IELTS SPEAKING TEST
Part 2
Describe a website you have bought something from
You should say
What the name of the website is
What you bought from it
How satisfied you were with what you bought
and explain what you liked and disliked about using this website
Sample Answer
In my opinion, e-commerce websites have made our shopping experience richer than it used to some 4-5 years ago.
I am not a shopaholic , and I only buy things that I really need.
But some people are so addicted to shopping that it becomes a very destructive habit. The striking example of this oniomania is my cousin Ramesh who goes to supermarkets or malls on every Sunday mornings.
Pardon my digression, I was talking about e-commerce websites.
I am a voracious reader, and I like browsing bookshelves in a bookstore like Barnes & Nobles and Crosswords.
But, when I can’t find some rare books in a bookstore , I instantly go to Amazon . com that is my favorite place to buy books online.
Last month I was reading a book on Shakespeare’s plays. In that book I read about famous fiction writer Isaac Asimov.
Asimov has also written a reference book on Shakespeare’s plays. The name of that book is “Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare”
As usual, at my local bookstore I couldn’t find a single copy as the book is now out of print.
I took out my cell phone and checked on Flipkart.com whether the book was available there.
When I couldn’t find the book there, I checked Amazon.com. And to my surprise, I found 3 different versions of the book there.
The hardcover version of that book was an old copy that the seller was selling at a throwaway price. The e-book and paperback versions were very costly.
Usually it is the other way around.
Without further ado, I placed my order and finished the online payment procedure via Amazon Pay.
This is another nice feature of Amazon. com where I got a 20% discount as I was using this service for the first time.
I must admit that I was in seventh heaven that day. This book was a prized possession for a bibliophile like me.
Overall, it was a great experience for me. And as I said, the swiftness in payment process I truly appreciated.
But, one thing they could have made better was the info section of the product. There was no information about the seller, I mean to say no contact details were given. So I could not call that seller and ask a few questions regarding the condition of that book.
Luckily, the book was in mint condition when I received it. And all the credit goes to Amazon . com for getting me my favorite book in just 3 days.
IELTS SPEAKING TEST
Part 3
Online Shopping
What kinds of things do people in your country often buy from online shops?
If you asked me this question just a few years ago, my answer would have been books and electronic gadgets only.
But today, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, everything is being sold through e-commerce websites.
People buy groceries, essential medicines, and even their evening meals online.
Food delivery Apps such as Uber Eats has made it possible to order food online. And people are becoming addicted to this new habit of ordering food online.
Why has online shopping become so popular in many countries?
Before pandemic, it was just a novelty that made the buying procedure hassle free. So people were attracted towards it.
But, during and after the corona pandemic, people have no recourse left other than buying things online.
What are some possible disadvantages to buying things from e-commerce websites?
There are fraudsters whose business is to robe people of their money by secretly obtaining their credit card details.
This can happen only when a person is buying things from some less authentic online shops.
Websites like Amazon . com have a strong security wall that allows a safer money transaction.
Other than that, terrorists can hack people’s computers through this online shopping pathway and perpetrate some atrocious crimes using other people’s computers.
And for a moment if we forget about crime, there is no fun in online shopping as it doesn’t allow the joy of being physically present at a store and checking the quality of a product or trying the clothes on.
Online retail businesses
Do you agree that prices of the products that are sold online should be lower than the prices of the same products that are sold offline?
Yes, I concur with the argument that online products should be cheaper than their counterparts that are sold offline.
Excepting some specific products, we can buy directly from the wholesale dealer or the manufacturer through online shops. And this bypasses the middleman or a retailer, thus it ultimately reduces the final cost.
Will large shopping malls continue to be popular, despite the growth of internet shopping?
I would say that there popularity will increase in upcoming days, especially among people of my generation.
We have spent countless weekends confined to our homes during these pandemic years. And we are quite bored with online shopping despite its huge discounts and doorstep delivery options.
We go to malls as if we are going to a public place that offers the company of fellow community members.
Do you think some businesses such as bookstores and grocery stores will only operate online in the future?
I am not sure but this might be the possibility as we are witnessing a sudden shift towards online shopping among buyers.
Although I am against this disappearance of shops, I can’t deny the fact that online shops will have a broader base of customers and these shops will be able to reach out to clients anywhere in the world.
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cover Image by Christian Schröder from Pixabay