• Free Resources
  • 1-800-567-9619
  • Subscribe to the blog Thank you! Please check your inbox for your confirmation email. You must click the link in the email to verify your request.
  • Explore Archive
  • Explore Language & Culture Blogs

Online Shopping in German Posted by Larissa on Jan 26, 2021 in Language

Our lockdown in Germany has been extended until the 14th of February. All shops across the country apart from necessities are closed at the moment due to COVID-19 19, which means online shopping is more popular than ever. Here are a few keywords that you need to know if you are ever shopping on a German website.

das Internet                                                 the Internet

die Webseite                                                   the website

der Warenkorb                                          the shopping cart

die Kleidung                                                   the clothes

die Drogerie Produkte                               the drugstore products

das Angebot/ die Angebote                     the offer/the offers

die Neuerscheinungen                             the new releases

die Neuheiten                                            the new releases

die Kategorie/Kategorien                       the category/categories

die Abteilung                                                 the department

die Elektronik                                               the electronics

der Rabatt                                                       the discount

der Gutschein                                               the voucher

(die) kostenlose Lieferung                     free delivery

die Versandkosten                                     the delivery fee

die Lieferzeit                                              the delivery time

die Größe                                                      the size

die Bewertung                                          the review

der Artikel                                                    the item

die Zahlungsart                                        the payment method

die Menge                                                         the quantity

die Bestellbestätigung                              the order confirmation

die Zustellung                                               the delivery

die Rückerstattung                                     the refund

der Kundendienst                                      the customer service

die Marktabholung                   click and collect (literally translates to “the store pick up”)

online shopping essay in german

Sortieren nach

Sortieren nach means “sort by”, which helps filter what you are looking for. This is often a drop down menu, each website varies on how they describe the options. The most common are the following:

Price low to high:

– Preis – niedrig bis hoch

– Preis – aufsteigend (ascending)

Price high to low:

– Preis – hoch bis niedrig

– Preis – absteigend (descending)

Other options:

– Beliebteste                 most popular

– Meistgesucht             most searched for

– Empfohlen                 recommended

– Neu eingetroffen     newly added

– Beste Ergebnisse       best results

– Bewertungen               reviews (meaning “highest rated”)

Common phrases that you will find when online shopping:

  In den Warenkorb                                                               add to basket

auf Lager                                                                              in stock

Ausverkauft                                                                           sold out

Was suchen Sie?                                                                   what are you searching for? (search bar)

Es gibt keine Ergebnisse für Deine Suche                     your search produced no results

Versand und Rückversand                                                 delivery and returns

Lieferung am nächsten Tag                                               next day delivery

Zahlungsart ändern                                                               change payment method

zur Kasse gehen                                                                 checkout (literally translates to “go to checkout”)

Do you like shopping online? I find it very cozy getting to shop from the comfort of my own home, however there is always a risk that what you shop for won’t fit or will be different as to what you were expecting. Let me know in the comments below if you are a regular online shopper!

Thanks for reading,

online shopping essay in german

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Pin it

About the Author: Larissa

Hello I'm Larissa. I live in Germany and I am half German and half English. I love sharing my passion for Germany with you through my posts! Apart from writing posts I teach fitness classes in Munich.

' src=

I love this post!!!! and online shopping

' src=

@Constanze Thank you!!!

' src=

Thanks, very nice. look Forward to future postr.

@Harry Thanks, Harry! 🙂

  • Application process for Germany VISA
  • Germany Travel Health Insurance
  • Passport Requirements
  • Visa Photo Requirements
  • Germany Visa Fees
  • Do I need a Visa for short stays in Germany?
  • How to Get Flight Itinerary and Hotel Booking for Visa Application
  • Germany Airport Transit Visa
  • Germany Business VISA
  • Guest Scientist VISA
  • Germany Job Seeker Visa
  • Medical Treatment VISA
  • Tourist & Visitor Visa
  • Trade Fair & Exhibitions VISA
  • Training or Internship VISA
  • Study Visa for Germany
  • Working (Employment) VISA
  • German Pronunciation
  • German Volabulary
  • Requirements
  • Health Insurance
  • Trend & Living
  • Free Assessment Form
  • Privacy Policy

Easy German Essays for Beginners: 8 Examples to Practice Your Language Skills

Easy German Essays for Beginners - 8 Examples to Practice Your Language Skills

Are you a beginner in learning German and looking for ways to practice your language skills? One great way to do so is by writing essays in German. Writing essays not only improves your grammar and vocabulary but also helps you express your thoughts and ideas in the target language. In this article, we will provide you with eight easy German essays for Beginners with English translation and vocabulary to help you get started.

  • Meine Familie (My family) – Write about your family, including their names, occupations, and hobbies.
  • Mein Haus (My house) – Describe your house or apartment, including the number of rooms, furniture, and decorations.
  • Meine Hobbys (My hobbies) – Talk about your favorite hobbies, such as playing sports, reading books, or listening to music.
  • Meine Schule (My school) – Write about your school, including its location, teachers, and subjects you study.
  • Meine Freunde (My friends) – Discuss your friends, including how you met them, their personalities, and what you like to do together.
  • Meine Stadt (My city) – Describe your city or town, including its population, tourist attractions, and cultural events.
  • Meine Reise (My trip) – Write about a recent trip you took, including the destination, transportation, and activities you did there.
  • Meine Lieblingsessen (My favorite food) – Talk about your favorite foods, including traditional German dishes and other international cuisines.

Remember to use simple vocabulary and sentence structures while writing the essays. Good luck with your German learning journey!

Table of Contents

Meine familie (my family).

Ich heiße Maria und ich möchte euch gerne meine Familie vorstellen. Wir sind insgesamt vier Personen in meiner Familie. Mein Vater heißt Klaus und er arbeitet als Ingenieur. Meine Mutter heißt Petra und sie ist Hausfrau. Mein Bruder heißt Jan und er geht noch zur Schule.

(My name is Maria, and I would like to introduce you to my family. We are a family of four. My father’s name is Klaus, and he works as an engineer. My mother’s name is Petra, and she is a homemaker. My brother’s name is Jan, and he still goes to school.)

Vocabulary:

  • Ich heiße Maria (My name is Maria)
  • insgesamt (altogether)
  • vier Personen (four persons)
  • der Vater (father)
  • arbeiten (to work)
  • der Ingenieur (engineer)
  • die Mutter (mother)
  • Hausfrau (homemaker)
  • der Bruder (brother)
  • noch zur Schule gehen (still go to school)

Mein Vater arbeitet in einem großen Unternehmen als Ingenieur. Er ist sehr fleißig und verbringt viel Zeit im Büro. In seiner Freizeit geht er gerne joggen oder spielt Golf. Meine Mutter kümmert sich um den Haushalt und verbringt viel Zeit damit, leckere Mahlzeiten zu kochen. Sie liest auch gerne Bücher und geht regelmäßig zum Yoga.

(My father works in a large company as an engineer. He is very hardworking and spends a lot of time in the office. In his free time, he likes to go jogging or play golf. My mother takes care of the household and spends a lot of time cooking delicious meals. She also likes to read books and regularly attends yoga classes.)

  • in einem großen Unternehmen (in a large company)
  • sehr fleißig (very hardworking)
  • viel Zeit (a lot of time)
  • im Büro (in the office)
  • in seiner Freizeit (in his free time)
  • joggen (to go jogging)
  • Golf spielen (to play golf)
  • sich kümmern um (to take care of)
  • der Haushalt (household)
  • leckere Mahlzeiten kochen (cook delicious meals)
  • gerne lesen (like to read)
  • regelmäßig (regularly)
  • zum Yoga gehen (go to yoga)

Mein Bruder Jan geht noch zur Schule und ist sehr sportlich. Er spielt Fußball im Verein und geht regelmäßig ins Fitnessstudio. In seiner Freizeit hört er gerne Musik und schaut Filme.

(My brother Jan still goes to school and is very sporty. He plays soccer in a club and regularly goes to the gym. In his free time, he likes to listen to music and watch movies.)

  • sehr sportlich (very sporty)
  • Fußball spielen (to play soccer)
  • im Verein (in a club)
  • ins Fitnessstudio gehen (to go to the gym)
  • Musik hören (listen to music)
  • Filme schauen (watch movies)

Ich studiere im Moment an der Universität und meine Hobbys sind Lesen, Reisen und Yoga. In meiner Freizeit gehe ich gerne in die Natur und genieße die frische Luft.

(I am currently studying at the university, and my hobbies are reading, traveling, and yoga. In my free time, I like to go into nature and enjoy the fresh air.)

  • studieren (to study)
  • an der Universität (at the university)
  • die Hobbys (hobbies)
  • Lesen (reading)
  • Reisen (traveling)
  • Yoga (yoga)
  • die Freizeit (free time)
  • in die Natur gehen (go into nature)
  • genießen (enjoy)
  • frische Luft (fresh air)

Das ist meine Familie. Wir haben viele verschiedene Hobbys und Interessen, aber wir verbringen auch gerne gemeinsam Zeit miteinander.

(This is my family. We have many different hobbies and interests, but we also enjoy spending time together.)

  • das ist (this is)
  • verschiedene Hobbys und Interessen (different hobbies and interests)
  • gerne Zeit miteinander verbringen (enjoy spending time together)

Top reasons why Berlin is the best city for Expats!

Mein Haus (My House)

Ich lebe in einem Haus mit drei Schlafzimmern und zwei Bädern. Das Haus ist zweistöckig und hat auch einen Keller. Im Erdgeschoss befinden sich das Wohnzimmer, die Küche und ein Esszimmer. Im Wohnzimmer haben wir ein bequemes Sofa und einen großen Fernseher. In der Küche gibt es eine Spülmaschine, einen Herd, einen Backofen und einen Kühlschrank. Das Esszimmer hat einen Esstisch mit sechs Stühlen.

(I live in a house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is two stories and also has a basement. On the ground floor, there is the living room, kitchen, and a dining room. In the living room, we have a comfortable sofa and a large television. In the kitchen, there is a dishwasher, stove, oven, and refrigerator. The dining room has a dining table with six chairs.)

  • das Haus (house)
  • die Schlafzimmer (bedrooms)
  • die Bäder (bathrooms)
  • zweistöckig (two-storied)
  • der Keller (basement)
  • das Erdgeschoss (ground floor)
  • das Wohnzimmer (living room)
  • die Küche (kitchen)
  • das Esszimmer (dining room)
  • ein bequemes Sofa (a comfortable sofa)
  • ein großer Fernseher (a large television)
  • eine Spülmaschine (a dishwasher)
  • ein Herd (a stove)
  • ein Backofen (an oven)
  • ein Kühlschrank (a refrigerator)
  • ein Esstisch (a dining table)
  • sechs Stühle (six chairs)

Im Obergeschoss befinden sich die Schlafzimmer und die Bäder. Mein Schlafzimmer hat ein großes Bett, einen Schreibtisch und einen Kleiderschrank. Das Badezimmer hat eine Badewanne und eine Dusche. In den anderen Schlafzimmern gibt es auch Betten und Schränke für Kleidung.

