Money and shopping vocabulary

86. Customer – consumer
- His bar is always full of consumers.
87. Cashier – clerk
The cashier rang up $300 by mistake.
88. Attendant- assistant
- The Prince was followed by his attendance.
89. Asisstant – helper
-My assistant will now demonstrate the machine in action
90.Manager Shopping- executive
-A shopping manager is responsible for for product profitable.
91. to go shopping – to go to the shops to buy things
- I won’t be home until 6pm tonight because I’m going shopping after work.
92.to do the shopping – the activity of buying items from shops
- I hate doing the shopping as it’s always so crowded in the supermarket.
93.goods – things that are sold
- Department stores have a wide range of goods on sale.
94.window shopping – the activity of looking at goods for sale, especially in shop window displays, without the intention of buying anything
- One of my favourite activities on a Saturday is to go window shopping with my friends to see the latest fashions.
95.bargain hunting – looking for products that are good value for money, usually because they are on sale at a lower price than normal
- I love bargain hunting and feel great when I find something I need at a knock-down price.
96.shop around – compare prices before buying something
- I always shop around before buying high value items as prices can vary considerably.
97.browse – looking at things in one or more shops without a firm intention to buy anything
- When I go into town, I often browse around the clothes shops to see if I can pick up any bargains.
98.retail therapy – the practise of buying things in order to make yourself feel better when you are unhappy
- I need some retail therapy to help me get over the disappointment of not getting a promotion at work.
99.to go on a shopping spree – a short period of time in which someone buys a lot of things
- I’ll have to go on a shopping spree before my holiday next month as I’ve lost so much weight that my beachwear doesn’t fit me anymore.
100.hit the shops / stores – to go on a shopping spree
- I’m taking a bus into the city with some friends on Saturday and we’re going to hit the shops.
102.an impulse buy – an unplanned purchase when something is bought suddenly without careful thought
- My waterproof jacket was an impulse buy as I was actually looking for some new walking boots, but it was such a bargain that I just had to get it.
103.a shopaholic – someone who loves shopping and does it often, sometimes to the point of it being an addiction
- My friend Sally is a true shopaholic but I do worry about her as she can’t really afford all the designer clothes she buys.
110.to try on – to put on an item of clothing to see if it fits or looks good
- Can I try on these two dresses please as I’m not sure which size will fit me best?
111.take something back – return an unwanted item to a shop
- I’m going to have to take this jacket back to the shop as the colour doesn’t match my skirt.
112.to return an item - to take or send something back to the retail outlet it was purchased from
- I’ll have to return the jumper I bought online as they sent the wrong size.
113.exchange – change an item that has been purchased for a different one
- The shirt I bought my dad for his birthday is too large so I’m going to exchange it for a smaller one.
114.for sale – available to buy
- I was really impressed by the quality of goods for sale in the new furniture shop in town.
115.shopping list – a list of the things you want to buy when you go shopping
- I always take a shopping list when I go to the supermarket so that I don’t forget anything.
116.customer service – any activity designed to increase the level of customer satisfaction, such as help them find finding the right product and guidance about its use
- I was really impressed with the customer service at the computer shop as a sales assistant helped me to choose the best laptop for my needs rather than trying to sell me a more expensive one.
117.to give someone the hard sell – try to sell someone something in a forceful way
- When I said I needed to go away and think about it before buying the car, the salesman tried the hard sell on me.
118.shoplifting - take goods from a shop without paying for them
- My cousin was caught shoplifting again and might be sent to prison this time.
119. 120.shop online / internet shopping – to buy things over the internet
- It’s really popular to do your grocery shopping online these days and have it delivered to your house.
- The increase in internet shopping is leading to many local shops closing down
121.to order – to request a product over the internet or from a shop when the required item is not in stock
- I must remember to go online and order the computer game my brother wants for his birthday or it won’t arrive in time
122.shopper – a person who is shopping
- It was the start of the summer sales and the high street was packed with shoppers.
123.customer – a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business
- I like to do my shopping early in the morning before the shops get busy with customers.
124.retailer – a business or person that sells goods to individual customers, as opposed to a wholesaler or supplier, who normally sell their goods to another business
- Although supermarkets are primarily food retailers, they also sell many other things such as electrical goods and clothing.
125.bargain hunter – someone who is looking for goods that are very good value for money, usually because they are on sale at a lower price than normal
- My sister is a keen dedicated bargain hunter and rarely pays full price for anything.
126.shop assistant / sales assistant – a person who serves customers in a shop
- These days, shop assistants are often too busy chatting to one another to help their customers.
128.cashier - the person who takes the money in a shop
- The cashiers were all busy and I had to join a queue to pay for my groceries.
129.market trader / market vendor – a person who runs a stall at a market
- I was late getting into town and many of the market traders were already packing away their stalls.
131.store detective – a person employed by a store to detect and prevent theft from the store by shoplifters.
