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Describe A Problem You Had While Shopping Online Or In A Store: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When it happened
  • What you bought
  • What problem you had
  • And describe the party.
Show all 99 answers

Cue 1:When it happened

  • Begin by mentioning the time frame when the online shopping experience occurred, such as during a festival or sale.
  • Provide context about your shopping habits, like if you usually shop online or prefer physical stores.

Example

Last month, during the Diwali festival, I decided to do some online shopping to buy gifts for my family. I usually prefer shopping online because of the convenience it offers.

Cue 2:What you bought

  • Clearly state the item you intended to purchase, including any specific details that make it relatable.
  • Mention why you chose this particular item, perhaps due to its significance or popularity.

Example

I was looking to buy a beautiful set of traditional Indian sweets to gift to my relatives. These sweets are a staple during Diwali, and I wanted to ensure I got the best quality.

Cue 3:What problem you had

  • Describe the specific issue you faced while shopping, whether it was related to the website, delivery, or product quality.
  • Explain how this problem affected your shopping experience and your feelings about it.

Example

Unfortunately, after placing my order, I received a notification that the sweets I ordered were out of stock. I was really disappointed because I had planned to surprise my family with them.

Cue 4:And describe the party

  • Talk about the significance of the occasion and how the problem impacted the celebration.
  • Share how you resolved the issue or what alternative you found to still make the occasion special.

Example

Diwali is a time for family gatherings and celebrations, and I wanted to make it special. After the issue, I quickly searched for another vendor and found a local store that offered similar sweets. I managed to get them in time for the celebration, and my family loved them!

Conclusion

    Example

    Overall, while my online shopping experience had its challenges, it taught me the importance of having backup plans. In the end, I was able to enjoy Diwali with my family, which was the most important part.

    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Vague Descriptions

    Being vague can make your answer less engaging and informative. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about your experience.

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    Tip

    Use specific examples and details about the product, the problem, and your feelings to create a vivid picture for the examiner.

    2: Ignoring the Cues

    Failing to address all the cues can lead to an incomplete answer. This may result in a lower score as it shows a lack of organization.

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    Tip

    Structure your response by clearly addressing each cue: when it happened, what you bought, the problem, and your feelings about it.

    Overly Negative Tone

    Focusing too much on negativity can make your response less appealing. It’s important to balance your experience with some positive aspects.

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    Tip

    While discussing the problem, also mention any positive outcomes or lessons learned to create a more balanced narrative.

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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    Probably a year ago I purchased yarn from an online store. They have mentioned that they will not be accepting any refunds or replacements before purchasing and I did purchase the yarn but the problem I had was when I looked at my computer I thought the yarn was of a certain color but then I looked at the yarn again in my phone and I realized that it was of a different color. Just because of the resolution of my laptop and my phone I realized that the picture doesn't show the exact color and I accidentally ordered the wrong one. So even before dispatch I called them that this issue has occurred that it's not my problem that the yarn is not shown properly in my phone and my laptop and they said that they could not do anything about it. So I was really upset about the situation I asked them if they could simply replace the yarn as it has not been dispatched yet but they refused to reply to me after that and they just abandoned me with that problem. I should have been more aware of the fact that the color is going to be different based on the platform you're purchasing it from and when the yarn arrived I was very upset because it wasn't just simply the color that disappointed me it was the quality of the yarn too it was really bad and I tried to make a cardigan with it and I was so irritated because of how itchy it felt when I wore it so I had to just submit it.

    Band 6-7

    nowadays online shopping has been a big convenience for us because we get to shop for things by the comfort of our home and they get delivered to our doorsteps but there's a big problem that I have faced it is the issue while shopping for clothes not every time you get what you see on the phones sometimes this one time what happened to me was I ordered a shirt and what I got was a shirt for sure that was for kids the other time I ordered an electronic device and when it came it was more like a toy rather than a full-fledged gadget it is frustrating talking about stores but I don't think I've ever had any issue at stores

    Band 6-7

    I faced an issue while shopping once in the mall. I was purchasing a dress for my niece's christening. It was a white dress with delicate lacework. At the time of purchasing, I did not realize that there was a defect in the dress where the lace was torn and discolored at one spot. After returning home, when I thoroughly checked the dress, I realized that the product was damaged. I returned back to the store and requested the customer support to assist me with this problem and replace the product that I had purchased. Upon listening to my complaint, the customer support was very vigilant and they ensured that I was given a fresh product in place of the damaged product. They also offered to reimburse half of the amount that I had paid for the dress because of the defect at the time of manufacturing. The supportive behavior of those people was very helpful.