(Upstairs, there are the bedrooms and bathrooms. My bedroom has a large bed, a desk, and a closet. The bathroom has a bathtub and a shower. In the other bedrooms, there are also beds and closets for clothes.)

  • das Obergeschoss (upper floor)
  • das Schlafzimmer (bedroom)
  • der Schreibtisch (desk)
  • der Kleiderschrank (closet)
  • das Badezimmer (bathroom)
  • die Badewanne (bathtub)
  • die Dusche (shower)
  • die anderen Schlafzimmer (the other bedrooms)

Im Keller haben wir eine Waschmaschine und einen Trockner. Wir nutzen den Keller auch als Lager für Dinge, die wir nicht oft brauchen.

(In the basement, we have a washing machine and dryer. We also use the basement as a storage area for things we don’t need often.)

  • die Waschmaschine (washing machine)
  • der Trockner (dryer)
  • als Lager nutzen (use as storage area)
  • Dinge (things)

Wir haben auch einige Dekorationen im Haus. Im Wohnzimmer haben wir ein großes Gemälde an der Wand und im Esszimmer steht eine Vase mit Blumen auf dem Tisch.

(We also have some decorations in the house. In the living room, we have a large painting on the wall, and in the dining room, there is a vase of flowers on the table.)

  • die Dekorationen (decorations)
  • das Gemälde (painting)
  • die Wand (wall)
  • die Vase (vase)
  • die Blumen (flowers)
  • der Tisch (table)

Wir haben auch ein paar Teppiche im Haus, um den Boden zu bedecken. Das Wohnzimmer hat einen braunen Teppich, während die Schlafzimmer jeweils einen unterschiedlichen Farbton haben. Mein Schlafzimmer hat einen blauen Teppich, während das andere Schlafzimmer einen roten Teppich hat.

(We also have some carpets in the house to cover the floor. The living room has a brown carpet, while the bedrooms have a different color tone each. My bedroom has a blue carpet, while the other bedroom has a red carpet.)

  • der Teppich (carpet)
  • den Boden bedecken (to cover the floor)
  • unterschiedliche Farbton (different color tone)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr glücklich mit meinem Haus. Es ist gemütlich und hat genug Platz für meine Familie und mich.

(Overall, I am very happy with my house. It is cozy and has enough space for my family and me.)

  • insgesamt (overall)
  • glücklich (happy)
  • gemütlich (cozy)
  • genug Platz (enough space)

Difference between ein, eine, einen, and einem in the German Language

Meine hobbys (my hobbies).

Ich habe einige Hobbys, die ich sehr gerne mache. Eines meiner Lieblingshobbys ist es, Sport zu treiben. Insbesondere mag ich es, Basketball zu spielen und Laufen zu gehen. Ich liebe es, im Freien zu sein und Sport zu treiben, weil es mir hilft, mich fit und gesund zu halten.

(I have some hobbies that I really enjoy doing. One of my favorite hobbies is doing sports. In particular, I like to play basketball and go running. I love being outdoors and doing sports because it helps me stay fit and healthy.)

  • das Hobby (hobby)
  • Sport treiben (to do sports)
  • Basketball spielen (to play basketball)
  • Laufen gehen (to go running)
  • im Freien sein (to be outdoors)
  • fit und gesund (fit and healthy)

Ein weiteres Hobby von mir ist das Lesen von Büchern. Ich lese gerne Romane und Sachbücher, besonders über Geschichte und Wissenschaft. Lesen ist für mich eine Möglichkeit, zu lernen und meine Vorstellungskraft zu erweitern.

(Another hobby of mine is reading books. I enjoy reading novels and non-fiction books, especially about history and science. Reading is a way for me to learn and expand my imagination.)

  • das Lesen (reading)
  • das Buch (book)
  • der Roman (novel)
  • das Sachbuch (non-fiction book)
  • die Geschichte (history)
  • die Wissenschaft (science)
  • die Vorstellungskraft (imagination)

Außerdem höre ich gerne Musik. Ich mag viele verschiedene Genres wie Pop, Rock und Klassik. Musik kann meine Stimmung beeinflussen und mich entspannen.

(Additionally, I like to listen to music. I enjoy many different genres like pop, rock, and classical. Music can influence my mood and help me relax.)

  • die Musik (music)
  • das Genre (genre)
  • Pop, Rock, Klassik (pop, rock, classical)
  • die Stimmung (mood)
  • sich entspannen (to relax)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr dankbar für meine Hobbys. Sie helfen mir, meinen Geist und Körper gesund zu halten und mich zu entspannen.

(Overall, I am very grateful for my hobbies. They help me keep my mind and body healthy and help me relax.)

  • dankbar (grateful)
  • der Geist (mind)
  • der Körper (body)

German Essays on My Family: Meine Familie

Meine schule (my school).

Ich besuche eine Schule in der Nähe meines Hauses. Die Schule ist relativ groß und hat viele Schülerinnen und Schüler. Wir haben viele Lehrerinnen und Lehrer, die alle sehr nett und hilfsbereit sind.

(I attend a school near my house. The school is relatively large and has many students. We have many teachers who are all very kind and helpful.)

  • besuchen (to attend)
  • die Nähe (proximity)
  • relativ (relatively)
  • die Schülerin (female student)
  • der Schüler (male student)
  • viele (many)
  • die Lehrerin (female teacher)
  • der Lehrer (male teacher)
  • nett (kind)
  • hilfsbereit (helpful)

Die Schule bietet viele verschiedene Fächer an, einschließlich Mathematik, Geschichte, Englisch, Naturwissenschaften und Fremdsprachen. Mein Lieblingsfach ist Englisch, weil ich gerne Geschichten lese und schreibe. Ich denke, dass es wichtig ist, eine gute Ausbildung zu haben, um im Leben erfolgreich zu sein.

(The school offers many different subjects, including mathematics, history, English, science, and foreign languages. My favorite subject is English because I enjoy reading and writing stories. I believe that having a good education is important to be successful in life.)

  • das Fach (subject)
  • einschließlich (including)
  • Mathematik (mathematics)
  • Geschichte (history)
  • Englisch (English)
  • Naturwissenschaften (science)
  • Fremdsprachen (foreign languages)
  • das Lieblingsfach (favorite subject)
  • die Geschichte (story)
  • die Ausbildung (education)
  • erfolgreich (successful)

Unsere Schule hat auch viele außerschulische Aktivitäten, wie zum Beispiel Sportmannschaften und Musikgruppen. Ich bin Mitglied des Schulfußballteams und wir haben viele Spiele gegen andere Schulen in der Gegend. Es macht mir viel Spaß und ich habe viele Freunde durch das Team kennengelernt.

(Our school also has many extracurricular activities, such as sports teams and music groups. I am a member of the school soccer team and we have many games against other schools in the area. It’s a lot of fun and I have made many friends through the team.)

  • außerschulisch (extracurricular)
  • die Aktivitäten (activities)
  • die Sportmannschaften (sports teams)
  • die Musikgruppen (music groups)
  • das Mitglied (member)
  • das Schulfußballteam (school soccer team)
  • das Spiel (game)
  • die Gegend (area)
  • der Spaß (fun)
  • der Freund (friend)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr glücklich auf meiner Schule und ich denke, dass ich hier eine gute Ausbildung bekomme. Ich hoffe, dass ich in Zukunft noch mehr von den vielen Möglichkeiten, die die Schule bietet, profitieren kann.

(Overall, I am very happy at my school and I think that I am getting a good education here. I hope that in the future, I can take advantage of even more of the many opportunities that the school offers.)

  • die Möglichkeit (opportunity)
  • profitieren (to take advantage of)

List of German adjectives with English meaning

Meine Freunde (My friends)

Ich habe viele Freunde, aber ich möchte über meine drei engsten Freunde sprechen. Wir haben uns alle in der Grundschule kennengelernt und sind seitdem unzertrennlich.

(I have many friends, but I want to talk about my three closest friends. We all met in elementary school and have been inseparable ever since.)

  • die Freunde (friends)
  • unzertrennlich (inseparable)

Mein erster Freund heißt Max. Er ist sehr sportlich und spielt gerne Fußball und Basketball. Max ist auch sehr lustig und hat immer eine positive Einstellung. Wir lieben es, zusammen Sport zu treiben oder Videospiele zu spielen.

(My first friend is Max. He is very athletic and likes to play soccer and basketball. Max is also very funny and always has a positive attitude. We love to exercise or play video games together.)

  • sportlich (athletic)
  • Fußball (soccer)
  • Basketball (basketball)
  • die Einstellung (attitude)
  • lustig (funny)
  • zusammen (together)
  • Videospiele (video games)

Meine Freundin Anna ist sehr künstlerisch und liebt es zu malen und zu zeichnen. Sie hat auch ein großes Herz und ist immer bereit, anderen zu helfen. Anna und ich machen oft zusammen Kunstprojekte oder gehen ins Kino.

(My friend Anna is very artistic and loves to paint and draw. She also has a big heart and is always willing to help others. Anna and I often do art projects together or go to the movies.)

  • künstlerisch (artistic)
  • malen (to paint)
  • zeichnen (to draw)
  • das Herz (heart)
  • bereit (willing)
  • helfen (to help)
  • das Kunstprojekt (art project)
  • ins Kino gehen (to go to the movies)

Mein Freund Tom ist sehr intelligent und liebt es, neue Dinge zu lernen. Er ist auch sehr abenteuerlustig und geht gerne auf Reisen. Tom und ich haben viele spannende Abenteuer erlebt, wie zum Beispiel Campingausflüge oder Klettertouren.

(My friend Tom is very smart and loves to learn new things. He is also very adventurous and likes to travel. Tom and I have had many exciting adventures, such as camping trips or climbing expeditions.)

  • intelligent (smart)
  • abenteuerlustig (adventurous)
  • die Reise (travel)
  • die Abenteuer (adventures)
  • der Campingausflug (camping trip)
  • die Klettertour (climbing expedition)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr dankbar für meine Freunde und bin froh, dass ich sie habe. Wir haben so viele schöne Erinnerungen zusammen gemacht und ich freue mich auf viele weitere Abenteuer mit ihnen.

(Overall, I am very grateful for my friends and am glad to have them. We have made so many beautiful memories together and I look forward to many more adventures with them.)

  • froh (glad)
  • die Erinnerungen (memories)

Meine Stadt (My city)

Ich lebe in einer Stadt namens Hamburg in Deutschland. Hamburg ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Deutschlands und hat eine Bevölkerung von etwa 1,8 Millionen Menschen. Es ist eine Hafenstadt und liegt an der Elbe.

