6. Making a complaint

Answer (a) means you take the easy way out and accept your loss. But a little effort would probably put matters right. Score 1.

Answer (b)? You are probably the aggressive type. Quick to feel wronged and to blame somebody for doing you down. The chances are that they will react and there will be a row. A lot of energy is wasted. You may get the goods replaced: only is they are defective may you get your money back. In law, you are reckoned to have accepted them once you have taken them home. Score 2.

Answer (c)? Try this method before all others. A reputable shopkeeper is anxious to please his customers and knows their rights. If you have just cause for complaint, the chances are that he will replace the article immediately. And he is much more likely to want to do so if you give him the credit for not wanting to do you down! Score 3.

What is your score?

Between 16 and 24. You are already on the way to being a clever shopper. Be careful that your caution does not make you too careful for pleasure and unable to recognize and enjoy a real bargain when it comes your way.

Between 8 and 16. You are an average shopper; you need to take a little more care if you want to get more for your money. Only 8? Your moods are likely to run away with you and you may easily get caught out or waste money unless you take more care.

Ex. 3 Write an essay on one of the suggested topics :

1. Describe a shopper you would call a) thorough, b) careless c) smart.

2. What kind of purchases would you call "a bargain" and what are the best places to look for bargains.

3 Speak/write on your experience of a shopping spree (real or imaginary one).

4 Create a shopping list for each of the following people (the amount of money to spend is shown in the brackets):

1. a teenager who walks to the store ($ 20);

2. a coach buying for a basketball team ($ 30);

3. a camper preparing for a long hiking trip ($ 60);

Project work

1. Study the layout of the supermarkets in your town, then draw a diagram of a supermarket, marking the arrangements of the display. Say why you have put things where they are. If you were in charge of the supermarket, is there anything else you would do to attract customers and make them buy things?

2. Try to make a collection of guarantees, say, for a lawn mower, electric fire, washing machine, electric kettle, electric blanket, clock and any other guaranteed goods. Study the guarantees and decide whether they are good and worth having, or whether they are worthless or even, perhaps, deprive the shopper of his rights under Common Law.

3. Choose an article you would like to buy one day, say a tape recorder, electric iron, transistor radio, washing machine, or something similar. Find out all you can about the products available: the different prices, advantages and disadvantages of each particular model, reputation for reliability, after-purchase servicing, etc. Do this by every possible means – collect advertisements, look in shops and ask shop assistants, find magazine articles and obtain information from newspapers, reference books and the Consumers Association publications. Having collected all the information, say which model you would choose and why.

4. At the end of your advertising book, give your opinion of a good advertisement, and design one yourself for a product of your choice.

5. If we are buying some big item that has to last a long time, we cannot afford to make a mistake. We often learn from hard experience, but there are many precautions we can take and tips we can learn to make sure that we receive value for our money and choose what we really want. What are they?

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