance

Not necessarily. In business correspondence, that expression is commonly used in situation in which you know that you will receive the assistance which you seek. For example, you might read a general advertisement which urges the reader to write for more information. Therefore, you might write a letter such as this:

Me
My House
USA
July 16, 2007



Them Corporate Guys
Corporate Circle
Somewhere Else


Dear Sir or Madam:

In response to your advertisement on the subject of the new wonder widgets offered by the Them Corporate Guys manufacturing division, i am writing to request that you send one of your brochures to the address given above. As i use large numbers of widgets in my own manufacturing operations, i am hoping that i will be able to get a discount for large orders. Therefore, would you be so kind as to include pricing information in your reply? Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.


Cordially



Me

*******************************************

Is is appropriate, and not impolite, to thank the addressee in advance because i have a right to expect that the brochure on widgets which was mentioned in the advertisement will be sent to me. Also, as a potential customer who will purchase widgets from Them Corporate Guys, it is completely reasonable for me to ask for pricing information, if that business expects me to buy widgets from them. So it was both an appropriate use of the expression, and not at all impolite.

Business correspondence is usually a little more conservative and formal than everyday usage in the American language. It would usually be considered too informal to say "Thanks" in a business letter, and more appropriate to say "Thank you."

I agree with Setanta that "thanks in advance" may be acceptable in routine, minor business transactions.

In business transactions that are not routine, "Thanks in advance" says to me "My time is more valuable than yours."

I would avoid using the phrase in any sort of social situation. When I see "Thanks in Advance" on an A2K post for a Newbie I wince and frequently decide not to be helpful.

Of course this reasoning may be old-fashioned--but a lot of people you meet in the world are old-fashioned.

Thanks. Your explanation makes it clear that "Thanks in advance" can appear to be demanding.

Thanks, Setanta, for your explanation about the phrase being appropriate in a business letter.