(I live in a city called Hamburg in Germany. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and has a population of about 1.8 million people. It is a port city and located on the river Elbe.)

  • die Bevölkerung (population)
  • der Hafen (port)
  • die Elbe (river Elbe)

Hamburg ist bekannt für seine vielen Touristenattraktionen. Eines der bekanntesten ist der Hamburger Hafen, der einer der größten Häfen Europas ist. Es gibt auch den Fischmarkt, auf dem man frischen Fisch kaufen und lokale Spezialitäten probieren kann.

(Hamburg is known for its many tourist attractions. One of the most famous is the Port of Hamburg, which is one of the largest ports in Europe. There is also the Fish Market, where you can buy fresh fish and try local specialties.)

  • die Touristenattraktionen (tourist attractions)
  • bekannt (known)
  • der Fischmarkt (fish market)
  • frisch (fresh)
  • lokale Spezialitäten (local specialties)

Außerdem gibt es viele kulturelle Veranstaltungen in Hamburg. Jedes Jahr findet das Hamburger Domfest statt, das größte Volksfest im Norden Deutschlands. Es gibt auch das Internationale Filmfest Hamburg, bei dem Filme aus der ganzen Welt gezeigt werden.

(Additionally, there are many cultural events in Hamburg. Every year, the Hamburg Dom Festival takes place, which is the largest folk festival in northern Germany. There is also the Hamburg International Film Festival, where films from all over the world are shown.)

  • kulturelle Veranstaltungen (cultural events)
  • das Domfest (folk festival)
  • das Internationale Filmfest (international film festival)
  • aus der ganzen Welt (from all over the world)

Insgesamt ist Hamburg eine lebendige und vielfältige Stadt, die für jeden etwas zu bieten hat.

(Overall, Hamburg is a vibrant and diverse city that has something to offer for everyone.)

  • lebendig (vibrant)
  • vielfältig (diverse)
  • etwas zu bieten haben (to have something to offer)

My trip (Meine Reise)

Ich bin vor Kurzem mit meiner Familie nach Paris gereist. Wir sind direkt von unserer Stadt aus geflogen und kamen früh am Morgen in Paris an.

(I recently went on a trip to Paris with my family. We took a direct flight from our city and arrived in Paris early in the morning.)

  • Vor Kurzem (recently)
  • Die Reise (trip)
  • Meine Familie (my family)
  • Fliegen (to fly)
  • Direkt (direct)
  • Unsere Stadt (our city)
  • Ankommen (to arrive)
  • Früh (early)
  • Am Morgen (in the morning)

Wir haben in einem Hotel im Herzen der Stadt gewohnt, in der Nähe vieler beliebter Sehenswürdigkeiten. Unser Hotelzimmer hatte eine tolle Aussicht auf den Eiffelturm, der nur einen kurzen Spaziergang entfernt war.

(We stayed in a hotel in the heart of the city, close to many popular tourist attractions. Our hotel room had a great view of the Eiffel Tower, which was just a short walk away.)

  • das Hotel (hotel)
  • die Stadt (city)
  • die Nähe (proximity, closeness)
  • die Sehenswürdigkeiten (tourist attractions)
  • das Hotelzimmer (hotel room)
  • die Aussicht (view)
  • der Eiffelturm (Eiffel Tower)
  • der Spaziergang (walk)

Während unseres Aufenthalts haben wir viele berühmte Wahrzeichen der Stadt besucht, darunter das Louvre-Museum und die Kathedrale Notre-Dame. Wir haben auch eine Bootsfahrt auf der Seine gemacht, was eine großartige Möglichkeit war, die Stadt aus einer anderen Perspektive zu sehen.

(During our stay, we visited many of the city’s famous landmarks, including the Louvre Museum and Notre-Dame Cathedral. We also went on a boat tour of the Seine River, which was a great way to see the city from a different perspective.)

  • der Aufenthalt (stay)
  • berühmte Wahrzeichen (famous landmarks)
  • das Louvre-Museum (the Louvre Museum)
  • die Kathedrale Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Cathedral)
  • die Bootsfahrt (boat tour)
  • die Seine (the Seine River)
  • aus einer anderen Perspektive (from a different perspective)

Eines der Highlights unserer Reise war das Probieren der köstlichen französischen Küche. Wir haben in vielen verschiedenen Restaurants und Cafés gegessen und alles von Croissants bis Escargots ausprobiert.

(One of the highlights of our trip was trying the delicious French cuisine. We ate at many different restaurants and cafes, and tried everything from croissants to escargots.)

  • das Highlight (the highlight)
  • die Reise (the trip)
  • das Probieren (the trying/tasting)
  • die köstliche französische Küche (the delicious French cuisine)
  • das Restaurant (the restaurant)
  • das Café (the café)
  • alles (everything)
  • der Croissant (the croissant)
  • die Escargots (the escargots (snails))

Insgesamt war unser Trip nach Paris eine wunderbare Erfahrung. Wir haben die schönen Sehenswürdigkeiten, das leckere Essen und die reiche Kultur der Stadt genossen. Es war eine großartige Gelegenheit, Zeit mit meiner Familie zu verbringen und bleibende Erinnerungen zu schaffen.

(Overall, our trip to Paris was a wonderful experience. We enjoyed the beautiful sights, delicious food, and rich culture of the city. It was a great opportunity to spend time with my family and create lasting memories.)

  • Insgesamt (Overall)
  • Trip (trip)
  • Paris (Paris)
  • Eine wunderbare Erfahrung (A wonderful experience)
  • Wir haben genossen (We enjoyed)
  • Die schönen Sehenswürdigkeiten (The beautiful sights)
  • Das leckere Essen (The delicious food)
  • Die reiche Kultur der Stadt (The rich culture of the city)
  • Eine großartige Gelegenheit (A great opportunity)
  • Zeit mit meiner Familie zu verbringen (To spend time with my family)
  • Bleibende Erinnerungen zu schaffen (To create lasting memories)

Meine Lieblingsessen (My favorite food)

Ich esse gerne viele verschiedene Arten von Essen und habe viele Lieblingsspeisen. Einige meiner Favoriten sind traditionelle deutsche Gerichte wie Schnitzel und Spätzle, Sauerkraut und Bratwurst.

(I like to eat many different types of food and have many favorite dishes. Some of my favorites are traditional German dishes like Schnitzel and Spätzle, Sauerkraut, and Bratwurst.)

  • Lieblingsspeisen (favorite dishes)
  • traditionelle deutsche Gerichte (traditional German dishes)
  • Schnitzel (breaded and fried meat cutlets)
  • Spätzle (soft egg noodles)
  • Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
  • Bratwurst (grilled or fried sausage)

Ich mag auch viele internationale Küchen, wie zum Beispiel italienische Pizza und Pasta, thailändisches Curry, indische Masala und japanisches Sushi.

(I also enjoy many international cuisines, such as Italian pizza and pasta, Thai curry, Indian masala, and Japanese sushi.)

  • internationale Küchen (international cuisines)

Ein weiteres meiner Lieblingsessen ist mexikanisches Essen wie Tacos, Quesadillas und Guacamole. Die Kombination aus scharfen Gewürzen und frischen Zutaten macht das Essen zu einer Geschmacksexplosion.

(Another one of my favorite foods is Mexican cuisine like tacos, quesadillas, and guacamole. The combination of spicy seasonings and fresh ingredients makes the food a flavor explosion.)

  • scharfe Gewürze (spicy seasonings)
  • frische Zutaten (fresh ingredients)
  • Geschmacksexplosion (flavor explosion)
  • mexikanisches Essen (Mexican cuisine)
  • Tacos (filled tortillas)
  • Quesadillas (stuffed and grilled tortillas)
  • Guacamole (dip made from mashed avocado)

Insgesamt genieße ich es, neue Gerichte und Küchen auszuprobieren und verschiedene Aromen und Texturen zu entdecken. Essen ist eine große Leidenschaft von mir und ich liebe es, zu kochen und neue Rezepte zu kreieren.

(Overall, I enjoy trying new dishes and cuisines and discovering different flavors and textures. Food is a big passion of mine, and I love to cook and create new recipes.)

  • Aromen und Texturen (flavors and textures)
  • Leidenschaft (passion)
  • Rezepte (recipes)
  • kochen (to cook)
  • kreieren (to create)

Some Travel hacks when travelling in Europe

Conclusion:

In conclusion, writing essays in German can be a fun and effective way to improve your language skills. The eight essay examples provided in this article (Easy German Essays for Beginners) offer a range of topics that will help you practice your writing skills, expand your vocabulary, and gain confidence in your ability to express yourself in German. So why not try writing one of these essays today and see how much progress you can make in your German language journey?

More articles

From lyrics to pronunciation: learn the german national anthem, deutschlandlied, navigating the german language: a comprehensive starter vocabulary, 150+ common german phrases to sound like a native speaker, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Some cheap and expensive things in Germany

German universities where we can apply, without uni-assist, latest article, 56 tuition free master’s programs in computer science in germany – explore your options today, your gateway to germany: 20 universities where you can apply without uni-assist, expanding your software company in germany: a step-by-step guide.

online shopping essay in german

Plan For Germany

© Plan for Germany. All rights reserved.

Sister Sites

Popular category.

  • German Language 40
  • Lifestyle 35
  • Trend & Living 30
  • Level A1 23

Editor Picks

Learning languages online

  • Learn German
  • German phrases
  • Learn German Grammar
  • German vocabulary

Phrases related to shopping in German

Phrases related to shopping in German

How to talk about shopping in German

In this lesson, we will explore the vocabulary and phrases related to shopping in German , both in physical stores and online . Shopping is an essential part of daily life, and understanding how to express your shopping preferences and navigate online purchases can be very useful. Let’s dive into many phrases that will help you engage in conversations about shopping and online shopping in German .

Phrases about Shopping in German :

  • Ich gehe gern einkaufen. (I enjoy shopping.)
  • Wir besuchen das Einkaufszentrum. (We visit the shopping mall.)
  • Welche Geschäfte magst du? (Which stores do you like?)
  • Diese Bluse gefällt mir. (I like this blouse.)
  • Ich brauche neue Schuhe. (I need new shoes.)
  • Gibt es einen Verkauf? (Is there a sale?)
  • Welche Größe tragen Sie? (What size do you wear?)
  • Der Preis ist zu hoch. (The price is too high.)
  • Ich möchte mit Karte zahlen. (I’d like to pay with a card.)
  • Wo ist die Umkleidekabine? (Where is the fitting room?)
  • Dieses Geschäft hat schöne Accessoires. (This store has lovely accessories.)
  • Kann ich eine Quittung bekommen? (Can I get a receipt?)
  • Ich suche nach einem Geschenk. (I’m looking for a gift.)
  • Diese Jeans passt gut. (These jeans fit well.)
  • Der Verkäufer ist sehr hilfsbereit. (The salesperson is very helpful.)
  • Ich liebe Schnäppchen. (I love bargains.)
  • Wo finde ich Haushaltswaren? (Where can I find household items?)
  • Dieses Kleidungsstück ist im Angebot. (This clothing item is on sale.)
  • Online-Shopping ist bequem. (Online shopping is convenient.)
  • Ich habe die Artikel in den Warenkorb gelegt. (I’ve added the items to the cart.)

