7.3. SHOPPING

7.3. SHOPPING

7.3.1

Reading

You are going to read an article about a man who works

as a professional shopper. Choose from the list A-H the

sentence which best summarizes parts 1-6 of the article.

There is one sentence which you do not need to use.

Part 0 is an example.

A. Bryan successfully avoids some of the problems that shoppers encounter.

B. Bryan’s success may be related to a recognized trend.

C. Bryan’s experience allows him to predict bargains.

D. Bryan makes his terms and conditions clear.

E. Bryan’s initial success was not anticipated.

F. Bryan’s clients are offered special treatment in shops.

G. Bryan’s strategy is to provide a flexible service.

H. Bryan feels fortunate that he is able to combine work with pleasure.

So, you don’t want to get your toes crushed in the summer sales? Michele Dalton meets a man who’ll do your shopping for you.

0. ________H_________

Bryan Bonaparte is that rare find – a man who loves shopping. Indeed, he loves it so much that he’s set up an agency to provide a shopping service for those people who don’t share his enthusiasm. ‘I get a real buzz out of shopping,’ admits Bryan. ‘It’s a challenge to track down what people want and to find new and interesting things on their behalf. People say to me, ‘I can’t believe you enjoy doing this’, but I do. And it’s great to get paid for it as well.’

1. ___________________

Bryan’s agency, called Ace, started in a small way one Christmas. It was meant to be just a seasonal thing, but it turned out to be so successful that he carried on throughout the year. It seems there are always gifts to buy for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and retirements.

2. ____________________

A survey published in the London Evening News last year found that many people are getting increasingly depressed at the prospect of shopping, and this may go some way to explaining Bryan’s success. The survey pinpointed crowds, bad weather, choosing the right present and carrying heavy bags as stress triggers.

3. _____________________

Planning a shopping trip with military precision is Bryan’s solution. ‘A lot of people go shopping, especially during the sales, with no idea what they are looking for,’ he explains. ‘It’s no wonder they find wandering around the stores frustrating and exhausting.’

4. ______________________

The shopping stretch covered by Ace runs through most of London’s West End shopping districts. Bryan, or another member of his team, is happy to take anyone shopping within this area or to visit stores on their behalf, delivering goods to clients’ homes or offices at a convenient time, including evenings and weekends. If you don’t actually know what you want, Ace will make suggestions, buy the items, then return to the shops to exchange them if you are not completely satisfied.

5. _______________________

A flat charge of £15 per hour applies to either service. Clients with a list of requests are given a quote based on the amount of time involved. The only thing Bryan won’t do is to buy food. For sales shopping, customers need to be specific about size, colour, style and designer labels. Details about the normal price and the discount that clients want are required, and Bryan warns that shops generally won’t exchange items bought in sales.

6. _______________________

Bryan’s specialist knowledge means that clients usually get a good deal. ‘I’ve come to know how long the sales will run for, the stock that will be carried and whether old stock will be brought back in at sale time. If I know the store will reduce prices after a month, then I’ll hang on before buying. Sometimes, prices can be slashed by up to 70% a few days before the sale ends. With Bryan to guide you, will shopping ever be the same again?

7.3.2

Preparation

Do you agree with the following statements?

Why / Why not?

It takes too much time to shop in today’s busy world.
Catalogue shopping is better than waiting in line in stores.
Computers have been the most important contribution to the workplace.
Many jobs still held by people could be more efficiently done by machines.
With the use of computers in many areas of work and at home, human relations have suffered.

Vocabulary

Read the sentences. Try to determine the meaning

of the words in bold from the context. Give a

synonym or your own definition of the words.