- The store detective stopped the man as he was leaving the store and discovered a stolen bottle of wine in his coat poce
132.shop / store / retail outlet – a place where customers can buy goods
- My favourite shop / store / retail outlet to visit when I’m in London is Harrods.
135.chain store – a group of shops that belong to one company
- These days, most towns in the UK are full of chain stores and there are very few independent retailers left.
136.independent stores – shops not owned by large companies
- When I want to buy a special outfit for a wedding, I shop in an independent store so that I can be sure that no one else will be wearing the same thing.
137.department store – a large shop that sells different types of items in different areas or departments of the store
- The department store in our town sells everything from clothes and shoes to bedding, kitchenware and cosmetics.
138.convenience store – a small local shop that is open for long hours and sells a limited range of everyday food and other goods
- If we run out of bread or milk, I send one of the kids down to the convenience store at the end of the road to buy some.
139.supermarket – a large shop that sells mainly food and household items
- I buy most of our food at the supermarket, although I do like to go to the local butcher for meat.
140.discount store – a shop that sells goods at less than the normal retail price
- Having a motor parts discount store near my home means that I can keep my car on the road quite cheaply.
141.grocery – shop that sells groceries (the collective term for items of food sold in a grocery or supermarket)
- I hope that our local grocery store doesn’t close down now that a big supermarket has been build near town.
143.greengrocer – person or shop that sells fresh fruit and vegetables
- When I was young I was always given a free apple when I went to the greengrocer with my mum.
144.butcher – person or shop that sells fresh meat
- My butcher makes the best sausages in the area.
145.bakery – shop that sells fresh bread and cakes
- Fresh bread from a bakery always tastes much better than bread bought from a supermarket.
146.fishmonger – person or shop that sells fresh fish
- Our fishmonger buys his fish straight off the local fishing boats so it’s very fresh.
147.farm shop – a shop which sells produce from a farm directly to the public
- Buying from a farm shop helps to support the local economy and guarantees the produce is fresh.
148.pharmacy – shop that sells medicines
- They were very helpful at the pharmacy and recommended some cough mixture that has calmed my chesty cough.
149.chemist (UK) / drugstore (US) – sells medicines and toiletries
- I was glad that mum asked me to pick her tablets from the chemist as they had an offer on razor blades and I needed some new ones.
151.newsagents – shop that sells newspapers and magazines
- Harry stopped off at the newsagents on his way to the train station each weekday morning to buy his daily paper.
152.pet shop – shop that sells food and other items for dogs, cats and other pets and sometimes small pets as well
- My dog loves visiting the pet shop with me as he knows that I’ll buy him a dog chew.
153.bookshop – shop that sells books
I buy lots of Christmas and birthday present from bookshops as all my family are keen readers.
154.DIY store – shop that sells things for home improvement
- Dad has promised me some shelves in my room so we’re off to the DIY store at the weekend to buy some planks of wood and screws.
155.hardware shop / ironmonger – shop that sells goods such as nails, screws and hand tools.
- I love browsing in hardware stores as they sell so many interesting bits and pieces.
158.delicatessen (deli) – shop that specialises in cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign prepared foods
- My special treat is a venison and mushroom pie from our local deli.
159.market – a place where people sell produce and good on small stalls
- I buy all my fruit and vegetables at the market because they are fresher than in the supermarket.
160.flea market – a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes
- The flea market in Portobello Road, London, started in the 1800s and is still popular with both locals and tourists.
161.shopping mall – a large enclosed shopping area from which traffic is excluded
- The first time I visited a shopping mall I was so excited to see so many big brand name shops all in one place.
162.shopping centre – a large building or a group of buildings containing lots of different stores, often build away from town centres
- One of the reasons why people like out-of-town shopping centres is that you get free parking.
163.to buy / to purchase – to acquire something by paying for it
- Juan bought himself a new suit for his job interview.
- Kari couldn’t decide whether to buy the red or the blue pair of shoes so she purchased both of them.
165.gift voucher – a card that you buy at a shop to give as a gift, which entitles the person to exchange it for goods worth the same amount
- I often give my nieces and nephews gift vouchers for their birthdays so that they can buy what they want.
166.discount voucher – a ticket or piece of paper, often with a code on it, that gives money off the purchase price
- When I bought my new TV, I got a discount voucher for 20% off my next purchase from the shop.
167.coupon – a voucher, often printed in a newspaper or magazine, that can be used to get something without paying for it, or at a reduced price
- There’s a coupon in our local newspaper this week for a free cupcake from the new bakery in town.
168.store card – a plastic card that can be used to buy goods in a particular store that you pay for at a later time
- My Macy’s store card saves me lots of money as I get 10% off everything I buy with it.
169.loyalty card – a card issued by a shop that enables customers to save money on the basis of how much they spend
- I have 9 points on my bookshop loyalty card and next time I buy a book I’ll get a second one for free.
170.debit card – a plastic card used to pay for items that takes the money directly from your bank account
- My debit card is now contactless so I don’t even need to enter my PIN number for small purchases.
171.credit card – a plastic card that you use to buy goods or services and pay for them later
- I’m careful as to how I use my credit card as it is very easy to overspend with one.
