How to Be a Smart Shopper
In today’s world, shopping has become more than just a necessity; it is part of people’s lifestyles. A careful consumer often learns to shop around before making a final purchase, because the same goods can vary in price and quality. While some items are truly affordable, others are overpriced, especially when a famous brand is attached to them. Shoppers usually check the label to see what they are really buying, and many prefer shops that offer a guarantee in case something goes wrong or a refund is needed.
Visiting shops is still a social activity. People queue up at the butcher’s, wait patiently at the greengrocer’s, or quickly pop into the grocer’s on their way home. Some like to browse for something fashionable in a jeweller’s, while others look for bargains in a charity shop or even a pawnshop, where items are often second-hand. In every case, customers hope to pick something out that will suit them, whether it is a suit that actually fits perfectly, or a necklace that will go with their outfit.
Of course, shopping habits are changing. Many people now prefer online stores, where they can browse for hours, select what stands out, and wait for delivery. Sometimes popular items sell out within minutes, and shoppers are advised to look out for restocks or price drops. When promotions appear, a discount can bring down to a reasonable price, and although buying online may take patience, the wait often pays off in savings.
Traditional shops, however, still play a role. A quick stop at the barber’s shows that shopping is not only about objects but also about services. Whether one is hunting for a hidden bargain, comparing styles, or simply enjoying the atmosphere of a busy high street, shopping remains a daily experience where choices must be made wisely.
Key vocabulary:
General Terms
bargain — [ˈbɑː.ɡɪn] — a thing bought for less than the usual price; darījums
brand — [brænd] — a type of product made by a particular company and sold under a particular name; fabrikas marka, zīmols
consumer — [kənˈsjuː.mər] — a person who buys goods or services; patērētājs
goods — [ɡʊdz] — things for sale, or the things that you own; preces
guarantee — [ˌɡær.ənˈtiː] — a written promise that a product will work properly, or the company will fix/replace it; garantija
label — [ˈleɪ.bəl] — a piece of paper or other material that gives you information about the object it is attached to; etiķete, uzlīme
refund — [ˈriː.fʌnd] — an amount of money that is given back to you, especially because you are not happy with a product or service that you have bought; atmaksa, kompensācija
savings — [ˈseɪ·vɪŋz] — an amount of something such as time or money that you do not need to use or spend; ietaupījumi
service — [ˈsɜː.vɪs] — the act of dealing with customers in a shop, restaurant, or hotel by taking their orders, showing or selling them goods, etc.; pakalpojums
Descriptive Language
affordable — [əˈfɔːdəbl] — not too expensive; reasonable in price; lēts, pieejams, tāds, kuru var atļauties
fashionable — [ˈfæʃ.ən.ə.bəl] — popular at a particular time (clothes/styles); moderns
overpriced — [ˌəʊvəˈpraɪst] — costing much more than it should; pārāk dārgs
reasonable — [ˈriː.zən.ə.bəl] — based on or using good judgment and therefore fair and practical; mērens, pieņemams
second-hand — [ˈsek.ənd ˌhænd] — not new; having been used in the past by someone else; lietots
Actions and Verbs
browse — braʊz] — to look at goods in a shop without planning to buy them; pārlūkot
delivery — [dɪˈlɪv.ər.i] — the act of taking goods, letters, parcels, etc. to people's houses or places of work; piegāde
fit — [fɪt] — if clothes fit, they are the right size and shape for you; piemērots, atbilstošs
purchase — [ˈpɜː.tʃəs] — to buy something; pirkums
queue — [kjuː] — a line of people, usually standing or in cars, waiting for something, or a lot of people who want something; rinda
restock (also: re-stock) — [ˌriːˈstɒk] — to fill something with new or different things to replace those that have been used, sold, etc.; to get a new supply of something; atjaunot
shop around — [ʃɒp əˈraʊnd] — to compare prices in different shops before buying; salīdzināt cenas
suit — [suːt] — if clothes suit you, they make you look attractive; piestāvēt
Types of Shops
barber’s — [ˈbɑː.bəz] — a shop where a barber cuts hair; frizētava vīriešiem
butcher’s (also: butcher’s shop) — [ˈbʊtʃ.əz] — a shop where meat is prepared and sold; gaļas veikals
charity shop — [ˈtʃærəti ʃɒp] — a shop in which a charity sells all types of used goods that are given by the public, or in which they sell new goods, to make money for the work of the charity; labdarības veikals
greengrocer’s — [ˈɡriːnˌɡrəʊ.səz] — a shop that sells fruit and vegetables; dārzeņu veikals
grocer’s (also: grocery shop) — [ˈɡrəʊ.səz] — a shop that sells food and other things used in the home; pārtikas veikals
jeweller’s — [ˈdʒuː.əl.əz] — a shop that sells jewellery and watches; juvelierizstrādājumu veikals