With the addition of computers in the office, many jobs that once took hours to finish are now being done in record time.
According to some busy working women, grocery shopping is a hassle because it takes so much time, and it is so inconvenient.
Most working people are not really big on shopping for groceries when they get home from work. They’d rather relax, read the paper, or watch TV.
If a patient dies in a hospital, the body is usually sent to the hospital’s mortuary before burial.
Some modern conveniences, such as drop-off laundromats, allow you to leave your work to be done by others while you go about your business shopping, working, or whatever.
In order to sell a new idea, advertising must have an original pitch to convince people to buy.
Because many people are starting to cook gourmet meals, many supermarkets now offer several fancy-grade food products.
Supermarkets often lose money with their perishable foods, such as fish and fruit, if they aren’t purchased in a short time.
Prices aren’t always comparable in different supermarkets. They’re high in some and low in others, so it’s necessary to shop wisely.
Many people have felt that banking with home computers is an idea whose time has really come. It’s a sign of the future.
If banking from home computers really catches on, there may be more computer crimes.
McDonald’s is an example of a successful American chain, because it has franchised throughout the United States, as well as in many other parts of the world.

Definition

Match the words with their definition or synonym.

1. record time

2. hassle

3. be big on something

4. mortuary

5. go about your business

6. pitch

7. fancy grade

8. perishable

9. comparable

10. whose time has really come

11. catch on

12. franchise

a. aggressive sales talk

b. a room where dead bodies are kept

c. grant the right to sell services or products

d. easily spoiled

e. become popular

f. similar

g. special quality

h. the shortest time

i. continue doing your routine

j. like something a lot

k. annoying task

l. that fits today’s needs

7.3.3

Listening

Listen to the report. It has been divided

into four parts each expressing a certain

idea. You will hear a beep at the end of

each part. Explain the main idea in your own

words. The prompts for you are below:

Part 1. Drive-in Supermarket

Part 2. Successful Ideas

Part 3. Disadvantages

Part 4. Future

Comprehension

Listen again and say whether the

statements for each

part of the report are true or false.

Part 1

In Los Angeles, 1,200 people shop at the same time.
A new supermarket can accommodate 300 cars an hour.
In this supermarket, shopping takes six minutes.
One woman usually waits in line for a couple of hours at a regular grocery store.
She doesn’t like to shop.

Part 2

This new supermarket is near two freeways.
The supermarket offers lots of parking.
Drive-through chapels and mortuaries have been successful throughout the United States.
There are 4,000 items to buy in this supermarket.
Customers mail in their grocery lists.
Then the computer packs the bags.
The shopper only has to load the groceries into the car.

Part 3

It takes the supermarket two minutes to find your order.
It’s sometimes hard to find a parking space.
With this shopping, you have to buy high-quality food.
People sometimes complain about the freshness of the food.
Prices are a bit higher in this store.
One woman complained about the number of people who shop in grocery stores.

Part 4

This supermarket is not doing as well as expected.
This supermarket is being franchised throughout the country.
Some people order their groceries from home computers.
Some people order their groceries while watching TV.

Interaction

Make up a dialogue discussing the advantages

and disadvantages of a drive-in supermarket.

Would you shop at such a store? Why / Why not?

7.3.4

Reading

Read the text and study the words and

expressions in bold.

Your rights when buying goods

Complaining about faulty goods or bad service is never easy. Most people dislike making a fuss. However, when you are shopping, it is important to know your rights.

When you buy something from a shop, you are making a contract. This contract means that it’s up to the shop – not the manufacturer – to deal with your complaints if the goods are not satisfactory. What do we mean by satisfactory?

The goods must not be broken or damaged and must work properly. This is known as ‘merchantable quality’. A sheet, say, which had a tear in it, or a clock that didn’t go when you wound it would not pass this test.

The goods must be as described – whether on the pack or by the salesman. A hairdryer, which the box says is blue, should not turn out to be pink, a pair of shoes the salesman says is leather should not be plastic.

The goods should be fit for their purpose. This means the purpose for which most people buy those particular goods. If you wanted something for a special purpose, you must have said exactly what for. If, for instance, the shop assures you that a certain glue will mend broken china, and it doesn’t you have a right to return it.

If the shop sells you faulty goods, it has broken its side of the bargain.