I hope these phrases have provided you with a foundation for discussing shopping and online shopping in the German language. Being able to navigate the world of retail, express your preferences, and shop online is practical for daily life. Continue to explore and practice these phrases to enhance your language skills and make your shopping experiences more enjoyable, whether you’re visiting physical stores or browsing online. Happy shopping !

Learn Phrases about cars and transportation in German

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

50+ Best Shopping Vocabulary In German

Genine Torres

  • , May 2, 2023

Best Shopping Vocabulary In German

Who isn’t obsessed with the thrill of a shopping spree? And let’s be real, when you’re traveling to the Kudamm in Berlin, the Schildergasse in Cologne or Zeil in Frankfurt, no one wants to miss out on all the retail therapy fun just because of the language barrier! That’s why in this post, we’ll go over the top shopping vocabulary in German , so you can shop ’til you drop without any confusion or hassle! Let’s begin!

However, you can’t just go and brave the cobblestone streets in the country without learning basic German words! Trust me, I learned this the hard way! I’ve been in situations where I was asked by a salesperson, “ Welche Größe haben Sie? ” (What’s your size?) and had no idea what to say. That’s when I realized that it’s not fun feeling clueless and relying solely on Google Translate! When I heard that question, I thought she was asking me for the color of the dress I wanted to try on, but it turned out she was asking for my size!

Luckily, she kindly repeated the question in English. But think about this for a sec, what if you encounter a less-than-helpful salesperson who can only speak German? How are you going to take home the souvenirs you wanted to snag? That’s where learning even just the basics of German comes in clutch. In this post, we’ve got your back with a crash course on essential German shopping vocabulary and expressions. With these in your arsenal, you’ll be able to confidently navigate the shops of Germany and bring home all the goodies you’ve been eyeing.

Ready to level up your shopping game? Let’s dive in!

What Is The German Word For Shopping?

The German word for shopping is “ einkaufen .” This word is commonly used to refer to shopping or making purchases, whether for groceries, clothing, electronics, or other items. When combined with other words, “einkaufen” can take on different meanings. For example, “ Lebensmittel einkaufen ” refers specifically to grocery shopping, while “ Kleidung einkaufen ” refers to clothes shopping.

Here are some simple sentences that make use of the word “Einkaufen.”

online shopping essay in german

Great! So the next time you visit a German-speaking country, be sure to use any of those sentences. Who knows, they might just impress your friends, right?

German Words For Stores

German Words For Stores

If you find yourself being asked, “Wo möchten Sie einkaufen?” This question is basically asking you where you want to shop, so you’ve got to be ready for a response. To help you out in this situation, here’s a list of words in the German language related to shopping.

Food And Drink

Now that AirBnb is an option when traveling, we bet that some of you will find yourselves wanting to use the kitchen. If that’s the case, then you should know where to find fresh produce, baked goods, or basic groceries! To get started, here are the easiest words you have to remember.

Clothing And Accessories

Looking to spruce up your wardrobe or accessorize your outfit? Check out the clothing and accessory shops listed in this section. From stylish boutiques to practical shoe stores, we specifically created these words so that your inner fashionista will be happy!

Health And Beauty

Is your trip ending? Don’t forget to bring home some health and beauty-related gifts for your family and friends! After all, Germany has some of the highest quality products every skin will love! Whether you’re looking for cosmetics, vitamins, or hygiene products, you’ll find what you need in these stores.

Home And Garden

Green thumb? Looking to decorate your home or tend to your garden? Check out the home and garden shops listed in this section.

Entertainment

Looking for something fun to do or read? Check out the entertainment shops listed in this section. From bookstores to music shops, these stores have something for everyone. You’ll also find toy stores and newsstands in this section.

Need some help with errands or special occasions? Whether you need travel assistance or tailoring services, these shops have you covered.

Miscellaneous

Unsure which store to visit? Maybe the word you’re looking for is in this section!

Phrases To Use When Shopping In Germany

Phrases To Use When Shopping In Germany

If you’re planning a trip to Germany, we’ve got some insider intel that’ll take your shopping game to the next level. Picture this: it’s late summer or towards the end of winter, and suddenly the stores start slashing prices left and right – that’s right, we’re talking about the Sommerschlussverkauf and Winterschlussverkauf sales! These two events are some of the biggest sales of the year in Germany, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on these sweet deals!

But before you book a flight during those sales, let’s first go over some phrases that can be useful when shopping in the country.

Phrases For Inquiring

Phrases for asking price, phrases for buying, phrases for paying.

Other Basic Shopping Vocabulary In German

Other Basic Shopping Vocabulary In German

Now that you already have a basic vocabulary list related to shops and the best phrases to use while shopping, let’s now go over the other words related to this topic.

Learn German With Ling

Want to take your language skills to the next level and impress your friends with your German shopping vocabulary? Leave everyone in the dust when you learn using Ling , the ultimate language-learning app that makes learning German a breeze! With this app, you’ll be able to master German vocabulary and expressions in a fun and interactive way, with lessons that are tailored to your individual needs. Plus, Ling uses a combination of audio, video, and gamified exercises that’ll seriously have you speaking German like a pro in no time!

The best part? You can practice your language skills anytime, anywhere, making it the perfect app for busy bees who want to learn German and 60+ other languages on the go. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, Ling has something for everyone, with a wide range of courses and lessons that are suitable for all levels.

So why wait? Download it now from the Play Store or App Store to get started!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Discover more​

flag-af

People also read

13+ most common danish christmas greetings.

Danish Phrases

15+ Basic Danish Phrases That Will Be Useful In Denmark

online shopping essay in german

Your #1 Best Guide To Clothing In Danish

online shopping essay in german

Danish Sports Vocabulary #1 Best Guide

5 Easy Words For Flavors In Danish

5 Easy Words For Flavors In Danish

Greetings In Danish

Greetings In Danish You Must Know – #1 Epic Guide

Southeast asia, east europe.

© 2024 Simya Solutions Ltd.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

FluentU Logo

24 German Essay Phrases

We need to talk about your German essays.

Essay writing is a skill that you can learn in any language.

All you need is to brush up your vocabulary and follow a few simple strategies, and you’ll be well on your way to writing your first masterpiece.

This post will provide you with a list of useful German words and phrases to include in your next essay, plus the different types of German essays, a few writing strategies and even a sample essay at the end. 

German Essay Phrases

General explaining, ordering facts and ideas, demonstrating contrast, expressing your opinion, summarizing and concluding, what are german essays like, the different types of german essays, how to write an essay in german in 4 steps, 1. write down a list of words , 2. do your research, 3. make an outline using transition words, 4. write directly in german, an example of a german essay, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Let’s start with the words and phrases themselves. As you’ll see, they’re grouped according to how and when you’ll use them. Let’s start off with some that will help you explain your arguments.

1. Weil (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, weil er morgen einen Test hat.

(Daniel has to study because he has a test tomorrow.)

2. Da (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, da er morgen einen Test hat.

3. Denn (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, denn er hat morgen einen Test.

(Daniel has to study because tomorrow he has a test.)

A quick note: Weil, da and denn are generally interchangeable. Keep in mind though that denn requires a different word order.

4. Damit (In order to; So that)

Lisa lernt viel, damit sie den Test besteht.

(Lisa is studying a lot in order to pass the test.)

5. Um (To; In order to)

Lisa lernt viel, um den Test zu bestehen.

(Lisa is studying a lot to pass the test.)

6. Im Grunde (Basically; Fundamentally)

Im Grunde ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Fundamentally, German is not a difficult language.)

7. Eigentlich (Actually)

Eigentlich ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Actually, German is not as difficult as it seems.)

8. Ein Beispiel anführen  (To give an example)

Ich möchte ein Beispiel anführen .

(I would like to give an example.)

9. Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass… (This example shows that…)

Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass das Lernen einer Fremdsprache beim Reisen viele Vorteile hat.

(This example shows that studying a foreign language has many advantages when traveling.)

10. Erstens… zweitens… (Firstly… secondly…)

Erstens kann man sich auf Reisen besser verständigen und zweitens lernt man viele neue Leute kennen.

(Firstly, you can communicate better while traveling, and secondly, you meet many new people.)

11. Das Wichtigste ist…  (T he most important thing is…)

Das Wichtigste ist , die Angst vor der Sprache zu verlieren.

(The most important thing is to lose your fear of the language.)

12. Außer dem (Furthermore)

Außerdem kann man beim Reisen seine Sprachkenntnisse verbessern.

(Furthermore, you can improve your language knowledge while traveling.)

13. Nicht nur… sondern auch…  (Not only… but also…)

Nicht nur im Unterricht, sondern auch im Alltag kann man viel Deutsch lernen.

(Not only in class, but also in everyday life you can learn a lot of German.)

14. Obwohl (Even though)

Obwohl Anna viel lernt, hat sie Probleme mit der deutschen Grammatik.

(Even though Anna studies a lot, she has problems with German grammar.)

15. Allerdings (However)

Anna lernt gerne Deutsch, allerdings hat sie Probleme mit der Grammatik.

(Anna enjoys studying German; however, she has problems with the grammar.)

16. Trotz   (Despite)

Trotz ihrer Probleme mit der Grammatik lernt Anna gerne Deutsch.

(Despite her problems with German grammar, Anna enjoys studying German.)

17. Im Vergleich zu (In comparison to)

Im Vergleich zu Russisch ist Deutsch eine einfache Sprache.

In comparison to Russian, German is an easy language.

18. Im Gegensatz zu (In contrast to; Unlike)

Im Gegensatz zu Anna lernt Paul gerne neue Vokabeln.

Unlike Anna, Paul enjoys learning new vocabulary.

19. Meiner Meinung nach (In my opinion)

Meiner Meinung nach sollte jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen.

(In my opinion, everybody should study a foreign language.)

20. Ich bin der Ansicht, dass…  (I believe that…)

Ich bin der Ansicht, dass jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen sollte.

(I believe that everybody should study a foreign language.)

21. Ich finde es schade, dass…  (I think it’s a pity that…)

Ich finde es schade, dass die Schulen keine anderen Fremdsprachen unterrichten.

(I think it’s a pity that schools don’t teach other foreign languages.)