172.cash – money in the form of notes and coins
- I hardly ever use cash these days as I do most of my shopping online.
173.receipt - a piece of paper showing the amount of money you have paid for something used as proof of purchase
- I always keep the receipt when I buy something in case I have to return it.
174.refund – money given back to a customer when they return a product they are not happy with
- I took the faulty clock back to the shop and asked for a refund.
175.price - the amount of money you have to pay for something
- I was delighted when I looked at the price of the pretty blue dress and found that it was less than I had expected.
176.price tag – a label that states the price of an item
- When I see an item of clothing I like, I check the price tag first to see if I can afford it.
177.discount – a reduction in the price of something
- If I’m buying lots of items from a shop, I always ask for a discount.
178.a sale – a period during which a shop sells goods at reduced prices
- I need a new vacuum cleaner but I’m waiting until the January sales to save money.
179.on sale / on offer - for sale at a reduced price
- Umbrellas are on sale at the moment so I’m going to buy one ready for the rainy season.
181.to pick up a bargain / to snap up a bargain – to buy something cheaply
- She picked up some great bargains in the sale.
185.knock-down price – extremely cheap or costing much less than the usual amount
- Now that spring is here, they’re selling off winter coats at a knock-down price.
186.to slash prices - to reduce prices a great deal
- Mr Patel is closing down his clothes shop and has slashed prices to sell off his stock.
187.expensive – costing a lot of money
- Stefan bought his girlfriend an expensive necklace for her birthday.
188. 189.inexpensive / cheap – something that does not cost a lot of money
- Hyun-Gi looked in the sales for an inexpensive watch to wear for work.
- Wan-Soo said he’d seen some nice watches going cheap in the market.
190.to be value for money – to be worth the cost
- My new laptop was quite expensive but has all the latest features so I think it was good value for money.
191.over-priced – to cost more than you think it is worth
- The sunglasses made me look really cool but they were over-priced so I didn’t buy them.
192.to save up – to put money aside for something until the required amount is reached
- Khalil was saving up to buy a new bicycle.
193.haggle – to negotiate the cost of an item
- I had to really haggle with the car salesman to get the price I wanted.
194.checkout – the place where payment is made for goods, especially in a supermarket
- The girl on the checkout was very friendly and chatted as she took the payment for my groceries.
195.queue – a line of people waiting
- The supermarket was really busy and I had to queue for ages at the checkout.
196.shelves – the place where they put the products in a shop, especially in a supermarket
- With Christmas only a few weeks away, the shelves were stacked with festive food.
197.trolley – a large container with wheels that you use to put products in, especially in a supermarket
- It’s important to pack your trolley carefully so that your fruit and eggs don’t get squashed under heavy items.
198. 199.changing room / fitting room – place in a shop where you can try clothes on before buying them
- Belita wasn’t sure which size blouse would fit her best so she took a small and a medium into the changing room to try on.
200.opening hours – the times when a shop is open for business
- In recent years, many shops have extended their opening hours to stay open later and catch customers leaving work.
201.brand – a unique design, symbol or words, or a combination of these, used to create an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors
- When I buy new fitness trainers, I always choose a well-known brand like Nike so that I can be sure of the quality.
202.big brand names – large, well-known companies or product names
- Shoppers generally look for big brand names as their products usually have a good reputation.
203.brand-name goods – products made by a well-known company
- Teenagers are a huge market for brand-name goods as having the same brand as the cool kids makes them feel cool too.
204.high street names – well-known shops
- If you visit any town in the UK, you will see all the familiar high street names such as Boots, Marks & Spence and W.H. Smith.
205.a luxury – something expensive that you do not need but you buy for pleasure or comfort
- One day I’m going to treat myself to a luxury car but while the kids are young, a station wagon is far more suited to our family needs.
206.status symbol – a product that people want to have because they think othe people will admire them for owning it.
- Designed clothes are an important status symbol among young people.
207.second-hand – something that is for sale but has been used before
- I often browse the second-hand clothes shops to see if they’ve got anything worth having in my size.
208.fake – imitation or counterfeit
- The sale of fake designer clothes and perfumes is illegal but can make dealers a lot of money.
209.genuine – what it is meant to be, not fake
- The leather jackets were so cheap that Marlon doubted that they were genuine.
210.throwaway society – the idea that we have become a society that consumes a lot of stuff and readily throws it away, replacing it with new goods
- Whilst the transition to throwaway socieities is good for economic growth, it's leading to a huge waste problem.
211.the real McCoy – genuine, not fake
- I was worried that the gold bracelet I bought in the market wasn’t made of real gold but I showed it my uncle who’s a jeweller and he said it’s the real McCoy.
212.going for a song – on sale for a very low price
- I was glad I went to the end of season sale at the garden centre as many of the plants were going for a song.
213.to shop until you drop – to continue shopping until you are exhausted; to shop intensively over a short period of time
214.Clothes horse: someone who really likes to buy nice clothes