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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

THE
E-COMMERCE
REVOLUTION
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1 Warm up

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. When was the last time you purchased something online? Why did you buy it online and not in a
real shop?
2. Do you prefer to shop online or in person? Why?
3. What do you know about Amazon? Do you know any companies that are similar to Amazon?
4. Do you think there will be more or fewer online customers in the future?

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2 Focus on vocabulary
Match the following vocabulary to the definitions.

1. retail (n) a. makes someone reconsider, usually due to negative reasoning

2. effortlessly (adv.) b. somebody or something that has been attacked or hurt by

something
3. roughly (adv.) c. selling goods or products, usually in a shop or online

4. deters (v) d. approximately

5. victim (n) e. something that seems to be really easy or takes no effort

II

1. outlets (n) a. provide something that a specific person(s) wants or needs

2. evolve (v) b. develop something in a way that is more suitable to its

environment
3. facilities (n) c. places that host organized events e.g., concerts, plays, poetry
readings
4. venues (n) d. shops that sell goods or products

5. cater to (phr. v) e. places that offer a service or are built for a specific purpose

Part B: Put the vocabulary from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences. You may need
to change the form of the word.

1. The best for seeing plays or shows are probably in the West End.

2. There are 65 million people living in the UK these days.

3. When the company started cutting costs the main were the temporary workers.

4. It is important for traditional companies to so that they can stay relevant in the
modern business world.

5. It is hoped that adverts about the dangers of cigarettes will more people from
starting smoking.

6. The VIP bars in the city center have been created to the rich and famous.

7. After 20 years of practice, my friend can play the guitar .

8. The provided by the hotel were amazing, but the free sauna was the best one for
me.

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THE E-COMMERCE REVOLUTION

3 Predict the answers

What do you know about the e-commerce industry? Choose the correct answer to each question
and read the article about e-commerce on page four to see if you are right.

1. What percentage of retail transactions in China take place online?

a. almost 30% b. almost 40% c. almost 50%

2. How many visitors does Amazon’s website have each month?

a. around 3.7 billion b. around 3.7 c. around 370,000

million

3. What percentage of department stores in the UK have gone bankrupt in the last 5 years?

a. 83% b. 53% c. 33%

4. What do you think the "m" in "m-commerce" stands for?

a. money b. mobile c. market

4 Skimming for general understanding

Read the following paragraph titles and match them with the paragraphs in the article. One title is
extra, and will not be needed.

1. China online

2. The biggest and the best?

3. Shopping in the palm of your hand

4. Huge places to shop from home

5. Shopping from the past

6. Save our shops

7. eBay or no way

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The e-commerce revolution

Online or offline, that is the question

A. In many countries, online shopping has become just stores, and the clearest evidence of that has been in
as popular as regular, in-person, everyday shopping. the slow death of the previously loved department
Take China for instance, at present nearly 50% of store. In the UK, departments stores used to be
retail transactions, in the world’s second-biggest central to a weekend shopping trip. However, over
economy, take place online. With this figure only the last five years 83% of department stores have
likely to increase, what does the future hold for retail gone bust.
on the Internet, is the sky the limit? And on the
E. E-commerce became a viable threat to in-person
other side of the fence, what about the so-called
shopping more than twenty years ago, but the
‘’traditional” shops, is it all sadness and fear, is failure
traditional outlets remained slow to adapt or evolve,
now a real possibility for the once packed brick and
and investors seemed lost in coming up with creative
mortar stores?
ways in which these businesses could remain in the
B. Over the last decade e-commerce giants like Amazon, black. It is only now that ideas are being put forward
eBay, ASOS, and Alibaba have become both widely in relation to UK brick and mortar stores varying their
known and widely used by consumers around the offer. It is felt that changing the focus away from
world. The way in which people can now effortlessly goods and moving towards services could be one
shop from the comfort of their own homes is making solution. Providing entertainment studios, wellbeing
it all the simpler for people to part with their cash. and health facilities or concert venues and cultural
and sports events might be a unique enough offer to
C. The chances are that if you are reading this, you
bring people back, but only time will tell.
have probably at some point purchased something
from Amazon. The size and wealth of Amazon is F. So, where do we go from here? The next stage
simply unbelievable. Each month their website has of the e-commerce revolution seems to be "m-
roughly 3.7 billion visitors, and to cope with this huge commerce", which relates to mobile shopping and
demand they employ over 1.6 million employees the fact that people are now more likely to use their
globally. While receiving bad press, especially in mobile phones or tablet to fulfill their retail needs.
relation to the working conditions of their employees, The companies themselves have evolved to cater
is not uncommon for Amazon, it doesn’t seem to be to this market and the majority of online retailers
something that deters their loyal customers. They now offer easy-to-use apps with *"click to pay"
come flocking back in their droves, attracted not only features. To further attract the digital generation,
by Amazon’s huge range of products but also added the e-commerce brands market heavily on social
bonuses the company provides, like Black Friday media, an approach which provides a flexible shop
discount events or "free two-day delivery" offers for front which can make it easier to attract many more
special members. potential customers.

D. The main victim to the growing dominance of online Sources: theguardian.com; reuters.com;
retailers like Amazon have been the brick and mortar independent.com; statista.com; www.ft.com

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THE E-COMMERCE REVOLUTION

5 Reading comprehension

Read the following statements and decide if they are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).

1. China is now the world’s largest economy.

2. Online retailers make it hard for people to spend their money.

3. Amazon got some bad coverage from the media.

4. Amazon bosses all received big bonuses.

5. Department stores were once really popular in the UK.

6. Online retail started to threaten traditional shops more than two decades ago.

7. Online companies have not adapted to m-commerce.

8. M-commerce will be followed by shopping that we do virtually.

6 Focus on idioms

Look at the definitions below and then find an idiom in the article which has the same or a similar
meaning.

1. anything is possible (para. A)

2. in a completely different situation (para. A)

3. negative media coverage (para. C)

4. has gone bankrupt (para. D)

5. make profit, not be in debt (para. E)

6. offer something, usually an idea (para. E)

7. results will only be found out in the future (para. E)

Part B: Put the idioms from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences, you may need to
change the form of the word. Then discuss with your partner if you agree or disagree.

1. All companies should or face heavy, government fines.

2. CEOs should be protected from receiving .

3. Telling new employees that is a good piece of advice.

4. In business, it is always important to try and understand people who are on .

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THE E-COMMERCE REVOLUTION

7 Talking point

In pairs discuss the following questions about the article.

1. What do you think the most interesting thing in the article was?
2. If a company/shop was to receive a lot of bad press, would you stop spending your money there?
3. How would you feel if you were the owner of a brick-and-mortar shop these days?
4. What do you think about "m-commerce"? Do you think it will become popular in your country?

8 Today’s debate (optional)

With your partner, you are going to have a debate about the pros and cons of E-commerce. Before
you start, decide who is Role A and who is Role B.

• A: E-commerce has a positive effect on local economies

• B: E-commerce has a negative effect on local economies

For about 5 minutes make some notes about your side of the debate in the box below, try and use
some of the vocabulary and expressions from the lesson:

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