Tanya SachdevWe all like to shop till we drop. Do you know of anyone who’s not fond of shopping? Well, I don’t. I have become a conscious shopper and I always ask myself these 5 questions before buying any piece of clothing. These questions help me in my buying decisions and I not only save some money, I also save the environment from the pollution fashion industry yields everyday. I do my bit, however possible.
This article has some shopping vocabulary words that you generally hear when you go to a store. Knowing their meanings and the correct usage will make you a much better shopper.
Shopping Vocabulary Words
1) BLACK FRIDAY SALE
Have you ever come across the Black Friday sale? This is the time when Americans begin their Christmas shopping and each store has huge sales online and offline. The Black Friday sale is no more just restricted to America. It has become popular all around the world that even Indian brands have started observing Black Friday sales. Keep an eye on your favourite store for the Black Friday sale. These are massive discount sales.
2) BARGAIN
Honestly, Indians are known for bargaining and there is nothing wrong in it. Bargain means a thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is usual or expected.
It’s alright if you bargain with the seller and offer a price lesser than the quoted price. There’s no harm in saving some money.
3) GOOD DEAL
A good deal is a purchase in which the price is very reasonable, sometimes lesser than the usual price.
EXAMPLE:
Tina: You bought a new suitcase! How much did you pay?
Leena: I bought it for 3000 rupees and it was indeed a very good deal.
4) DISCOUNTS OR OFF
When we talk about sales, the first word that comes to our mind is discount. Stores generally put up sales in percentage of discount which in informal language is referred to as ‘off’. So when you come across a board with ‘50% off’ written on it, you should understand that the price is now 50% lesser than the original price.
5) OVERPRICE
The one word that we all extremely hate is overprice. Overprice refers to a situation where the dealer quotes a scorching high price, which is much more than its usual price or the price that it deserves.
Example: I like this dress but it is overpriced. Maybe I can buy it when it is on a discount.
6) CLEARANCE SALE
A lot of outlets these days organise clearance sales towards the end of the month. When you hear this word you should remember that this is the stock that is left behind and the outlet wants to sell it at a cheaper price.
7) MALL
A mall is a large enclosed shopping area. You will find everything under one roof. It makes life much easier and shopping very convenient.
Malls have shops, restaurants, cafes, entertainment etc at one place.
8) OUTLET STORE/ FACTORY OUTLET
An outlet store or a factory outlet is a physical or online store in which the brand sells the stock directly to the public. Generally, the stuff is sold at a discounted price here as there is no cost incurred for transporting the goods to the malls and shopping complexes.
9) COST
Cost refers to the price of an item. You have to pay the same to acquire the item of your choice. You need to pay a certain amount while shopping. That amount is the cost of the product.
10) BILL
The word bill refers to a printed statement or a summary of the goods or the services that you have purchased or availed. You should never buy anything without a bill. A bill is a very important piece of paper as it is required incase of a return or exchange.
We use the following to pay the bill.
Debit card is the card which has direct access to your bank account. When you swipe your debit card, money gets debited automatically from your bank account.
Credit card gives you the option of paying in the near future. Your credit card bank lends you the money which has to be returned in the near future.
‘Tax included‘ means that the final bill has all the taxes included and you don’t have to pay anything more than the MRP.
Warranty: It is the store’s assurance that if anything goes wrong with the product after you leave the store, it is the store’s responsibility to fix it. So whenever you purchase appliances make sure that you check the guarantee and warranty card.
This brings us to the end of the post. I hope that this post has helped you in understanding the shopping jargons in a much better manner. Use these words whenever you talk about shopping. Be a smart shopper. Be a sustainable shopper. Save money. Save the planet.
Tanya Sachdev
