Sales and Acquisitions Vocabulary for ESL Classes

Key Vocabulary and Phrases for English Learners

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By
Kenneth Beare
Kenneth Beare
English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert
  • TESOL Diploma, Trinity College London
  • M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music
  • B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music
Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience.
Learn about our Editorial Process
Updated on February 25, 2020

This core vocabulary reference sheet provides keywords and phrases used in sales and acquisitions. This vocabulary can be used in English for specific purposes classes as a starting point for those working in sales and acquisitions. Teachers are often not equipped with the exact English terminology required in very specific trade sectors. For this reason, core vocabulary sheets go a long way in helping teachers provide adequate materials for students with English for specific purposes needs.

Sales and Acquisition Vocabulary List

actual price
agency contract
agreed price
all-in price
allowance - reduction
amount - sum
amount of an invoice
approximate price
article - item
as per sample
assortment - range
assortment of sizes
back order - outstanding order
backlog of orders
bargain
to bargain over the price
batch - lot of goods
business card (GB) - calling card (US)
buy by instalments (GB) - to buy on the installment plan (US)
to buy for cash
to buy in bulk - to buy wholesale
to buy on credit
buyer - purchaser
to cancel an order
to cash - to collect
cash before delivery
cash discount
cash on delivery (GB) - collect on delivery (US)
cash sale
cash with order
catalogue (GB) - catalog (US)
catalogue price
cheap - inexpensive
claim - complaint
to collect a debt
collection
color reference
commercial agent
commercial invoice
commercial letter
 commission - fee
company store - factory outlet
competitive price
complaints department
complimentary - free
to confirm an order
contract of sale
customer - client
customer assistance
customer portfolio
customer service department
cut in prices - lowering of prices
date of expiry (GB) - expiration (US)
date of receipt
deadline
defective - faulty
to delay in delivery
delay of payment
delayed delivery
delivery
delivery charges
delivery date
delivery order
discount on quantity
discount price
discount scale
to distribute
drop in sales
dumping price
duty-free shop
to enclose
enquiry - inquiry
to estimate
everyday article
ex-factory price
exclusive agreement
exclusive contract
exclusive right of sale
execution of an order
 to export
exportation - export
extension of payment
factory price
faulty goods
first choice
to fix a price
for sale
foreign branch
free gift - complimentary gift
free trial
full price
goods
goods in stock
goods on consignment
to grant a delay of payment
to grant a discount
to guarantee (GB) - to warrant (US)
guaranteed free of faults
illustrated catalogue
immediate delivery
to import
import licence
importation - import
importer
increase sales
intermediary - middleman
invoice - bill
to invoice
invoice price
keep prices down
lead time
list price
loss of customers
low-quality
lower prices
lump sum price
to make a delivery
to make an estimate
market prices
market supply - market offer
maturity rate
to meet a deadline
missing goods
to negotiate
negotiation
net price
non-returnable packing
non delivery
old stocks - oddments
on account
on credit
order
order acquisition
order approval
order book
order confirmation
order from catalogue
order processing
packing charged at cost
packing excluded
packing included
packing list
to pass an order
to pay in advance
payment
payment by check
payment by installments
payment in advance
payment on account
point of sale - sales outlet
poor quality
price ceiling
price decrease - price reduction
price fluctuation
price list
price marked up by 10%
price range
price recommended by the manufacturer
price reduction		 price tag
price/quality ratio
pricing
pro-forma invoice
purchase invoice
quality defect
quality standards
quotation
to raise prices
receipt
reduction
to refuse an order
regular customer
representative office
retail price
retail sale - retailing
retail trade - retailing
retailer - retail dealer
runner
sale - selling
sale by sample
sales commission
sales department
sales discount
sales force
sales invoice
sales meeting
sales period
sales proposal
sales returns
sales target
sales volume
salesman - seller
sample
sample collection
sample only - of no commercial value
sampling
second-hand
second-hand items
second-rate		 seconds
to sell by sample
to sell in bulk
to sell off
to sell on commission
to sell out
to sell wholesale - to wholesale
selling expenses
settlement of the invoice
shop - store (US)
shopkeeper
slump in prices
sold
sole agency
sole agent
solvency
special offer
specified price
spot goods - on-the-shelf goods
steady prices
sub-agent
to submit an invoice
suggested price - recommended price
supply
suspend payments
temporary import
terms of payment
terms of sale
time of delivery
top quality
trade practices
trade price
trial order
unit price
unsold
wholesale
wholesale discount
wholesale price
wholesale trade
wholesaler
Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Beare, Kenneth. "Sales and Acquisitions Vocabulary for ESL Classes." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/sales-and-acquisitions-1210153. Beare, Kenneth. (2020, August 27). Sales and Acquisitions Vocabulary for ESL Classes. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sales-and-acquisitions-1210153 Beare, Kenneth. "Sales and Acquisitions Vocabulary for ESL Classes." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/sales-and-acquisitions-1210153 (accessed June 3, 2023).
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