If goods are faulty when you first inspect or use them, go back to the shop, say that you cancel the purchase and ask for a complete refund. If you prefer, you can accept a repair or a replacement.

If the goods break down through no fault of yours, after you have used them for a time, you may still be entitled to some compensation. In some cases it would be reasonable to expect a complete refund – if, for instance, without misuse your shoes came apart after only one day’s wear, or your washing machine irreparably broke down after only three wash days.

But if your washing machine worked perfectly for a while and then broke you could only expect some of the purchase price back. You and the supplier must negotiate a reasonable settlement.

You need never accept a credit note for faulty goods. If you do so, then later find you do not want anything in the shop or store, you may not get you money back.

If you have to spend money as a direct result of goods being faulty, you can also claim this from the shop. You could, for example, claim the cost of using a laundry while the washing machine wasn’t working. But you must keep such expenses down to a minimum.

There are four golden rules:

Examine the goods you buy at once. If they are faulty, tell the seller quickly.
Keep any receipts you are given. If you have to return something the receipt will help to prove where and when you bought it.
Don’t be afraid to complain. You are not asking a favour to have faulty goods put right. The law is on your side.
Be persistent (but not aggressive). If your complaint is justified, it’s somebody’s responsibility to put things right.

Remember:

You can’t complain about defects that were pointed out to you, or that you could reasonably have been expected to notice.
Stop using the item as soon as you discover a fault.
You are not entitled to compensation if you simply change your mind about wanting the goods.

Discussion

Answer the following questions:

Is it easy for you to claim back your money in a shop?
Do you know the law that regulates the rights of a buyer and a seller in our country?
In what cases can you return something you have bought to the shop?
When are they obliged to pay a compensation to you?
Would you rather accept a repair, a replacement or demand a refund for a faulty thing?
What was your most disappointing purchase? Did you complain about it? What was the result?

7.3.5

Vocabulary

Using the list below, say which things most

influence you when you buy something.

Give your reasons.

Listening

Listen to a reporter talking to the director of the

company that makes Bubble Up and Fizzy Cola. Say

whether the statements below are true or false

and why.

Bubble Up was an immediate success.
The plans for advertising Fizzy Cola have changed.
The company is doing better this year than last year.
The company may go bankrupt.
The company will definitely do better in the future.

Definition

Match the multi-word verbs with their definitions.

1. to catch on

2. to pick up

3. to fall through

4. to come up with something

5. to take someone on

6. to fall off

7. to lay someone off

8. to back out (of something)

9. to take (something) over

a. to withdraw from an agreement or arrangement

b. to gain control or possession of something

c. to be abandoned or fail to be completed (e.g. a plan

or arrangement)

d. to increase, improve or recover (e.g. economy or

business)

e. to decrease in amount or number

f. to employ someone

g. to become popular or fashionable

h. to introduce an idea, suggestion or solution

i. to dismiss someone because there is no work

(usually temporarily)

Drills

Listen to the sentences. Use the prompts to make

sentences with the same meaning.

7.3.6

Practice

Read the dialogue and replace the words in italics with

phrasal verbs.

A: Hello, Bill, how’s the car business doing at the moment?

B: Not very well, I’m afraid. Our sales are decreasing at the moment, and our latest model hasn’t proved to be popular. We’ve also had to withdraw from a new project to build a family car. What about you?

A: Our export figures weren’t very good at the start of the year, but now they’re starting to improve and we need to employ extra staff. In fact, we’re thinking of taking control of another business.

B: Lucky you! Our company is thinking of dismissing some of its staff until things get better. By the way, what happened about that design problem you were telling me about?

A: Fortunately one of our team managed to produce a brilliant solution to the problem – otherwise the whole project would have been abandoned.

Collocation

Which of the words can be used with the phrasal

verbs below? Up to three items may be correct.

