IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a Time When You Bought Something and Returned It 🛍️🔄

Describe a Time When You Bought Something and Returned It 🛍️🔄

Ideas 💡

• What it was → Clothes, electronic devices, home appliances, shoes
• When you bought it → Recently, during a sale, for a special occasion
• Why you returned it → Wrong size, defective, not as described, changed your mind
• How you returned it → Customer service, refund process, exchange policy

Useful Grammar & Structures 🏗️

✅ Past simple & past perfect (I had already used it once before realizing it was faulty.)
✅ Narrative sequencing (At first, I was excited, but then I noticed a problem.)
✅ Causal linking phrases (Because of this, I had to return it.)
✅ Idioms & phrasal verbs (It wasn’t up to scratch. / I got my money back hassle-free.)

Collocations & Idioms 🌟

1. Impulse buy 🛒 (mua theo cảm hứng)
2. A faulty product ⚠️ (sản phẩm bị lỗi)
3. Not up to standard ❌ (không đạt tiêu chuẩn)
4. Customer service representative 📞 (đại diện chăm sóc khách hàng)
5. Go through the hassle of returning 😩 (mất công trả hàng)

Full Sample Answer (2+ minutes) 🎤

One time, I had to return a product that I had bought online, and it was quite a frustrating experience. About six months ago, I purchased a pair of sneakers from an online store. I was really excited about them because they were on sale, and the design looked amazing in the pictures. However, when they arrived, I was disappointed to see that they were a completely different color from what I had ordered. Not only that, but they also didn’t fit well despite me carefully checking the size chart before placing the order.

At first, I thought I could just make do with them, but after trying them on a couple of times, I realized they were too tight and uncomfortable. So, I decided to initiate a return request. The store had a 14-day return policy, which meant I had to act quickly. I contacted customer service, and they instructed me to pack the shoes back into the original box and send them via a courier service. Luckily, the process was fairly straightforward, and within a week, I received a full refund.

Although it was a bit of a hassle, this experience taught me an important lesson—always read the return policy before making an online purchase. Nowadays, I’m much more careful when shopping online, and I tend to buy from reliable brands that offer easy return options in case something goes wrong.

🎤 Part 3: Follow-up Questions & Answers 🛒📦

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying things online?

Ideas 💡

✅ Advantages: Convenience, variety, better deals
❌ Disadvantages: Can’t check quality, long delivery time, difficult returns

Collocations 🌟

1. Shop from the comfort of home 🏠 (mua sắm ngay tại nhà)
2. A wider selection of products 🛍️ (đa dạng sản phẩm hơn)
3. Risk of receiving faulty products ⚠️ (rủi ro nhận hàng lỗi)
4. Complicated return process 🔄 (quá trình trả hàng phức tạp)

Sample Answer 🎤

Buying things online has both advantages and disadvantages. One of the biggest advantages is convenience. People can shop from the comfort of their home without having to visit a physical store. Also, online stores offer a wider selection of products and better deals compared to traditional shops. However, there are also some downsides. For example, there’s always a risk of receiving faulty products, and sometimes, the items don’t match the description. Another major issue is the complicated return process, which can be time-consuming and frustrating for customers.

2. Do you think advertisements affect people’s decisions?

Ideas 💡

• Yes: Creates brand awareness, influences trends
• No: Some people are skeptical, prefer reviews

Collocations 🌟

1. Persuasive marketing strategies 🎯 (chiến lược tiếp thị thuyết phục)
2. Impulse purchases 🛒 (mua sắm không có kế hoạch)
3. Influenced by social media ads 📱 (bị ảnh hưởng bởi quảng cáo trên mạng xã hội)
4. Rely on word-of-mouth recommendations 🗣️ (dựa vào lời giới thiệu từ người quen)

Sample Answer 🎤

Yes, advertisements definitely have a huge impact on consumer behavior. Companies use persuasive marketing strategies to make their products seem more attractive. Many people make impulse purchases just because they saw an ad that caught their attention. Social media ads, in particular, are highly targeted, making it even harder for people to resist buying things. However, some people are more skeptical and prefer to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations or read reviews before making a decision.

3. What are the advantages of buying things from shops?

Ideas 💡

• Better quality control: Check items before purchase
• Immediate possession: No waiting for delivery

Collocations 🌟

1. Try before you buy 🛍️ (thử trước khi mua)
2. Get immediate assistance from staff 👨‍💼 (nhận sự giúp đỡ ngay lập tức từ nhân viên)
3. Avoid shipping delays 🚚 (tránh bị giao hàng chậm trễ)
4. More reliable customer service ☎️ (dịch vụ khách hàng đáng tin cậy hơn)

Sample Answer 🎤

Buying things from physical stores has several advantages. One of the biggest benefits is that customers can try before they buy, which helps them make better purchasing decisions. Additionally, shoppers can get immediate assistance from staff, which is useful when they need advice on products. Another major advantage is that there are no shipping delays, unlike online shopping. Finally, in case of any issues, returning a product is often easier and more reliable in a physical store than going through a complicated online return process.

4. Do you think celebrities who advertise products affect people’s purchase decisions?

Ideas 💡

• Yes: Influence trends, increase trust
• No: Some people know it’s just marketing

Collocations 🌟

1. Trustworthy brand ambassadors 🌟 (đại sứ thương hiệu đáng tin cậy)
2. Create hype around a product 🔥 (tạo sự quan tâm về sản phẩm)
3. Some consumers remain skeptical 🤨 (một số người tiêu dùng vẫn hoài nghi)
4. A well-thought-out purchasing decision 🧠 (quyết định mua hàng có cân nhắc)

Sample Answer 🎤

Yes, celebrities can strongly influence people’s purchasing decisions. When a well-known actor or influencer endorses a product, it creates hype around the brand, making people more likely to buy it. Consumers often see celebrities as trustworthy brand ambassadors, which increases their confidence in the product. However, some consumers remain skeptical and prefer to make a well-thought-out purchasing decision based on reviews rather than just following celebrity endorsements.