皆さんは海外サイトからオンラインショッピングをしたことはありますか？

海外のサイトはよく分からない…という方、実はショッピングサイトの仕組みは日本と大きく変わらないことをご存知ですか？

以下にご紹介するような少しの単語が理解できればスムーズにお買い物が楽しめます。

それでは、本日も３分で英語ブログを流し読みしてみましょう。

There are a lot of things we haven’t been able to do during this pandemic. But there’s one thing that many people are doing now more than ever: shopping online!

If you love buying stuff from websites, why not review some English online shopping vocabulary?

Read the passage below, then scroll down to check your understanding.

An Online Shopping Story

You go to a website to buy a few things. You’re looking for a good deal. Even if you don’t find any deals, it’s okay because you have a promo code.  

You select some items and add them to your shopping cart. A couple of the items you like are out of stock.  You hate it when products you want are sold out!

When you’ve chosen your items, you place your order. On the checkout page, you enter your credit card information and choose from various delivery options. You choose two-day shipping. 

After you’ve paid for your order, you’re sent a confirmation email. From this page, you track your package with the tracking number you were given.

Two days later, your package arrives! You open the box and . . . the items look completely different from the images on the website. You angrily email the company to find out how to get a return. 

How did you do?

Are you a vocabulary expert? Check out the answers below!

1. Good deal 

→  (noun) A price that is fair or lower than usual

I wasn’t going to buy anything, but this shirt was such a good deal that I couldn’t resist!

2. Promo code 

→ (noun) A special code you enter when you buy something online in order to get a discount

When you get to the checkout page, enter the promo code “SHIP20” and get free shipping. 

3. Shopping cart

→ (noun) The area on a website where you can save and review all the items you’ve selected

Sometimes, I add several items to my shopping cart, but then I don’t buy any of them. 

4. Out of stock/sold out

→ (adjective) No more products are available 

At the beginning of the pandemic, I could never find toilet paper—it was always sold out!

5. To place an order

→ (verb) To submit a request for an item; to order something

Once you place your order, your credit card will be charged immediately.

6. Checkout page

→ (noun) The page on a website where you pay for your items

When I arrived at the checkout page, I decided to cancel the order. It was just too expensive!

7. Delivery/shipping

→ (noun) The sending of something to a person or place

The shoe store offers free shipping if you spend $150 or more. 

8. Confirmation email

→ (noun) An email that says your order has been received

I ordered a new chair online two days ago, but they haven’t sent me a confirmation email yet. I think I should email the company to check if they received my order.

9. To track (a package)

→ (verb) To log onto a website or app after you’ve made an online purchase to check where your package is and how long it will take to arrive

I love tracking my packages! It’s fun to see how many cities it travels through before it’s delivered to my house. 

10. To get a refund

→ (verb) To send a product back to the place you bought it from and get your money back

I finally received the dress I ordered, but it was too small. I had to get a refund.

今回は、海外通販サイトを利用する際のポイントとなる言葉をご紹介。

これを機に、海外通販を皆さんのショッピングの選択肢の一部に取り入れてみてはいかがでしょうか？