1. She came up with _______________________ .

a. an interesting idea b. a serious complaint c. a useful suggestion d. the right answer

2. a. The new fashion b. The Prime Minister c. The idea d. The song

________________________ is catching on.

3. a. The plan b. The search c. The scheme d. The project

________________________ has fallen through.

4. a. The rain b. His love c. Investment d. Production

________________________ is falling off.

Activate

Supply suitable endings for the following sentences.

They decided to back out of buying the house when they found out …
She took over the company because …
The plan to build a new tunnel fell through because …
The new fashion didn’t catch on because …
Sales started to pick up after …
Two hundred workers were laid off because …
The number of people who want to become nurses is falling off because …
Scientists have come up with an idea for …
The company took me on when I told them …

7.3.7

Word Use

Work out the meaning of the nouns in the box.

Use them to complete the newspaper headlines.

ECONOMIC NEWS IN BRIEF

a. _________ In Economy Will Increase Unemployment

b. Sweet Manufacturer Makes __________ Bid For Rival Company

c. Company’s Annual ___________ Rises By £30 M

d. Optimistic Chancellor Predicts _________ In Economy

Out

The particle out can be used with some verbs to give the

idea of something stopping completely. Translate the

sentences below and give your own examples.

The engine was working all right but then it suddenly cut out.
After two years at university he decided to drop out.
She had to pull out of the competition because of a leg injury.
The shop has sold out of that style of jumper.
This species of bird died out in the nineteenth century.
They used to be good friends but they fell out last summer.

Opposites

What is the opposite of the following:

1. sales are falling off

2. to get off to a bad start

3. a downturn in the economy

4. to lay someone off

7.3.8

Role Play

Work in pairs. Choose the roles and act out the

conversation. Use the words and expressions

from this Unit.

Director of fashion company

Your company is not doing well at the moment and you are worried it may go bankrupt. Tell your fashion designer about the latest sales figures, the economic recession, the failure of recent projects, and the need to reduce the number of the staff. Find out if he/she has any ideas for helping to save the company.

Fashion designer

You work for a fashion company. The Director has asked to see you about the bad financial position of the company. Try to think of positive things to say about the company, the economy, and your new ideas. Try to think of solutions to the problems the company is facing.

7.3.9

Translation

Translate the extract from an article published by

a sociology magazine. Do you agree with the author?

Why / Why not?

Consumption and Identity

Sociologists have always been interested in how much money and wealth individualists and social classes have and how they acquire it. It is probably fair to say, though, that sociologists have been less interested in how we spend our money.

In our everyday lives, we do not buy things just because we need to eat food or wear clothes. Our purchasing choices are not free of cultural values. Through examining these values, sociologists can work out the cultural meanings of the things we buy. Our shoes or magazines become cultural products.

Cultural products can carry meanings in terms of the culture they come from. If we buy an expensive sports car, for instance, it is not simply to satisfy our transport needs. Sociologists argue that through purchasing a sports car a person is telling us something about their culture, their values and their own identity. In fashion, men’s and women’s clothing follow a range of cultural codes or rules which enable us to distinguish between men and women and, indeed, between different types of men and women.

It is postmodernist theory which has been responsible for promoting the idea that we now live in a media-saturated environment, in which we are constantly encouraged by the media to spend money (consume). The theory suggests that we now live in a new era, in which the importance of production or work activities in shaping identities (by helping to form class identities, for instance) has declined. Some theorists even go so far as to argue that class as a meaningful sociological category, no longer exists. It is claimed that we now live in a period of affluence and that it is what we buy which now determines membership of social groups and our social identity. It is these bonds of consumption – in buying Nike trainers or Prada clothes, for example – which create out sense of identity. Postmodernist theory argues that, instead of examining class differences, sociologists should focus on consumption differences, where identities are created flexibly and relatively unhampered by structural forces such as class, ethnicity or gender.

7.3.10

Speaking

Do you like shopping? Why / Why not?

Speak about your preferences and habits.

7.3.11

Writing

Is there anything you would like to change in the work of

shops, in the organization of services in our city / country?

Write a list of suggestions.