IELTS Shopping Vocabulary
- advertising campaign: a series of advertisements to persuade people to buy something
- big brand names: large well-known companies or product names
- to be careful with money: to not over-spend
- carrier bag: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops
- customer service: the degree to which customers are treated well
- to get into debt: to owe money
- to give someone the hard sell: to put pressure on someone to buy something
- high street names: well-known shops
- independent stores: small shops independent of large companies
- local shops: community shops
- loyalty card: a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on the basis of what they spend
- must-have product: a product that is very popular that a lot of people want to have
- to be on a tight budget: to have a limited amount of money to spend
- to be on commission: to pay someone in relation to the amount they sell
- pay in cash: to pay for something using coins or paper money
- to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
- to pick up a bargain: to buy something much cheaper than the normal price
- to run up a credit card bill: to owe money on a credit card
- to shop around: to try different shops to find the best deal
- shop assistant: the person who serves customers
- to shop until you drop: to do a lot of shopping
- to slash prices: to reduce prices a great deal
- to snap up a bargain: to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply
- summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
- to try something on: to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable
- to be value for money: to be worth the cost
- window shopping: to visit a store to look at items without the intention of buying anything
Part 1-style questions
A: When I can afford it yes … my college is in the city center and I do a lot of window shopping … but being a student I’m on a tight budget so I have to be careful with money …
Q: Are there many shops where you live?
A: We’ve got a few local shops nearby and a few independent stores but none of the big high street names … I have to go into town for them …
Q: Do you enjoy shopping?
A: It depends … I hate it when the sales are on … crowds of people all trying to snap up a bargain … I find it all a bit stressful … I also get annoyed when shop assistants try to give me the hard sell when all I want to do is look around …
Part 2-style task
when this was
what is was you bought
who you bought it for
and say how you felt about buying it for them.
A: I’d like to tell you about the time … about four years ago … my husband and I bought a computer for our daughter … she was about to go to university and we’d promised her we would treat her to one … at the time there had been a big advertising campaign for the latest Apple Macbook and our daughter was very keen to have one … she kept telling us they were valued for money … even though they seemed very expensive to us … anyway, we tried to shop around to see if we could pick up a bargain … this was in the middle of the summer sales and wherever you went prices were being slashed on big brand names … but unfortunately not Apple products … we ended up having to pay the full price … I remember my daughter justifying the cost by pointing out how nice the Apple carrier bag was … but it was lovely to see her so excited and the customer service she’s received during the four years she’s had it has been excellent … so it was value for money after all …
Part 3-style questions
A: I think it’s almost certain … at the moment it’s still possible to pay in cash but I’m sure this will change … the problem is people are more likely to get into debt and run up a credit card bill when this happens.
Q: How do companies encourage the consumer to spend their money?
A: Well … a recent development in my country is something called ‘Black Friday’ where people are encouraged to shop until they drop and buy the latest must-have products … then there are things like loyalty cards to get the customer back in the store …
Q: What do you think shops need to do to create a positive shopping experience?
A: The main thing for me is not being pressurised to buy … I appreciate those shop assistants who are probably on commission but if I’m looking for clothes, for example, I like to take my time … to try something on … and to ask for help if I need it …
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