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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 122 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

    Okay, a problem if I had while shopping online on a store, basically I am the kind of nature of a boy who does not really believe on the online shopping. I usually prefer on offline shopping at the store over online shopping because it gives us more clarity, it gives us more specific coherence, it gives us specific product details and we can physically access the things due to which I usually prefer to store shopping rather than online shopping. A problem I had while shopping in a store that I went to purchase a mobile phone and I got stuck over the mobile phone I want and the mobile phone which is not available at that time. It was the occasion when I want to give the birthday gift to one of my best friends and I want to give that particular mobile phone but due to the festive season the mobile phone I want was not available at the store and that the storekeeper told me that it would take a long 10 to 15 days to come but I don't want to lose the moment because it's a very special day, it's a birthday of one of the best friends of mine. So I want to take that mobile phone which is available at that particular store which is related to that category but it was not in fact particularly what I wanted. So this was the dilemma where I had faced during my shopping. After that I purchased that one and I was a little bit confused that whether my friend will be happy with that mobile phone because I knew his choices, what color he like, what specification he likes and what kind of camera, what kind of gallery, what kind of internal storage he would like but finally he was very happy with my efforts and I also was happy at that.

    Band 6-7

    A problem I had while shopping in an online store happened when I was ordering a protein powder. I am a fitness enthusiast and I like going to the gym since my college days. I have been visiting a health center since 3 years. So a quality exercise also requires a good diet which is the most important thing. Body requires more protein to repair the muscles and enhance muscle protein synthesis. So I eat protein powders regularly and once there was a time I was ordering protein powder from Optimum Nutrition. I wanted to apply a coupon code which I saw online. It was the code from an influencer which mentioned its name and stated 10 afterwards. The discount was of 10%. I was constantly trying to apply the discount but I wasn't successful at applying that. Though I got unhappy with that coupon as it would give me a great discount but at the end what mattered was that protein powder. So I ordered it otherwise.

    Band 6-7

    The one experience that I can never forget in my life with respect to the problem that I had faced while shopping online was two years ago when I ordered a gown from Amazon. The gown when it got delivered to my place, it was not appropriate to my size, although I had ordered as per my measurements. Since I placed a return, believing the fact that Amazon had a great hassle-free return policy, I was under the assumption that I would be exchanged with a new gown as per my measurements. Strangely, the Amazon delivery guy did not even respond to my request and it was kept on hold for a very long time. This irritated me and then I made a complaint to the Amazon customer care. They reassured me with the same fact that your dress would be exchanged and a new one would be delivered at your doorstep, although there was no result for this expectation. This triggered me to the core and I had to drop multiple mails to the Amazon sales team. Post one month later, I got a reply from them stating that rather than Amazon taking my parcel and then returning me a new one, I had to physically go to a store and get my dress exchanged. This irritated me to the core, but I couldn't ignore the fact that my dress was more expensive and I had taken it to attend an important function, which was the wedding of my sister. With great difficulty, I was able to manage the location of that store, which was miles away from my current place and I had to travel all the way until there just to return the dress and then obtain a new one.

    Band 6-7

    One of the problems that I faced during shopping online was a very bad experience according to me. So this happened during the COVID period where it was impossible to go for offline shopping. Hence I decided to buy a few clothes online. So when I was scrolling through a site, I came across a very elegant top which I thought I could wear for my 18th birthday. Upon viewing the top, I saw that it came in a range of colors and in different sizes. So I decided to go with a coral color and I decided to go with a size which was a description of the measurements of my body. Upon receiving the top, it came to my notice that the size was bigger than I expected and it did not look exactly like how it was presented in the picture. I was utterly disappointed because of this and I decided to return it as soon as possible. I also came to the conclusion that I do not want to shop from this same place again as when I went through the reviews of other people of the public, it came to my notice that this has been a problem that has been created.