22. Alles in Allem (Overall)

Alles in allem ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Overall, German isn’t as difficult as it seems.)

23. Im Großen und Ganzen (Overall)

Im Großen und Ganzen ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Overall, German isn’t a difficult language.)

24. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass…  (In summary, it can be said that…)

Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass Sprachen beim Reisen sehr hilfreich sein können.

(In summary, it can be said that languages can be very helpful when traveling.)

Ok, let’s get a little deeper into the actual essays themselves. How do they compare to the essays that you’re probably used to writing?

  • They have a similar structure to English essays. Remember how English essays have a beginning, middle and end? Good news: German essays contain those same parts. When you’re writing a German essay, you’ll want to include an opening paragraph with your argument, three supporting paragraphs that further your argument and a conclusion. German and English are often surprisingly similar, and essay structure is no exception.
  • German essays are more to the point. Although German essays and English essays are structured similarly, German essays—just like German speakers—tend to be more blunt and to the point. You won’t need to dance around your conclusions or obfuscate in German: just say what you mean.
  • German punctuation is different. Germans have different rules for punctuation than English speakers. For example, Germans introduce a direct quote with a colon instead of a comma. They use quotes instead of italics for the names of books, movies and newspapers. And they set off relative clauses beginning with dass (that) with a comma, unlike in American English. Understanding these differences between English and German punctuation will ensure you don’t give yourself away as a non-native speaker through punctuation marks alone!

Before you get started on your essay, make sure you know what type of essay you’re going to write. If it’s a school essay, be sure to read and understand the instructions.

Here are a few notes about the most common kinds of essays in German.

  • An Erzählung  is a narrative essay that tells a story. Your teacher might give you some keywords or pictures and ask you to create a story around it. An Erlebniserzählung (“experience story”) is about a personal experience and can be written in the first person.
  • An Erörterung is an argumentative essay, a writing piece meant to persuade someone to think the way you do. This writing genre requires you to investigate your topic well and provide evidence to prove your point.
  • In a Nacherzählung you summarize and recount a book, a film or an article you have read, from an objective perspective. Depending on the essay instructions, you might be asked for your personal opinion in the conclusion.

Are you ready to start writing? Use these four strategies to wow your teachers and write the perfect German essay.

You should look at any new activity as an opportunity to learn and master new vocabulary . Instead of using the same words that you use in your everyday German speech, use this essay as an opportunity to introduce new words into your German lexicon.

Besides, incorporating academic words that help you craft and shape your argument can make your essay sound more professional and polished. So before you start writing, write down a list of the German words you’d like to incorporate in your essay.

As with everything else, you should look at the research portion of the essay-writing process as an opportunity to learn more about Germany—this time, about German culture, history , politics or travel .

Chances are if you’re writing your essay for a language-learning class, you’ll be assigned a topic pertaining to one of these aspects of German life, so use this as a chance to learn more about Deutschland.

For example, Deutsche Welle offers information and resources about German history. Other newspapers such as Berliner Zeitung and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung offer another perspective on politics and daily life in Germany.

There’s nothing clunkier than an essay that doesn’t flow naturally from one point to the next. Besides, thinking about how your arguments and points interact with each other will help you organize your essay and make sure you get your point across. (Do they support each other? Counter each other? How exactly do they function to further your argument?)

Examples of transition words:

  • Vorher (prior)
  • zur gleichen Zeit (at the same time)
  • dann (then)
  • trotzdem (nevertheless)
  • noch (still)

Writing an essay in English and then translating it into German often results in stilted, poorly formed sentences and unnatural constructions.

For example, remember that German word order is different from English. If you write “He didn’t read the book,” a one-to-one literal translation would be Er hat gelesen nicht das Buch . But the correct translation is actually  Er hat nicht das Buch gelesen. In this example, translating word for word leads to errors.

There’s another, less tangible reason why it’s not a good idea to write in English and translate to German. Sure, you could just remember that you need to change the word order when translating into German. But isn’t it better to adapt your brain so that German word order seems fluid and natural?

Learning to think and write off-the-cuff in German is an essential step towards fluency, and devising sentences in German, instead of sentences in translation, will help you learn to do that.

One good way to learn to think in a language is to hear it spoken in natural contexts. You can hear German spoken naturally in German language TV shows , movies and YouTube videos .

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

FluentU Ad

Try FluentU for FREE!

Listening to German spoken at a natural speed and native accent will help get you thinking in the language in real time. This will help get you to the point where you can come up with your own sentences in German, rather than thinking in English sentences first and then translating them in your head before you speak or write. That will greatly improve your speed and fluency when writing in German.

So, simply start writing the essay in German. Look up any words you’re not sure of and double-check any grammatical constructions that you’re not familiar with. After you finish writing, ask a German-speaking friend to look over the essay to make sure it sounds natural.

Now that we’ve explored strategies and phrases for writing top-notch German essays, let’s take a look at an example.

World War I doesn’t get as much coverage in the States as World War II (where it was more directly involved). But for Europe, World War I was a devastating example of the dangers of modern technological warfare and the horrors of violence.

Let’s take a look at an example opening paragraph and outline of an essay about the effect of World War I on German government and life.

Opening paragraph:

Der Erste Weltkrieg war ein totaler Krieg, der Deutschland völlig veränderte. Dieser Krieg hat 1914 angefangen, und 1918, als der Krieg zu Ende kam, waren die deutsche Gesellschaft, Regierung und Kultur nicht mehr erkennbar. Am Anfang hat der Erste Weltkrieg altväterliche Ideen und Systeme verstärkt. Am Ende hat dieser Krieg dagegen diese altväterlichen Dinge zerstört.

(The First World War was a total war that completely changed Germany. This war began in 1914 and in 1918, when the war came to an end, German society, government and culture were no longer recognizable. At the beginning, the First World War strengthened old-fashioned ideas and systems. However, by the end, this war destroyed these old-fashioned things.)

Notice that this opening paragraph is not very different at all from the first paragraph of an English essay. You can use the same structure you’ve always used to write your German essay, leaving you free to focus on grammar and vocabulary.

Notice also the use of phrases such as Am Anfang (at the beginning) and Dagegen (however). Words like these can help you make a point and counterpoint in your opening paragraph (or anywhere in your essay, for that matter).

I. Am Anfang (at the beginning):

– Dieser Krieg hat Deutschland vereint . (This war united Germany.) – Menschen hatten ein patriotisches Gefühl. (People had a patriotic feeling.) – Menschen dachten, dass der Krieg bald zu Ende kommen würde. (People thought that the war would soon come to an end.)

Notice that these points employ words like dachten (thought). Written German often relies on Präteritum , a form of the past tense that’s rarely used in spoken Deutsch. It’s often called “literary past tense” for this reason. Check out this guide to the Präteritum to include this tense in your essay.

II. Andrerseits (on the other hand):

– Bald gab es kein Essen mehr . (Soon there was no more food.) – Menschen wurden krank und desillusioniert . (People became sick and disillusioned.) – Es gab Proteste und Unruhen. (There was protest and unrest.)

Like in an English essay, your second and third paragraphs can include supporting points or counterpoints that contribute to the overall theme of your piece. The word Andrerseits (on the other hand) is an ideal transition word to show that you’re moving into another section of your essay.

Also notice that this essay will rely on vocabulary words that the average language learner might not have come across in his or her learning. After all, who learns the words for “disillusioned” and “unrest” in their intermediate German class? But don’t be daunted by the fact that your essay might include eclectic vocabulary. Instead, use this as an opportunity for more learning.

III. zum Schluss (in conclusion):

– Der Kaiser hat abgedankt . (The Emperor abdicated.) – Eine Republik wurde geboren. (A Republic was born.) – Die alten Werte waren weg. (The old values were gone.)

Once again, abgedankt (abdicated) is an example of the literary past tense (and an example of a word that you probably haven’t come across in your previous German studies!)

IV. Schließlich (finally)

– Der Erste Weltkrieg hat Deutschland verändert . (The First World War completely changed Germany.)

Again, like in an English essay, you should use this paragraph to summarize your main point.

Feeling a bit more confident about your next German essay now?

Just make a great essay plan, write down some new words and phrases that you want to include and off you go!

By sprinkling these bits of flair into your German essays, you’re sure to make your writing better and more effective.

Enjoy writing!

Want to know the key to learning German effectively?

It's using the right content and tools, like FluentU has to offer ! Browse hundreds of videos, take endless quizzes and master the German language faster than you've ever imagine!

learn-german-with-videos

Watching a fun video, but having trouble understanding it? FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles.

learn-german-with-interactive-videos

You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don't know, you can add it to a vocabulary list.

learn-conversational-german-with-subtitled-dialogue

And FluentU isn't just for watching videos. It's a complete platform for learning. It's designed to effectively teach you all the vocabulary from any video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're on.

practice-german-with-adaptive-quizzes

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you're learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

online shopping essay in german

How to Abroad

Top shopping website in Germany: Everything you need to Know

Photo of Kinjal Narang

Table of Contents

Motorola-and-Lenovo-Sales-Ban-in-Germany

Top Shopping Website in Germany: Everything you need to Know

German websites for online shopping: The internet has completely changed how we shop. Online buying is now tremendously simple and practical. Products from all across the world are available to people. Additionally, it provides a wider variety than a single storefront, allowing access to goods and services that might not be offered at a nearby physical store. In this article, you will learn about The top shopping website in Germany.

online shopping essay in german

Understanding Top Shopping Websites in Germany

    1. what is a shopping website means in germany.

Online marketplaces are often e-commerce websites that are primarily distinguished by two factors:

  • Customers that shop online can do it on the website or the app.
  • A large number of buyers and vendors are there.

The aforementioned features do not apply to price comparison websites where no purchase can be made. In light of these traits and constraints, we’ll confine our attention in this essay to markets that deal in tangible items. For quite some time, online markets have been more and more popular. This trend has further escalated during the pandemic. The predicted user penetration by 2023 is 81.5%, while the projected user penetration by 2027 is 83.9%.

Top Shopping Websites in Germany

  1. amazon.de.

  • Amazon, a US-based e-commerce giant, has been operating since the 1990s.
  • Amazon Germany is a significant player in the German market, holding a strong position.
  • Amazon Germany is the third-largest website in Germany.
  • It is also the third-largest e-commerce site globally.
  • The platform offers a wide range of products, including books, digital media, clothing, gadgets, and more.
  • Amazon Germany provides additional services like video streaming and cloud computing.

