ONLINE SHOPPING

Today many people do their shopping online. This is the process in which consumers buy goods or services directly from a seller in a
real time, without an intermediary service, over the Internet.
In recent years, online shopping has become very popular; however, it usually refers to the middle and upper class. In order to shop
online, a person must have access to a computer as well as to a credit card or a debit card. Online stores are usually available 24 hours a
day and many consumers usually have Internet access both at work or at home. Other places such as Internet cafés and schools provide
Internet access as well.
Most people shop online for the convenience provided, but also to pay the lowest possible price. They visit different websites to shop
around for the lowest price, but today an automatic shopping comparison is possible thanks to a browser which automatically shows the
prices for the same item at different online stores on the web. Thus, customers can easily compare prices and choose which one to buy.
E-commerce has a huge impact on the way we are doing a business. It helps us increase the number of customers on the market,
improve efficiency and transform all business processes. It is cheaper for a retailer to set up a website than it is to rent a shop, fit it out and
pay someone to work there. Besides, a website has global reach, so customers can come from all over the world.
However, there are also some disadvantages of shopping online. Your credit card can be put at risk. You must ensure that you only
use safe sites and be very careful with your credit card details or someone else may be able to use your credit card. On the other hand, the
picture you have on your computer screen might not reveal the true quality and the product might not meet your expectations. As
you cannot touch or examine things before you buy them, you may be disappointed when your purchase arrives.
In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to shopping online.
It is easy and convenient, but it is also risky and dangerous.
Where and how to buy - Much as Amazon is synonymous with online shopping in Europe and the US, in China the
dominant player is Alibaba. The giant, set up by former English teacher Jack Ma in 1998, accounted for 80% of online retailing in
China by the time it floated on the New York stock market three years ago.
Under the Alibaba umbrella is AliExpress, launched in 2010 and aimed at an international audience. It is a marketplace
where Chinese retailers operate, with brands – unfamiliar to many in Britain – such as Aun, Mi, Gimi and Teclast selling
electronics alongside Merry’s sunglasses and OneMix trainers. Other Chinese sites include LightintheBox, DHGate and
Everbuying. There are undoubtedly bargains – one of the main reasons why buying from the east is so popular. But with
bargains come warnings about hidden charges. “It’s possible to grab everything from sandals to watches at a fraction of the
usual cost. We’ve found an iPhone case for 86pen or a woman’s belt for an astonishing 18p – both including delivery,” said
Steve Nowottny from MoneySavingExpert.com. “But you’ll need to keep your wits about you – there are unexpected charges to
watch out for, safety concerns about some categories of goods, and your consumer rights are limited.”

I. Answer the questions:

1. What is online shopping?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2. Is online shopping popular in your country?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. What types of products do you usually buy online?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
4. What do you need to shop online?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
5. Where do consumers have access to the Internet?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
6. Why do most people shop online?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
7. What is an automatic shopping comparison?
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
8. What is the impact of e-commerce?
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
9. What are the advantages of online shopping?
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
10. What are the disadvantages of online shopping?
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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II. Complete the table:
word synonym
usually
to buy
nowadays
thanks to
to increase
retailer
to use
to reveal
items

III. Make sentences with: nowadays, to buy various items, to have Internet access, retailer, to reveal, easily, a huge impact, risky, to make
a comparison, consumers, to be disappointed, computer screen, to meet your expectations, goods and services.
IV. Insert the correct comparative and superlative degrees:
• popular - .................................................................... - ..............................................................................................................
• recent - ...................................................................... - ..............................................................................................................
• easy - ......................................................................... - ..............................................................................................................
• convenient - ................................................................ - ..............................................................................................................
• cheap - ........................................................................ - ..............................................................................................................
• low - ............................................................................ - ..............................................................................................................
• dangerous - ................................................................. - ..............................................................................................................
• risky - .......................................................................... - ...............................................................................................................
V. Translate the sentences paying attention to the degrees of adjectives:
1. Cumpărăturile online sunt mai populare decât cumpărăturile din magazine.
2. Cel mai dezamăgit client poate primi banii înapoi.
3. Este mai bine să plăteşti cu cardul de credit şi este mai rău să plăteşti în numerar.
4. Eu cred că aceste produse sunt mai ieftine decât acelea.
5. Sunt mai mulţi clienţi în acest magazin; ei sunt mai fericiţi şi mai mulţumiţi de serviciile oferite.
6. Este mai riscant să foloseşti site-uri nesigure. Dar cel mai periculos lucru este să introduci datele personale pe Internet.
VI. Write antonyms for:
• cheap ≠ ................................................................ • global reach ≠ .......................................................
• more ≠ .................................................................. • exciting ≠ ..............................................................
• to reveal ≠ ............................................................. • same ≠ ...................................................................
• seller ≠ .................................................................. • low ≠ ......................................................................
• available ≠ ............................................................ • risky ≠ ....................................................................
VII. Write words derived from:

• to expect ...........................................
...........................................

• to access ...........................................
..........................................

• to succeed ........................................
........................................

• to disappoint .........................................
.........................................

• to shop .............................................
..............................................

• to risk ..........................................
.........................................

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VII. Match the two parts of the sentences:
1. Online shopping is a form of ...
2. Consumers buy various products ...
3. There are many kinds of online stores ...
4. The advantages of online shopping are ...
5. A shopping search engine displays ...
6. Online stores typically permit shoppers ...
a. from different websites that they usually visit.
b. many: it is easy, fast and convenient.
c. the prices of the same products at different electronic retailers.
d. electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or
services from a seller over the Internet.
e. to find specific models, brands or colours.
f. that sell a large variety of products.