pawnshop — [ˈpɔːnʃɒp] — a store where you can leave possessions in order to borrow money, or buy objects that others have left there and that are now for sale; lombards
Phrasal Verbs
bring something down — to reduce the level of something; samazināt
bargain — [ˈbɑː.ɡɪn] — a thing bought for less than the usual price; darījums
brand — [brænd] — a type of product made by a particular company and sold under a particular name; fabrikas marka, zīmols
consumer — [kənˈsjuː.mər] — a person who buys goods or services; patērētājs
goods — [ɡʊdz] — things for sale, or the things that you own; preces
guarantee — [ˌɡær.ənˈtiː] — a written promise that a product will work properly, or the company will fix/replace it; garantija
label — [ˈleɪ.bəl] — a piece of paper or other material that gives you information about the object it is attached to; etiķete, uzlīme
refund — [ˈriː.fʌnd] — an amount of money that is given back to you, especially because you are not happy with a product or service that you have bought; atmaksa, kompensācija
savings — [ˈseɪ·vɪŋz] — an amount of something such as time or money that you do not need to use or spend; ietaupījumi
service — [ˈsɜː.vɪs] — the act of dealing with customers in a shop, restaurant, or hotel by taking their orders, showing or selling them goods, etc.; pakalpojums
Descriptive Language
affordable — [əˈfɔːdəbl] — not too expensive; reasonable in price; lēts, pieejams, tāds, kuru var atļauties
fashionable — [ˈfæʃ.ən.ə.bəl] — popular at a particular time (clothes/styles); moderns
overpriced — [ˌəʊvəˈpraɪst] — costing much more than it should; pārāk dārgs
reasonable — [ˈriː.zən.ə.bəl] — based on or using good judgment and therefore fair and practical; mērens, pieņemams
second-hand — [ˈsek.ənd ˌhænd] — not new; having been used in the past by someone else; lietots
Actions and Verbs
browse — braʊz] — to look at goods in a shop without planning to buy them; pārlūkot
delivery — [dɪˈlɪv.ər.i] — the act of taking goods, letters, parcels, etc. to people's houses or places of work; piegāde
fit — [fɪt] — if clothes fit, they are the right size and shape for you; piemērots, atbilstošs
purchase — [ˈpɜː.tʃəs] — to buy something; pirkums
queue — [kjuː] — a line of people, usually standing or in cars, waiting for something, or a lot of people who want something; rinda
restock (also: re-stock) — [ˌriːˈstɒk] — to fill something with new or different things to replace those that have been used, sold, etc.; to get a new supply of something; atjaunot
shop around — [ʃɒp əˈraʊnd] — to compare prices in different shops before buying; salīdzināt cenas
suit — [suːt] — if clothes suit you, they make you look attractive; piestāvēt
Types of Shops
barber’s — [ˈbɑː.bəz] — a shop where a barber cuts hair; frizētava vīriešiem
butcher’s (also: butcher’s shop) — [ˈbʊtʃ.əz] — a shop where meat is prepared and sold; gaļas veikals
charity shop — [ˈtʃærəti ʃɒp] — a shop in which a charity sells all types of used goods that are given by the public, or in which they sell new goods, to make money for the work of the charity; labdarības veikals
greengrocer’s — [ˈɡriːnˌɡrəʊ.səz] — a shop that sells fruit and vegetables; dārzeņu veikals
grocer’s (also: grocery shop) — [ˈɡrəʊ.səz] — a shop that sells food and other things used in the home; pārtikas veikals
jeweller’s — [ˈdʒuː.əl.əz] — a shop that sells jewellery and watches; juvelierizstrādājumu veikals
pawnshop — [ˈpɔːnʃɒp] — a store where you can leave possessions in order to borrow money, or buy objects that others have left there and that are now for sale; lombards
Phrasal Verbs
bring something down — to reduce the level of something; samazināt
go with something — if one thing goes with another, they suit each other or they look or taste good together; piestāvēt
hunt for — to look for something that is difficult to find; meklēt kaut ko, kas nav viegli pieejams
look out for — be aware of something and watch for it; meklēt
pay off — be worth the effort or money spent; atmaksāties
pick something out — to recognize, find, or make a choice among different people or things in a group; izvēlēties
pop into — to visit briefly; ieiet uz īsu mirkli (piemēram, veikalā)
queue up — to wait in a line of people, often to buy something; stāvēt rindā
sell out — run out of stock of a particular item; izpārdot
shop around (for something) — to compare the quality or prices of goods or services that are offered by different shops, companies, etc. so that you can choose the best; salīdzināt preces pēc cenas un kvalitātes, lai izvēlētos labāko
stand out — be very noticeable; izcelties
Practice: now that you have learned the key vocabulary, it is time to use it in practice. Answer the discussion-type questions, which will help you develop the ability to give longer answers and practise expressing preference — just as in an English exam or real conversation. For each question, an answer prompt is available to guide you. Revise the phrases used to express likes and dislikes you covered in the previous theoretical chapter: Expressing Personal Preferences in English