  2. eBay Germany

  • eBay is an American e-commerce pioneer that operates through an online auction platform and direct sales.
  • Buyers can purchase a wide variety of items from vendors on eBay, including individuals and businesses.
  • eBay was launched in 1995 and has expanded its presence to over 20 nations worldwide.
  • eBay Germany is a significant platform within the German market.
  • It is the sixth-largest website in Germany.
  • eBay Germany’s product categories cater to the preferences of German shoppers, including cars, fashion, home goods, and technology items.
  • Otto is the largest online department store in Germany.
  • It originated as a German mail-order business in 1949 and later transitioned to a successful online platform.
  • The brand operates in 20 nations across Europe, Asia, and America, making it globally recognized.
  • Otto caters to a significant German audience.
  • It offers a wide variety of products in categories such as home goods, fashion, sports, and electronics.
  • Otto performs exceptionally well in the homeware, clothing, and electronics segments

  4. Idealo

  • Idealo is a German price comparison and e-commerce website founded in 2000.
  • The platform allows users to make purchases and compare prices to find the best deals on products.
  • It is one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Germany.
  • Idealo offers comprehensive comparisons in categories like sports, babies, homes, food, gaming, pharmaceuticals, and more.

  5. eBay Kleinanzeigen

  • eBay Kleinanzeigen is Germany’s largest classified website.
  • Users can post free advertisements and browse various items, including new and used products from private or commercial sellers.
  • Launched in 2005, it has become the eighth-largest website in Germany.
  • The platform attracts customers seeking electronics, cars, real estate, services, and leisure goods.

  6. Saturn

  • Saturn Retail Group is the owner of the electronics retailer MediaMarkt.
  • The company offers electronics products across various categories.
  • MediaMarkt and Saturn are part of the same corporate entity.
  • Both brands provide a wide range of electronic items for consumers.

  7. Zalando

  • Zalando is a German e-commerce company specializing in fashion, shoes, beauty, accessories, and sports products.
  • It offers items from various niche and international companies, with fashion being its most profitable market.
  • Founded in 2008 by Rocket Internet, Zalando now operates in fifteen countries.
  • The company has become a prominent online fashion brand in Europe and has several overseas subsidiary businesses.

  8. Thomann

  • Thomann: Specialist supplier of music equipment, including musical instruments, studio necessities, lighting, and pro-audio gear.
  • Established in 1954, a prominent player in the e-commerce market.
  • The website caters to international visitors with language switching based on locale.
  • Lidl: Budget grocery company selling groceries and other products.
  • Founded in 1930, it has gained widespread recognition in Europe.
  • Operates 10,000 stores across the majority of the European Union and in the United States.
  • A strong online presence helps Lidl establish a stronger foothold in the German market.
  • Offers a selection of low-cost items and foodstuffs to consumers throughout Germany.

 10. MediaMarkt

  • Media Markt: German electronics retailer founded as a physical store in 1979.
  • Rapid expansion across Europe, reaching 12 additional nations.
  • Success in the online market.
  • Second-largest global consumer electronics brand, after Best Buy.
  • Owned by the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group.

  11. Gomibo

  • Gomibo: Ideal site for smartphones, tablets, and gadgets.
  • Offers over 600 mobile phones, including popular brands like Apple and Samsung.
  • Also features lesser-known brands like Realme, Cat, and Fairphone, and high-end Chinese models like Xiaomi and OnePlus.
  • Provides a wide selection of speakers, headphones, and other accessories.

  12. Refurbishment

  • Refurbishment: Distribution of products, often electronics, that have been returned to a manufacturer or vendor for any reason, not sold in the market, or not used in a new product launch.
  • Refurbished products are checked for functioning and flaws before being offered for sale to the general public.
  • The original maker fixes and resells these refurbished items.

   13. Simplytel

  • Debuted in 2005 as a mobile communications provider under the name “simply.”
  • Completely changed the industry with unique features: no minimum turnover requirement, no basic pricing, and adjustable contract length.
  • Continue to operate with a focus on creating new, straightforward, and affordable offers.
  • Currently serving over 700,000 customers with a stated purpose of making their lives easier for more than 15 years.

In conclusion, Germany has a vibrant and competitive e-commerce landscape, with prominent companies like Amazon Germany, eBay Germany, Otto, Idealo, eBay Kleinanzeigen, Saturn Retail Group, Zalando, Thomann, Lidl, and Media Markt, each catering to specific consumer needs and contributing to the nation’s dynamic online retail market.

Read more at How To Abroad:

Studying in Germany: Seven unusual academic traditions

Energy Suppliers in Germany: Everything you need to Know

Want to study in Germany? How To Abroad can help you achieve your academic dream

Check Out Our Services

Share this:

Photo of Kinjal Narang

Kinjal Narang

Five things to know about salaries in germany, what to expect in germany during euro 2024, flixtrain announces largest expansion in 2024, 7 unmissable events in germany in may 2024, everything that changes in germany in may 2024, pros and cons of studying in ireland, how to find available therapists in germany, difference between eu blue card and residence permit for working in germany, berlin-abo: berlin’s new €29 travel pass, changes to driving licence theory test in germany, international students: apply for interest-free loans in germany, related articles.

Expatrio-Launches-Free-German-Bank-Account

Expatrio Launches Free German Bank Account

What-Happens-If-You-Don't-Pay-Bills-in-Germany

What Happens If You Don’t Pay a Bills in Germany?

Where-to-Buy-Sim-Card-at-Berlin-Airport

Where to Buy Sim Card at Berlin Airport?

Where-to-Buy-SIM-Card-at-Stuttgart-Airport

Where to Buy SIM Card at Stuttgart Airport?

English to German Language Lesson: Shopping Vocabulary and Phrases

  • History & Culture
  • Pronunciation & Conversation

When you go shopping in Germany, Austria, or German Switzerland , you'll find a number of German words very useful. This lesson includes the basic vocabulary you need to find the stores you're looking for, talk to the salesperson, and have an enjoyable shopping spree.

Shopping Phrases and Pronunciation

There are a number of sentences and phrases that you are likely to encounter when shopping in a German-speaking country. From asking the price of an item to completing your transaction, this vocabulary list should cover most of the basics.

To give you a jump on your studies, the phonetic pronunciations for many of the trickier German words are included. They are only an approximate guide but will help you out considerably, especially if you're just beginning to learn German.

When entering a smaller German shop, it is customary to exchange hellos with the shopkeeper or sales clerk. Also, when leaving a shop in Austria or Germany, it is common for the customer and shopkeeper to exchange goodbyes .

If you travel to Germany at the right time of year, you might be able to get in on one of the two biggest sales many stores offer. The Sommerschlussverkauf happens in late summer and the Winterschlussverkauf typically occurs towards the end of winter.

English-German Glossary for Stores and Shops 

You will also find it useful to familiarize yourself with the various types of businesses ( Geschäfte ) and stores or shops ( Läden ) you may want to visit. Many of the most common are included in this next vocabulary list along with the items or services they offer.

Tip: For related vocabulary, do a Google.de or Yahoo.de search for the category you want to explore. For instance, to find the vocabulary for pastry or pastry shops, use the term Konditorei to find online sources of vocabulary (and pastries). A few other helpful examples and tips are located within the list.

Noun genders : r ( der , masc.), e ( die , fem.), s ( das , neu.) Abbreviations: adj. (adjective), Br. (British), n. (noun), pl. (plural), v. (verb)

  • German Medical and Dental Vocabulary
  • Soccer Vocabulary: A German-English Dictionary
  • German for Beginners Essen und Trinken
  • Clothing and Fashion in German
  • Which Countries Speak German?
  • Learn the Names of Common Flowers (Blumen) in German
  • Where To? (Wohin?)
  • New Year's Greetings in German, Region by Region
  • German for Travelers: The Basic Travel Phrasebook
  • Ways To Improve Your German
  • How to Write Personal Letters in German
  • German Phonetic Spelling Code
  • Traditional Holiday Terms in German
  • German Gift Ideas (Geschenkideen)
  • Learn the Months, Seasons, Days, and Dates in German
  • German Holidays and Celebrations

 alt=

Start Learning German in the next 30 Seconds with a Free Lifetime Account

Pathway image

Money Rules the World

Learn about numbers

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Expressing What You Want

Learn how to use the sentence pattern to express what you want

Chain stores

Learn about chain stores that are common in Germany

Learn vocabulary about shopping

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Using Adjectives to Describe

Learn how to use adjectives

At the Jewelry Store in Germany

Listen to a conversation in a jewelry store

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Using Prepositions of Place

Learn how to use prepositions of place

Learn words and phrases about clothes

At the Local Market

Learn how to post comments about an unusual thing found at a local market

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Using the Verb "To like"

Learn how to use the verb "to like" in a sentence

A Visit to the Mall

Learn how to post comments about going shopping

Clothing -Accessories

Learn vocabulary about clothing and accessories

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Using the Expression "My favorite"

Learn how to use the sentence pattern to talk about your favorite things

Get Some Beer For Me, Will You?

Learn how to make a suggestion and express your needs

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Saying "There is/There are"

Learn how to use the sentence pattern to explain where something is

Clothing Related Actions

Learn vocabulary for clothing-related actions

You Don't Work Here!

Learn how to ask someone to find something

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Asking About a Choice

Learn how to use the sentence pattern to ask about a choice

Tips in Germany

Learn about tips in Germany

Learn essential vocabulary related to clothing

Must-Know German Sentence Structures: Giving Advice, Part 1

Learn how to use the sentence pattern to give advice

Food Souvenirs

Learn about popular German food-related souvenirs

Opening Hours in Germany

Learn about opening hours in Germany

Traditional Clothing

Learn about traditional clothing in Germany

Winter Clothes

Learn words and phrases about winter clothing

Trying on Clothes

Learn to read a notice about trying on clothes

Summer Clothes and Accessories

Learn essential vocabulary for summer clothes and accessories

Reading a Clothing Receipt

Learn to read a clothing receipt

Create a Free Lifetime Account to Access Audio Lesson Archives

Create a free lifetime account to access video lesson archives, create a free lifetime account to download this audio lesson, create a free lifetime account to download this video lesson, create a free lifetime account to create your dashboard, create a free lifetime account to try the basic lesson check list, create a free lifetime account to try the premium lesson check list, create a free lifetime account to try the review track, create a free lifetime account to try the dialogue track, create a free lifetime account to access this lesson’s grammar guide, create a free lifetime account to personalize your learning, create a free lifetime account to try the kanji close up, create a free lifetime account to try the pdf lesson notes, create a free lifetime account to try the pdf lesson transcript, create a free lifetime account to try this premium feature, create a free lifetime account to try my notes, create a free lifetime account to try my flashcards, high definition german video lessons, create a free lifetime account to access assessments, audio lesson archives, video lesson archives, download audio and video lessons, add lesson to dashboard, basic lesson checklist, premium lesson checklist, the review track, dialogue only track, grammar guide, mark this lesson complete, mark this lesson as favorite, kanji close up, pdf lesson notes, pdf lesson transcript, pop out audio player, control audio speed, glorious fullscreen video, read along with video lesson captions, complete assessments.