    Band 6-7

    Shopping is one of my most favorite activity that I love to do and I shop quite often. I love buying new things especially shoes and as the technology is advancing day by day so is the trend of shopping things is changing because now the time has come when people are shifting from offline stores to the online apps where people can buy various different things so similar is with me when there was a time I used to shop on the stores but now I have shifted to online so one of the incidents that I remember while I was shopping from an online website called Amazon was that I was buying shoes it was a Nike sports shoes and I was buying that shoes and so everything was good the shoe was good the color the size everything was good but at the end moment when I was I was placing the order and I was almost going to pay all of a sudden I saw that the reviews on that particular product was not quite good because I have read almost four reviews and everyone in the review section told that the product was fake they delivered a wrong product and so I didn't look I didn't took those reviews quite seriously so I just placed my order and booked a pair of shoes and after eight days when I got my shoes yes the reviews was actually true because I got a pair of slippers instead of those shoes so that was the biggest I would say blunder made by me because I've ignored those reviews that were posted on the app but the very next thing I did was that I just

    Band 6-7

    Nowadays most of the people prefers to choose online stores because they have lack of time to spend on physical shopping. I also prefer online shopping because my duty schedule is very busy. So I choose online shopping. I can purchase anytime, anywhere but sometimes the delivery time is too much long but it is ok for me and I save my time. In physical shopping there is so much time to spend in shopping and billing facility is too hard. Sometimes they have lot of people to stand in front of the billing section. So at that time I lost so much time in the billing section and sometimes if the return policy, many of the shops have no return policy. So it is so much difficulties to return. If my diatros is damaged or other hurts, we have difficulty to return the debts. But in my online shopping the refund or return policy is very easy. So one click on this phone we have to return or refund. So many advantages in this online shopping. Once I am shopping in offline shops, I have got a damaged dress. When I returned home I was so sad.

    Band 6-7

    Exactly one year ago it was the time of Christmas and as usual it was the time of me shopping and wandering around with my friends. So I went to H&M and bought a dress which was of red colour and it had buttons in between. It was a cute little dress. I really loved it. After buying that I came home and when I was trying, the zip on the back side of the dress was not perfect. It was broken so I went to the shop again and I told them about the broken zip and they replied as it can't be exchanged because it was in a perfect quality when we sold it to you. But I replied that no it wasn't in a perfect quality. I tried it as soon as I went home. The shop owner replied try exchanging it online. When I went on the site and described my whole problem and my situation, they said that the exchange is only possible in the offline stores. I was mad. I was furious that my dress was not getting exchanged. And I went to the shop and called the manager and that's when my problem was solved.

    Band 6-7

    A problem I faced recently when I was doing my Diwali shopping, I did add so many things in my Amazon cart for the decoration items of my house. Having that, I have added a doorbell for my house. I got all the parcels at different time of the day, but the doorbell I got first, which was supposed to deliver to me last. I am thankful to God that I delivered it as early as possible because the bell was broken when I opened the parcel and the quality of the bell was also not as described in the mentions. Also the colour of the bell I chose was blue and in the parcel it comes red, which was looking horrible. So I immediately informed to the website of Amazon and I told them to exchange and if it cannot exchange, they can refund me the amount of the bell. As I am a prime member of Amazon, they immediately response me about the problem which I have. Initially, they have told me that it cannot be exchanged, so refund will be initiated to your account, but I request them if they can provide me with

    Band 6-7

    No audio text available

    Band 6-7

    So, this is an anecdote about the shopping mall I had gone one year ago. I had gone to buy this fashionable dress which was intended for my party, my birthday party the next day. The problem that I had faced was the price tag that was on this particular fashionable dress was quite different which when they had billed on the bill counter. So, it said of about 2,000 rupees and but it was increased of about 2,500 in the bill counter when I had claimed my problem. They just, they were not quite sure about it. They had to talk to the manager about it and especially because I needed this dress urgently, I had to do something. They had to do something about it. So, I urged them and stood firm about what they got to do and finally, I had a chance to speak to the manager of that mall itself and he was quite compliant and he said it's plausible to check it out in about six hours. So, I had to rush back after about six hours and they apologized that the mistake was on their side and gave me an offer of 10% discount. So, that was beneficial for me. I got it for a lesser amount than previously discussed and I had a great time at the party wearing it.

    Band 6-7

    I prefer in-store shopping than online shopping because when I go for a shopping, I go to a store and I describe what I want to the customer care people, they show me the exact thing what I want and also about the size and stuff like that, I think it's better to shop in-store because in online, what I faced is when I order something, they miss the size or color or they'll send the damaged pieces sometimes. So I prefer shopping in-store than online. This is the problem I faced when I did online shopping, like when I ordered a shoe, they send me the wrong size and when I tried to return it, they said this item is not returnable. So I think it's best to shop in-store than online.
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