Discussion-Type Questions
1. Do you prefer shopping in stores or online? Why?
"Some people argue that online shopping is more convenient, because it saves time and often offers better prices. For example, you can compare products quickly from home. On the other hand, shopping in stores allows you to see and try items before buying. Personally, I’m really keen on online shopping, because I find the variety and quick comparisons very useful. Still, I have a soft spot for visiting shops occasionally, as browsing in person is also very enjoyable. On the whole, I believe both options have clear advantages."
2. Should advertisements be more strictly controlled?
"Some would say yes, because adverts often persuade people to buy unnecessary or unhealthy products. For example, fast-food advertising targets children. Others argue that advertising is just part of business and gives consumers choice. Personally, I’m not a big fan of aggressive advertising, as it often encourages wasteful habits. At the same time, I have a preference for adverts that are creative or informative, since I actually find them very enjoyable to watch. On the whole, I think some control is needed, especially to protect young people."
3. Do you think shopping habits are different between older and younger people?
"It is often said that young people shop more online and spend more on fashion or technology. For example, many teenagers are really into trendy clothes and often buy them through social media apps. In contrast, older generations usually prefer shopping in person and focus on practical items, since they are not so drawn to trends but rather to everyday needs. Personally, I have a preference for practical shopping myself, although I can understand why younger people are crazy about fashionable products."
4. How can shopping affect the environment?
"Some argue that shopping, especially fast fashion, causes waste and pollution. For instance, many clothes are thrown away after a short time. On the other hand, people can shop in eco-friendly ways, like buying second-hand or reusable items. Personally, I’m not crazy about fast fashion, as it often feels cheap and wasteful. Instead, I’m really keen on second-hand shopping, and I take pleasure in finding unique bargains that stand out. On the whole, I believe shopping has a big impact, so we should try to be more responsible consumers."
1. Do you prefer shopping in stores or online? Why?
"Some people argue that online shopping is more convenient, because it saves time and often offers better prices. For example, you can compare products quickly from home. On the other hand, shopping in stores allows you to see and try items before buying. Personally, I’m really keen on online shopping, because I find the variety and quick comparisons very useful. Still, I have a soft spot for visiting shops occasionally, as browsing in person is also very enjoyable. On the whole, I believe both options have clear advantages."
2. Should advertisements be more strictly controlled?
"Some would say yes, because adverts often persuade people to buy unnecessary or unhealthy products. For example, fast-food advertising targets children. Others argue that advertising is just part of business and gives consumers choice. Personally, I’m not a big fan of aggressive advertising, as it often encourages wasteful habits. At the same time, I have a preference for adverts that are creative or informative, since I actually find them very enjoyable to watch. On the whole, I think some control is needed, especially to protect young people."
3. Do you think shopping habits are different between older and younger people?
"It is often said that young people shop more online and spend more on fashion or technology. For example, many teenagers are really into trendy clothes and often buy them through social media apps. In contrast, older generations usually prefer shopping in person and focus on practical items, since they are not so drawn to trends but rather to everyday needs. Personally, I have a preference for practical shopping myself, although I can understand why younger people are crazy about fashionable products."
4. How can shopping affect the environment?
"Some argue that shopping, especially fast fashion, causes waste and pollution. For instance, many clothes are thrown away after a short time. On the other hand, people can shop in eco-friendly ways, like buying second-hand or reusable items. Personally, I’m not crazy about fast fashion, as it often feels cheap and wasteful. Instead, I’m really keen on second-hand shopping, and I take pleasure in finding unique bargains that stand out. On the whole, I believe shopping has a big impact, so we should try to be more responsible consumers."