Our team of German language specialists have been releasing new audio and video lessons weekly. That's a lot of German language learning! All new lessons are FREE for the first 3 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and unlock our entire lesson archive today!

Our team of German language specialists have been releasing new audio and video lessons weekly. That's a lot of German language learning! All lessons are free for the first 2 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Want to learn offline or on-the-go? All our Audio and Video lessons can be easily downloaded with the click of a button. Load them onto your mobile device or simply listen offline from your computer. The choice is yours!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and start listening today!

Customize your learning with your very own Dashboard. Get lesson recommendations suited for your level, track your progress and store your favorite lessons and series all in one convenient place.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and create your personalized Dashboard today!

Having trouble staying on track? The Basic Lesson Checklist will help you stay organized and committed to your German language goals!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and stay on the fast track to fluency with the Basic Lesson Checklist today!

Having trouble staying on track? The Premium Lesson Checklist will help you stay organized and committed to your German language goals!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and stay on the fast track to fluency with the Premium Lesson Checklist today!

Listen and repeat with the Review Track. Hear the lesson vocabulary and main phrases and repeat after the native speaker – it's the best way to perfect your pronunciation!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and start perfecting your pronunciation today!

Don't have enough time for an entire lesson today? Listen to the Dialogue Only Track to hear the native Dialogue. Listening to a little bit of German everyday, no matter how much, will greatly improve your listening comprehension. Guaranteed!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and unlock the power of the Dialogue Only Track today!

Access this Lesson’s Grammar Guide and unlock in-depth explanations, answers, examples, and a BONUS audio track.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Track your learning progress one lesson at a time! As you work your way through our lesson archives, we'll track your progress so you can see just how fast you're learning.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and to start your progress today!

Like this lesson? Want to listen again later? Mark this lesson as a favorite and create a handy shortcut in your Favorite Lesson list!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and start your learning today!

Take a closer look at the kanji characters used in the lesson Dialogue with the Kanji Close Up Practice Sheets! You'll learn the meaning, readings, and stroke order of each character. Plus, improve your writing with kanji stroke order practice sheets!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and master lesson kanji with the Kanji Close Up Practice Sheets today!

Follow along to our award winning lessons with detailed PDF Lesson Notes! These easy to print notes take a closer look at the grammar point and vocabulary words presented in the audio lesson. Plus, read more about German cultural topics related to the lesson.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and get even MORE German language help with the PDF Lesson Notes today!

Want to understand every single word and phrase you’ll hear in this lesson?

Here’s how: just access the complete PDF transcript and you’ll never miss a word. Get your FREE Lifetime Account and unlock this powerful study tool.

Like to multitask while you study? Pop out the Audio Player to play in the background while you work, play or follow along with our Premium Tools.

My Notes allows you to take notes while listening to our lessons. Come across an important verb conjugation breakthrough? Learn a handy mnemonic device? Make a note of it on the lessons pages and refer back to My Notes for quick reference!

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and start taking notes with My Notes.

Add this wordlist to your Premium Smart Flashcard Study Decks for faster memorization.

Didn't catch that last word? Want to slow down the audio so you catch every single syllable? You can! All our audio files can be slowed down and sped up to match your speaking and listening needs.

Sit back and enjoy the GermanPod101 video learning experience in all its fullscreen glory. Our German specialists are consistently producing and releasing new video series, with all lessons free for the first 2 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Want to read along and FULLY understand the German in this lesson? Just turn on the Video Captions. You'll be able to read along as you watch – in Japanese or with English translations!

Improves reading, listening and comprehension skills – guaranteed!

Unlock our high definition video lessons that get you speaking, reading, writing and understanding German in minutes. Clearer picture, clearer sound – all so you learn German without missing a beat.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and learn German with our fast, fun and easy video lessons.

How good is your German? Let’s find out! Test your language skills with assessments. Unlock interactive assessments that test you on all of the German you've learned so far.

Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and access your Assessments today!

Learn German in the fastest, easiest and most fun way

Create Your Free Lifetime Account

Or sign up using Facebook

Already a Member? Sign in Here

Learn German with Herr Antrim Website Banner

Common Shopping Phrases in German

In this post you will learn several helpful phrases in German for your next shopping trip in Germany. This post goes way beyond just the basics.

Common Shopping Phrases in German

If you are really wanting to put your German learning on track, consider joining Herr Antrim’s Deutschlerner Club ! For just $14.99 per month you will get access to his full A1 and A2 courses plus new materials as he creates them. You will go from knowing zero German to being able to have a short conversation in a short few weeks. Before you know it, you will be conversational in German on a variety of important topics, all while mastering German grammar.

Table of Contents

Wie viel kostet das – how much does this cost, das t-shirt ist zu groß/klein. – the t-shirt is too big/small., wie spät sind sie offen – how late are you open, darf ich mit kreditkarte bezahlen – may i pay with a credit card, darf ich dieses t-shirt umtauschen – may i exchange this t-shirt, more posts about shopping in german, wo kann man andenken kaufen – where can one buy souvenirs.

Kunde: Haben Sie Andenken?

Verkäufer: Nein. Das hier ist eine Metzgerei. Hier verkaufen wir Fleisch und Käse.

Kunde: Verkaufen Sie Andenken?

Verkäufer: Nein. Das hier ist eine Bäckerei. Hier werden Backwaren verkauft.

Kunde: Ich suche Andenken. Wo kann man Andenken kaufen?

Fremder: Es gibt überall Souvenirgeschäfte. Da sind drei nebeneinander.

Kunde: Was für Andenken verkaufen sie dort?

Fremder: Das erste Geschäft verkauft Weihnachtsbaumschmuck und andere holzgeschnitzte Weihnachtsdekorationen. Sie werden in Rothenburg ob der Tauber gemacht.

Kunde: Schön. Ich werde reinschauen. Vielleicht kann ich dort etwas für meine Mutter finden. Danke.

Kunde: Wie viel kostet das? Ich sehe keinen Preis darauf.

Verkäufer: Das kostet 35 €.

Kunde: Hmm. (In seinem Kopf) Das kostet mehr als ich gedacht habe. Vielleicht finde ich ein anderes Andenken.

Kunde: Haben Sie dieses T-Shirt in einer kleineren Größe?

Verkäufer: Ich werde kurz nachsehen. (Später) Leider haben wir nur das, was da auf dem Regal ist.

Kunde: Haben Sie vielleicht diesen Kapuzenpullover in einer größeren Größe?

Verkäufer: Wie gesagt, ich habe nur das, was auf dem Regal ist.

Kunde: Dann kaufe ich nur diese Postkarten.

Verkäufer: Das macht 1,50 €.

Kunde: Ich habe passendes Geld.

Verkäufer: Vielen Dank. Schönen Tag noch.

Kunde (am Handy): Wie lange haben Sie heute geöffnet?

Verkäufer: Wir sind bis 20 Uhr offen.

Kunde: Danke.

Kunde: Darf ich mit Kreditkarte bezahlen?

Verkäufer: Nein. Wir akzeptieren nur Bargeld.

Wo finde ich die Toilette? – Where do I find the toilet?

Kunde: Wo ist die Toilette?

Verkäufer: Sie ist gleich um die Ecke.

Kunde: Wo ist das WC?

Verkäufer: Im vierten Stock neben dem Aufzug.

Kunde: Ich habe dieses T-Shirt gestern gekauft und es passt mir nicht. Darf ich es umtauschen?

Verkäufer: Haben Sie den Kassenbon?

Kunde: Nein, leider nicht.

Verkäufer: Sie müssen den Kassenbon haben um etwas umzutauschen.

Kunde: Aber diese Marke kann man nur hier kaufen. Ich habe es nur hier kaufen können.

Verkäufer: Ja, aber wir wissen nicht, ob Sie es gekauft haben.

Kunde: Ich möchte es einfach umtauschen. Ich möchte kein Geld dafür. Ich bekomme nur ein T-Shirt, das genauso aussieht, aber größer ist.

Verkäufer: Ich darf das leider nicht umtauschen.

Kunde: Wissen Sie nicht, wer ich bin?

Verkäufer: Nein. Keine Ahnung.

Kunde: Ich heiße Karen . Wo ist der Manager?

Verkäufer: Ich bin der Manager.

Kunde: Wo ist Ihr Chef?

Verkäufer: Er ist im Urlaub. Für diese Woche bin ich der Chef.

Kunde: Warum haben Sie gesagt, Sie dürfen das T-Shirt nicht umtauschen? Wenn Sie der Chef sind, dürfen Sie tun, was Sie wollen.

Verkäufer #2: Lassen Sie ihn das T-Shirt umtauschen.

Verkäufer: seufzt Sie dürfen das T-Shirt umtauschen.

If you enjoyed this post, you will love these other posts about shopping in German.

  • Ordering in a German Deli
  • Shopping for Clothing in German
  • Shopping for Groceries
  • Common Shopping Phrases

Learn German with Herr Antrim Profile Picture

Herr Antrim is a highly experienced German teacher with over 20 years of engagement with the German language. He holds a bachelor’s degree in German with teacher certification and is currently pursuing his master’s degree. Since 2009, he has been teaching German to high school students and is now the World Language Department Chair at Edwardsville High School.

In 2011, Herr Antrim launched the successful YouTube channel Learn German with Herr Antrim , which has garnered over 200,000 subscribers. Through his channel, he has collaborated with renowned German language learning YouTube channels such as Deutsch für Euch, Easy German, Get Germanized, and Lingoni German.

Herr Antrim is the author of Beginner German with Herr Antrim and Elementary German with Herr Antrim , catering to A1 and A2 learners, respectively. He is currently working on a B1 level follow-up book and a dedicated guide to mastering the German case system.

Additionally, Herr Antrim offers the Deutschlerner Club , an online course subscription that provides learners access to his comprehensive A1 and A2 courses along with weekly bonus lessons. This club is designed to give students continuous and structured learning opportunities.

With his extensive background and dedication to teaching, Herr Antrim is committed to providing high-quality German language education and resources, making him a trusted authority in the field.

Click here to learn more about Herr Antrim.