Past tense simple (V2) – Trecutul Simplu

• Past tense simple is used for an action which started and ended in the past; yesterday, last week, last year, 3 days ago, in 1998.
• Regular verbs form the past tense simple by adding –(E)D: talked, started, decided, phoned, liked.
• Irregular verbs have different forms in the past tense simple: make-made, go-went, say-said.
Examples: My father parked the car in front of the house. Later, he washed the car.
My mom made a good cake yesterday. The kids went to school last Monday.
• Affirmative form: S + V2
• Negative form: S + did not / didn’t + V1
• Interrogative form: Did + S + V1 ?

VIII. Change the verbs in the following sentences into past tense simple:
1. Yesterday, I go ................................. to the restaurant with a client.
2. We drive .................................. around the parking lot for 20 minutes in order to find a parking space.
3. When we arrive .................................. at the restaurant, the place is .......................... full.
4. The waitress asks .............................. us if we have .............................. reservations.
5. Here we see ....................................... a small grocery store.
6. We stop ....................................... in the grocery store and buy. ................................. some sandwiches.
7. We really like ................................... those sandwiches.
8. Later, we go ................................. home.
IX. Write the negative form of these verbs in the past:
• I traveled → ................................................................ • I asked → ...................................................................
• we arrived → ............................................................... • we bought → ..............................................................
• he saw → .................................................................... • you sold → ..................................................................
• I offered → .................................................................. • he discovered → .........................................................
• she went → .................................................................. • they drove → ...............................................................

X. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box below:
screen; need; store; your; save; why; online; clothes; offers; purchase; open; method.
Advantages of online shopping
Online shopping ............................. an alternative to the consumer by eliminating the time it takes to drive through traffic to the
............................ than fighting crowds of people while you are in the store. Products are viewed from the comforts of home by way of the
consumer’s computer ................................ Traditional shopping requires the consumer to drive to sometimes multiple stores, then search
through racks and shelves for the desired item. Meanwhile, most .............................. stores offer a search engine, which allows the
consumer to go directly to the item, then browse through the choices offered.
Online shopping has become a popular shopping .................................... as the internet has global reach. There are many
advantages of online shopping; this is the reason ........................... online stores are a big business today. Online shopping includes buying
..............................., gadgets, shoes, appliances or even food. Here are several online shopping advantages.
First of all, you can save time. With just a couple of clicks of the mouse, you can ................................. your shopping orders and
instantly move to other important things, which can ................................ time. Then, you can save fuel and energy. It is tiring to shop from
one location and transfer to another location. What is worse is that sometimes there are no available stocks for the merchandise you want to
buy. In online shopping, you do not ..................................... to use your car or to waste your precious energy when buying.
Also, online shopping stores are .................... round the clock of 24/7, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. It is very rare to find any
conventional retail stores that are open 24/7. The availability of online stores give you the freedom to shop at ................... own convenience.
XI. Translate into English:
a. Aceste magazine de modă se ridică la nivelul aşteptărilor clienţilor lor.
b. Eu cred că acest motor de căutare ne ajută să găsim produse cu preţuri mai mici.
c. Este mai bine să cumperi aceste lucruri de la un vânzător de încredere (=reliable).
d. El ar trebui să vândă mai multă marfă acestor consumatori.

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 e. Eu fac cumpărături în fiecare lună cu prietenele mele.
f. Nu ştiu dacă tu eşti un client mulţumit de aceste produse.
g. Noi închiriem un magazin unde vrem să vindem încălţăminte.
h. Magazinele online au de regulă întindere globală.
i. În zilele noastre, magazinele online sunt accesate de toţi oamenii.
j. Noi nu suntem cumpărători în acest magazin, noi suntem vânzători.

XII. Listening Exercise:

Listen to the tape and fill the blanks below.
The advent of the Internet has brought with it the convenience of shopping at our leisure ..................................................... of our own home.
However, for many, the allure of shopping for bargains and treats can turn into an addiction. Experts believe there is a danger that online
shopping can develop into a ................................................ Researchers from the Hannover Medical School in Germany have termed it
"Buying Shopping Disorder" (BSD). The researchers say this condition should be recognized by the medical profession as an illness and
should not simply be classed as one of various "impulse control" disorders. Psychotherapist Dr Astrid Müller said: "It really is time to
accumulate further knowledge about BSD ........................................................."
Dr Müller and her colleagues conducted research on data from earlier studies on compulsive shopping. Their research focused on 122
patients who sought treatment for BSD. Dr Müller reported that about ...................................................... of the population may be suffering
from BSD. She added that younger people are more prone to developing it and experienced greater levels of anxiety and depression.
People with BSD readily exhibit negative behaviors. These include spending excessive .................................................. on things they don't
need, hoarding and never using things they order, buying things for the sake of instant gratification, and ending up in debt. BSD can destroy
marriages, relationships and mental health.
XIII. Discuss on these topics:
• What products do people in your country generally buy online?
• What are the dangers of shopping online?
• How do people know when they are on a safe website?
• What are your favourite shopping websites?
• Have you got one particular favourite item that you normally like purchasing online?
• How much do you spend on online shopping per month?
• What is the reason for which some people have never bought anything online?
• What would be your best payment method if you buy online?
• Do the online products display the real colours and quality of products?
• Have you heard of any bad experiences while using e-commerce websites?

XIV. Write these numbers in letters:

✓ 34 - ............................................................
✓ 240 - ...........................................................
✓ 600 - ............................................................
✓ 41,000 - ........................................................
✓ 413 - .............................................................
✓ 570 - ............................................................
✓ 119 - .............................................................
✓ 52,000 - .........................................................
✓ 13,000,000 - ...................................................
✓ 12,000 - ..........................................................
✓ 59 - ................................................................
✓ 76,000,000 - .....................................................

AUDIO:
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1911/191119-buying-shopping-disorder-l.html