Why this matters
Shopping in English looks easy until you actually do it. Sizes are different (UK 10 ≠ US 10 ≠ EU 38), the words for changing rooms vary by country, and returning something always involves a script you don't have. Add online-shopping vocabulary on top and there's a surprising amount to learn.
These lessons walk through the full shopping arc — from "do you have this in a medium" through trying things on to handling returns. The AI plays a friendly, helpful shop assistant. By lesson three you're comfortable in any high-street store; by lesson five you can handle a tricky return without raising your voice.
What you’ll be able to do
- ✓Walk into a shop, ask for what you want, and try it on without freezing.
- ✓Compare sizes across UK / US / EU and ask for the right one.
- ✓Handle returns and exchanges, with or without a receipt.
- ✓Talk about price, sales, and discounts.
- ✓Order online and contact customer service when something goes wrong.
What a lesson actually feels like
You're trying on a sweater that fits but you're not sure of the colour.
Key vocabulary
Useful phrases by situation
Looking
- “I'm just browsing, thanks.”
- “Do you have this in a medium / large?”
- “Could you check if you have this in another colour?”
- “Where's the fitting room?”
Buying
- “I'll take this one.”
- “Could you check the price for me?”
- “Is this the final price, or is there a discount?”
- “Do I get a tax refund as a tourist?”
Returning
- “I'd like to return this — it didn't fit.”
- “Could I exchange it for a smaller size?”
- “What's your return policy?”
- “I have the receipt — could I get a refund?”
Common mistakes & how to fix them
Cultural notes
- ★In the US and UK, browsing without buying is completely normal. "Just looking, thanks" is the standard polite reply to a shop assistant.
- ★Return policies vary widely. Most chain stores: 30 days with receipt. Boutiques: often store credit only, or no returns. Always ask before you buy.
- ★In the EU, online purchases have a 14-day "right to return" by law, even if the seller says no. Useful to know.
Tips from our tutors
“Don't guess sizes — ask. Sizing differs between brands, never mind countries. Two minutes of asking saves a return trip.”
“When returning something that didn't fit, lead with the fact, not the feeling. 'It didn't fit' lands; 'I'm disappointed' invites debate.”
Frequently asked
Will the lesson cover online shopping too?+
What about luxury or designer shopping?+
How many lessons until I'm comfortable?+
Beginner, intermediate, advanced
Tell the tutor your level at the start of the lesson and the conversation adjusts. Same topic, different depth.
Survival-shopping English. Ask for a size, find the fitting room, pay. The tutor sticks to fixed phrases so you don't freeze at the till.
- →Ask "do you have this in a medium?".
- →Find the fitting room and try something on.
- →Pay by card and ask for the receipt.
Returns, refunds, and tourist-tax forms. The tutor plays a polite-but-firm shop assistant who needs the receipt and a clear reason.
- →Return an item with or without a receipt.
- →Negotiate a small discount or sale-price match.
- →Ask about a tourist tax-free refund.
Boutique-luxury and online-customer-service English. Decline upsells gracefully, complain about a damaged delivery, navigate the live-chat tone.
- →Decline an upsell at a luxury counter without losing the rapport.
- →Write or speak a complaint to customer service that gets a refund.
- →Read between the lines of "as per our policy".
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