Black Friday’s coming

+++Sale-ing away
There are many kinds of sales that shops introduce to get rid of stock, or just to freshen up merchandise. Anyone who loves window shopping finds it very
hard to resist the urge to walk into a shop when they see those magical four letters:
S A L E!
Closing down sale: This usually means that the shop is going out of business, or is moving location and all the stock needs to go.
End of season sale: Various shops, including clothes stores, stock seasonal items which take up space at the end of that season. They therefore slash prices in July to get those skis out of the warehouse, for example.
Seconds: While not exactly a sign you would see outside a window, these are usually items that are slightly damaged and cannot be sold at full price. They can range from a shirt with a missing button, or a mug with mismatched printing.
Bargain hunters love these kinds of items, as they are usually perfectly usable.

 

Here are some dialogues that might be useful while shopping – not only during the sale season.

At the clothes shop
Shop Assistant: Can I help you?
Customer: Yes! I really like this black dress. Do you have it in a medium?
Shop Assistant: Let me check. Yes there’s one left, but it’s in red.
Customer: No, I need something black for a party I’m attending. Do you have anything similar?
Shop Assistant: Just a minute, I’ll go and check. Here you are. A black dress
in medium. You will look good in this. Do you want to try it on?
Customer: Yes please. [In the changing room] It’s a bit loose. Do you havea slightly smaller size?
Shop Assistant: I ’ll be back in a moment … Here you go!
Customer: This one fits much better. I’ll take it, how much is it?
Shop Assistant: That’s 49.99.
Customer: But it says 39.99 on the label.
Shop Assistant: Oh, yes! My mistake.That dress is currently on sale.
The price on the label is the right one!
Customer: OK. Do you take card, or is it cash only?
Shop Assistant: No, card is fine.

 

At the supermarket
Customer: Excuse me! Where can I find the nappies?
Shoping assistant: They’re in aisle fourteen, sir, between the toiletries and the cleaning products. I’ll show you…
Customer: That’s very nice of you!
Shopping assistant: It’s no problem.
Customer: Oh! Here they are. Thanks!
Shopping assistant: Just ask if you need anything else.
Customer: What time are you open until?
Shopping assistant: Today, we’re open until 10 pm. But it’s a bank holiday

 

At a UK market
Customer: Hello! How much are these potatoes?
Shopkeeper: They’re a pound a kilo, madam.
Customer: I’ll have a kilo and a half, then.
Shopkeeper: Anything else?
Customer: That rhubarb looks nice.
Shopkeeper: Yes, it’s organic, grown by a farmer friend of mine just down the road. It’s great in savoury or sweet dishes.
Customer: I think I’ll take three stalks.
Shopkeeper: Good choice. What else do you fancy today?
Customer: I’d also need a few eggs. Which ones do you recommend?
Shopkeeper: Well, I have two kinds. These ones here are organic, while these… are free range. Very happy chickens laid those eggs. You can taste the happiness in your morning
breakfast!
Customer: Oh! Can you give me a dozen of the free-range ones, please. Could you please choose the cleaner ones?
Shopkeeper: Sure. Here you go. Anything else?
Customer: That lettuce looks a bit wilted. Is that all you have?
Shopkeeper: I have a few more in the back. How many do you need?
Customer: Just one, thank you.
Shopkeeper: Here it is. What else can I get you, madam?
Customer: I think that’s it. What’s the damage?
Shopkeeper: Err. Let me see. That will be seven pounds fifty, please.
Customer: Here’s a tenner.
Shopkeeper: And here’s your change. Thank you very much.
Customer: Thank you.