CELPIP vocabulary: shopping and customer service

Money given back for a purchase.

CELPIP tip Ask for "a full refund" or "a partial refund" in Writing Task 1, and say why you deserve it.

A paper or email proving you paid.

CELPIP tip The "p" is silent: ri-SEET. Mention that you kept the receipt to strengthen your complaint.

A promise to repair or replace a product.

CELPIP tip Pattern: "under warranty". Quoting it in a complaint email gives you a strong argument.

A store's rules for taking items back.

CELPIP tip Reading Part 2 diagrams often show return policies; check the number of days carefully.

Money you can only spend at that store.

CELPIP tip Say whether you would accept store credit or insist on a refund in Writing Task 1.

A lower price than usual.

CELPIP tip Pattern: a discount on something, a 10% discount. Check prices carefully in Reading Part 2.

A voucher that lowers the price.

CELPIP tip Say "use" or "redeem" a coupon. Watch expiry dates in Reading Part 2 ads.

A reward scheme for regular customers.

CELPIP tip "Join" or "sign up for" a loyalty program. Canadian spelling is "program".

A card with money to spend at a store.

CELPIP tip A practical gift idea to suggest in Speaking Task 1 when giving advice.

Something that is bought; as a verb, to buy.

CELPIP tip More formal than "buy"; it works well in a Writing Task 1 complaint. Say PUR-chis, not "pur-chase".

The place or step where you pay.

CELPIP tip One word as a noun ("at the checkout") but two as a verb ("check out").

The person who takes payment.

CELPIP tip Stress the second syllable: ka-SHEER. Common in Speaking Task 6 situations about wrong change.

Bringing goods to your home.

CELPIP tip Pair it with "free", "late" or "missed". Delivery problems are frequent in Listening Part 1.

A code to follow a package.

CELPIP tip Including your tracking number in a complaint email shows clear, useful detail.

A document asking for payment.

CELPIP tip More formal than "bill"; used in business texts in Reading Part 3.

Something bought cheaply.

CELPIP tip "A real bargain" is natural; "bargain" as a verb means to argue about the price.

Help given to customers.

CELPIP tip Uncountable, so say "customer service was helpful", not "a customer service".

A new item instead of a faulty one.

CELPIP tip Ask for "a replacement" when you want the same product that works, not your money back.

To swap an item for another one.

CELPIP tip Pattern: exchange A for B. Offering an exchange is a reasonable compromise in a complaint email.

Not working because of a fault.

CELPIP tip More formal than "broken"; it sounds precise in a complaint email.

Ordered but still waiting for new supply.

CELPIP tip Often heard in customer-service calls; listen for the waiting time that follows.

Asked to pay more than the correct price.

CELPIP tip Pattern: be overcharged for something. State the exact amount in Writing Task 1.

Not available in the store now.

CELPIP tip Hyphenate it before a noun: "an out-of-stock item". Common in Listening Part 1 shopping calls.

Sold at a reduced price.

CELPIP tip "On sale" means cheaper; "for sale" just means available to buy. Do not mix them up.

To match a lower price offered by another store.

CELPIP tip Often a verb: "Do you price match?" The noun phrase is "a price-match guarantee".