English Conversation Practice for Listening & Speaking | Talking About Online Shopping in English

🛒 Online shopping is part of daily life — but the English vocabulary can feel confusing.
Welcome to English Unlocked, the podcast designed to help you master English through everyday topics. In today’s episode, Alice and Bob dive into a modern essential: Online Shopping (e-commerce) — and teach you the exact English words you need to shop confidently on international websites.
Whether you’re buying clothes, books, electronics, or groceries, most global shopping platforms use English. After this episode, you’ll be able to understand product details, pay safely, track deliveries, and even handle returns — all in clear, natural English.

✅ What You’ll Learn in This Episode (Online Shopping Vocabulary)
1) The basic shopping journey in English (step-by-step)
We break down the common process that almost every website follows:


Retailer = the store (like a big online store or marketplace)


Product page = where you read the description, price, and details


Customer reviews = what other buyers say (often the most trusted info!)


Shopping cart / shopping basket = where you keep items before paying


Checkout = the final step where you enter details and pay


If you’ve ever wondered what “proceed to checkout” really means — you’ll understand it clearly after this episode.

📦 2) Shipping & delivery terms you’ll see everywhere
Online shopping isn’t only about buying — it’s also about delivery. We teach you the words you need to follow your package:


Shipping address = where the package will be delivered


Confirmation email = proof that your order worked


Tracking number = the code that lets you follow the package online


Shipped = the store has sent it out


Out for delivery = it’s coming today (the exciting one!)



💳 3) Payment vocabulary (so you don’t feel lost at checkout)
Checkout pages can feel stressful, especially in another language. This episode simplifies the essential terms:


Payment method


Credit card / debit card


Card number / expiry date


Security code / CVV


Digital wallet (like PayPal)



💸 4) How to talk about discounts and saving money
Everyone loves a deal — but what’s the difference between a discount and a promo code?
You’ll learn:


Discount = a reduction in price


Promo code / coupon code = a code you type during checkout to apply a discount


How to explain price changes clearly (ex: “$50 → $40”)



🔁 5) Customer service vocabulary: returns, refunds, exchanges
What if your item arrives damaged, or the size is wrong? This episode gives you simple, useful phrases for real-life problems:


Return = send it back


Refund = get your money back


Exchange = swap for the correct size or a different item


Return policy = the rules (how many days, who pays return shipping, etc.)


You’ll also learn a clear customer-service sentence you can copy:

“I need to return this item because it is damaged.”


🛡️ 6) Staying safe: scams & phishing vocabulary
Shopping online should be safe — and English learners should know the warning terms:


Scam


Phishing = fake emails/messages trying to steal information


URL = the website address (check if it looks official!)


“Too good to be true” pricing (a major red flag)



🧠 Quick Vocabulary Recap (Key Words From This Episode)
Buying: product page, shopping cart, checkout, confirmation email
After buying: tracking number, shipping address, return policy, refund

🎧 Practice Challenge (Try This Today)
Open any shopping website and find these words:
✅ product page
✅ reviews
✅ cart / basket
✅ checkout
✅ shipping address
✅ tracking number
Then say one sentence out loud:
“I added it to my cart, and now I’m going to checkout.”
Small practice = big confidence.


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