    Band 6-7

    So two years back, I visited mall to shop for my brother's wedding, but unfortunately, the mall was extremely crowded because of the weekend rush. And all the stores were extremely occupied. So in the mall we were feeling extremely suffocating and claustrophobic because there was no place to stand and no store had a place where we could shop something properly by seeing each and every cloth. So me and my family, we got really irated and we decided that we should shop online for the wedding. So we got into the parking lot, sat into the cars and we drove back to our homes. And then we opened Myntra so that we can shop for our wedding outfits. But unfortunately, the prices were extremely high online in comparison to the offline stores, which made us really disappointed. Moreover, we do not trust on the quality of the products that we have received offline due to our extremely bad past experiences. So on that day, we were extremely irated and disappointed with the services we got at the both online and offline stores of a few wedding based shopping brands. And at the end of the day, we were really sad that we could not shop and our weekend got extremely wasted. So we decided that we would go on some weekday in a mall so that we can have a better shopping day and we could explore all the brands properly and shop for good wedding outfits.

    Band 6-7

    I'm quite frequent shopper. I usually scroll on online apps and I do window shopping a lot. Recently I visited a renowned shop in my city which is in countryside mall and I visited there to buy a handbag. I bought it. The color was amazing. Furthermore, I bought a wallet also which was on a discount so I got it for myself and after getting the purse at home, it came to my notice that the purse was little damaged. As soon as I found out, I went to the shop back again. I complained. I requested them to exchange the product since I paid a hefty amount to buy the purse. The staff denied and upon my request they called for the manager wherein I expressed myself that it was not the damage was not done from my side but it was it was present before buying but I couldn't check while buying it. Upon request, the shop owner came in and the manager also initiated the refund process and I got my refund but I did not got an exchange which was okay for me as I got the refund but it was a good experience though and I learned that always check the product before buying

    Band 6-7

    The problem I faced while shopping online is the different color and the material of the cloth I purchased. I purchased it online on my sister's marriage occasion where my family decided to wear the same color and dress for all the bridesmaids. We have placed an order for a pink velvety dress but the delivered item was a cotton with a grey shade. We have informed the customer service and they say they would do the need but there was a late response and the program has already surpassed. The high rate which I paid for this velvety dress was not compensated or there was no any suggestions made so that they will change the product or fix my loss but this was the first time that had happened but it was very heartbreaking as it was one of the most important occasion in which the dress matters the most.

    Band 6-7

    In day-to-day life, I do prefer online shopping, but once in a blue moon, I prefer to do offline shopping. These days, I stay most of the time in my car, where I spend my time working on myself. Moreover, I plan my day before executing. Yeah, I would like to talk about one of the experiences when I went to the mall. There were like so many people over there. They also wanted to shop, and there was an offer going on. Initially, I thought it's not my cup of tea to purchase something, because there were a lot of people who want to shop the same kind of clothes which I want to. And there was a long queue, which I never expected it will be over. So on that day, I decided I'll not shop. I picked up one t-shirt, I stayed in that queue, and I leave that t-shirt. And I thought that I will come another day, and I will try that particular t-shirt, and I will purchase. And that's what I exactly did. It was a hectic day as well as I was down at the time, because I haven't done anything fascinating, which I am fond of. Furthermore, it was an appealing experience as well as adventurous day for my friends and I. In addition, I was overwhelmed by the situation.

    Band 6

    In my opinion, shopping online is a very frustrating job, and I had several problems while shopping online. Now I want to talk about a recent time when I recently bought a shirt from Amazon. Although the size was perfect, I thought and I ordered L size, but I go to gym and the size of mine is not very perfect to the brand size. So it was difficult to judge that it would fit me or not. So I was a little confused. Although I ordered it, when it came, it was a little short and I did not find it comfortable. I was really annoyed by this problem and I complained to the service station and after four days it returned back and it was a good moment that I reordered the same t-shirt of another size. And when it came, it fit perfectly, which was my experience of the recent previous experience was not bad or not good. So I was quite feel I was quite feeling good that this order came and was good to me. That was the problem I had recently while shopping online.

    Band 6

    The problem I had that I faced during an online shopping was I ordered a face cream during my job period that because it was my dream to buy a face cream that was too expensive and I expected to buy during my job period with my own salary and I bought it but due to some financial crisis that I have faced from certain other personal issues I was not able to provide the money in that particular time and I planned to cancel the booking sorry cancel the order and I already cancelled and gave them the option of preferring to next time or shopping I felt bad that it was my dream and it came to an unexpectable outcome but I think that but in the next month when my salary was credited I already ordered it and I got it for using on my face and I felt happy on that time because even though on the first attempt I was not able to do on the second but on the second attempt I I done a great job buy with my salary and I felt so happy
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