Related Posts

Discovering Deutschland Episode 3

die Döner Verwirrung – Discovering Deutschland Episode 3

Are you tired of the same old German listening comprehension lessons? Well, this series aims to change that. Discovering Deutschland is a B1 Language Learning…

Read More »

ChatGPT vs Herr Antrim Dialogue Writing Challenge

Can ChatGPT’s AI write a better German listening comprehension lesson than me? – Was wäre wenn…

In this post, we’ll see if the AI ChatGPT can write a better German listening comprehension lesson than a human. I asked ChatGPT to write…

German Vocabulary Memorization Tips

German Vocabulary Memorization Tips

This week’s video is meant to help those of you struggling to memorize German vocabulary. I can help you get those German words to stick…

German Film Quotes

20 Famous German Film Quotes

Hallo, Deutschlerner. Heute möchte ich euch ein paar berühmte Filmzitate vorstellen. Get a copy of the script with English and German side-by-side along with a…

Online Shopping Motives - An Empirical Investigation of Consumer Buying Behavior in Germany’s Main Online Retail Segments

  • Conference paper
  • First Online: 14 June 2019
  • Cite this conference paper

online shopping essay in german

  • Silvia Zaharia 10  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 11588))

Included in the following conference series:

  • International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction

3386 Accesses

1 Citations

In the perpetual battle for increased revenues, online retailers need to understand what actions to take in order to turn non-buyers into buyers. This study researches the online shopping motives of German online shoppers and their online buying behavior in the main online retail segments: marketplaces, generalists, fashion, consumer electronics, beauty and toys. 19 German online retailers (representing approx. 70% of German online sales) were analyzed.

The research is based on extensive qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative research. The shopping motives construct was conceptualized and operationalized as a multidimensional construct with nine motivational categories. The data from the quantitative survey were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and nine shopping motives within 16 total dimensions were established: recreational orientation (social & inspirational shopping), convenience orientation (search & possession convenience), striving for independence, risk aversion (privacy, product, delivery & retailer-related), price orientation (= smart shopping), assortment orientation (variety seeking & specialization), advice orientation (company owned & third party), sustainability orientation (= ecological) and quality orientation (= visual appeal).

The differences between the online shopping motives of buyers and non-buyers in each of the six online retailing segments were investigated as pair comparisons using the Mann-Whitney-U test. The result is that there are significant differences in the online shopping motives in all researched industries. Most differences exist in the beauty industry where 14 of the 16 dimensions of shopping motives differ significantly. The fewest differences are in the marketplaces segment. Only five of the 16 dimensions of shopping motives differ significantly here.

You have full access to this open access chapter,  Download conference paper PDF

Similar content being viewed by others

online shopping essay in german

Segmenting Customers Based on Key Determinants of Online Shopping Behavior

online shopping essay in german

What’s in Your Cart? Infleunce of Individual Differences on Product Class Specific Shopping

online shopping essay in german

Customer Experience in Online-Retailing – An Analysis of the Main Segments in German Online-Retailing

  • Online shopping motives
  • Recreational orientation (social & inspirational shopping)
  • Convenience orientation (search & possession convenience)
  • Striving for independence
  • Risk aversion (privacy, product, delivery & retailer related)
  • Price orientation (smart shopping)
  • Assortment orientation (variety seeking & specialization)
  • Advice orientation (company owned & third party)
  • Sustainability orientation (ecologically)
  • Quality orientation (visual appeal)

1 General Overview and Purpose

In 2018, German online sales reached 65.10 billion euros representing 12.5% of total retail sales (Bevh 2019 ). In some verticals, such as consumer electronics (31%) and fashion & lifestyle (16%), the online share of sales was significantly higher than the average (Statista 2018 ). The 10 highest-revenue online shops in Germany are the U.S. marketplaces Amazon and eBay, followed by generalists like Otto and vertical players from the fashion sector and the consumer electronics sector (EHI 2018 ).

The objective of this paper is to analyze the consumer behavior in German online retailing, with particular reference to shopping motives. The shopping motives construct originates from brick-and-mortar retail and was transferred to online and multi-channel retailing. The present research aims to conceptualize and operationalize the construct of shopping motives in a pure online commerce context.

The key questions addressed are the following:

What are the shopping motives of German consumers who shop online?

How can the online shopping motives construct be conceptualized and operationalized?

Are there differences in the online shopping motives between buyers and non-buyers in the main online retail segments: marketplaces, generalists, fashion, consumer electronics, beauty and toys? And if so, what are they?

In order to answer these questions, this study researched 19 German online retailers. The present study is significant because to the author’s knowledge, no research has been conducted to date on whether there are differences in the online shopping motives between buyers and non-buyers in a defined retail segment. In the perpetual battle for increased revenues, online retailers need to understand what actions to take in order to turn non-buyers into buyers.

2 Conceptual Framework

2.1 shopping motives in the literature.

One of the main determinants of the buying choices of a consumer (decision to buy or not to buy from a retailer, to buy online or offline, or to combine channels as part of a buying process) are the motives that trigger consumer behavior, the so-called shopping motives (Zaharia 2006 ; Schröder and Zaharia 2008 ). The online shopping motives construct originates from brick-and-mortar retail and was transferred to online shopping and multi-channel retailing. Shopping motives are defined as “fundamental, goal-oriented internal forces that can be satisfied by purchasing activities.” (Kroeber-Riel and Gröppel-Klein 2013 , p. 206). Therefore, the hypothesis of the study is: “ Consumers who buy products online in a retail segment differ from non - buyers with respect to their shopping motives.”

The question is which shopping motives are important in online shopping. Table  1 gives an overview of recent studies that deal with the construct of motives in the online and multi-channel context with the associated concept and research design. Many studies distinguish between utilitarian (functional shopping motives) and hedonic online motivation. Hedonic shopping motives refer to aspects of shopping that go beyond the mere supply of goods and emphasize the fun and joy they bring (Hirschman and Holbrook 1982 ).

2.2 Online Shopping Motives

After extensive literature research, the question arose whether the conceptualization and operationalization of the shopping motives construct from international studies could be transferred to the German online retailing market. To check this, a qualitative study was done as a first step. Based on the results of the focus groups and the theoretical considerations, the construct online shopping motives was conceptualized and operationalized as a multidimensional construct with 9 motivational categories. The group discussions resulted in a new motive that did not appear in any of the previous studies: sustainability, with the two characteristics ecological and corporate. This may be especially true for Germany, where environmental awareness is particularly pronounced.

The shopping motive recreational orientation represents the hedonistic aspect of shopping (Schröder and Zaharia 2008 ). This includes emotional and social needs for an interesting, inspiring and fun shopping experience as well as social interaction with friends and acquaintances (Zaharia 2006 , Ono et al. 2012 ). Based on the preliminary studies, the following three-dimensional recreational orientation motive was adopted: social shopping, gratification shopping and idea shopping .

One of the most important shopping motives in online retailing is the convenience orientation . Convenience orientation can be characterized by a desire to minimize the time, physical and psychological effort to search, compare and purchase a product (Kaufman-Scarborough and Lindquist 2002 , Jiang et al. 2013 ). We subsume under this shopping motive the search convenience, comparison convenience, transaction convenience and possession convenience .

The shopping motive striving for independence expresses the need of customers to be able to shop freely and independently, especially with regard to time and place (Schröder and Zaharia 2008 ). One particular aspect of location independence is related to the device used to access the retailer’s online shop or app. Depending on where the customers are located, they want to have control over their purchasing process through researching and purchasing from an online retailer regardless of the device they use (smartphone, tablet or laptop). This desire corresponds to the aspects “desire for control” and “autonomy” by Martínes-López.

The motive risk aversion refers to perceived risk. This refers to the customer’s uncertainty about the negative consequences of an online purchase and the significance of these consequences. In online retailing, perceived risk is seen as one of the most important barriers to buying. Privacy-related risk was mentioned by the participants of the focus groups as a sensitive aspect of risk aversion. Product-related risks can be felt by the customer because she/he has to rely on the graphical representation and product information provided by the retailer. Delivery-related risks arise when the customer has no influence on the delivery time, the correctness and the quality of the delivery (Schröder and Zaharia 2008 , Iconaru 2012 ). The reputation of a shop also plays an important role in the perceived risk of consumers. Therefore, the following five risk dimensions will be considered by the study: payment - related risk, privacy - related risk, product - related risk, delivery - related risk and retailer - related risk .

Price orientation refers to a pronounced price interest of the consumers. The motive can be subdivided into the factors inexpensive buying and price optimization (=smart shopping). Consumer with inexpensive buying behavior seek to spend as little money as possible regardless of the product quality and the service (Zaharia 2006 ). In contrast, smart shopping is primarily about finding the best possible price-performance ratio. Smart-shopping consumers tend to spend considerable time and effort to achieve price savings (Atkins and Kim 2012 ). Above all, finding “bargains” triggers a feeling of satisfaction. Therefore, we adopted in the study the following two-dimensionality of the motive price orientation: in - expensive buying and smart shopping .

The shopping motive advice orientation refers to the consumers’ need to seek advice before making a purchase (Zaharia 2006 ). In online retailing, consumers use different types of advice in order to make safe purchase decisions, such as online merchant’s services and third-party advice (e.g. reviews from other consumers, forums or comparison websites, Hönle 2017 ). As a result, we propose two dimensions for the operationalization: Company owned advice covers all consulting services offered by the retailer. And by these we mean in particular the need for personal consulting services when choosing the product with the possibility of interacting with a service agent. The dimension third party advice includes the use of consulting services offered by third parties. Above all, user-generated content directly on the website of the provider, such as product reviews and experience reports are important in this dimension (Bahtar and Muda 2016 ).

Martínes-López et al. 2014 consider assortment orientation an important motivational factor in online shopping. A large assortment gives customers access to a wider range of information but also to more diversified products. The aspect of variety seeking corresponds to consumers’ desire for change when purchasing, and it can refer to products, brands or the choice of the online shop (Swaminathan and Rohm 2004 , Zaharia and Hackstetter 2017 ). This contrasts with the behavior of some consumers who buy special products that are available (almost) exclusively online or in specialized online shops. For this reason, we assume a two-dimensional assortment orientation motive, namely variety seeking and specialization.

Another dimension of the shopping motives identified by the focus groups is the aspect of sustainability . When consumers pay attention to sustainability, one of their goals is to protect the natural environment and the living conditions of present and future generations (Joshi and Rahman 2015 ). Based on the findings of the focus group, a conceptualization with two dimensions is proposed: ecological and corporate . The e cological dimension describes the need to deal with the ecological consequences of the purchase. In the online context of the study, this mainly concerns the pollution from delivery (including returns) as well as the problem of packaging waste. The corporate dimension incorporates all concerns that have a direct relation to the company. This includes working conditions, the use of corporate profits, compliance with laws and market power.

Quality orientation refers to the importance of a product’s quality or performance. In addition to product quality, the quality of the online shop’s presentation also plays an important role for the focus group participants. What is meant here is that customers draw conclusions about the product quality on the basis of the shop’s perceived appearance, including product photos or presentation of information. This is associated with the hedonic aspect of an online shop’s visual appeal as outlined by Martínes-López et al. 2014 . Based on these findings, we propose a two-dimensional conceptualization: product quality and visual appeal .

3 Research Design and Results

3.1 research design.

As a preliminary investigation, 26 online shoppers took part in four focus groups (November 2017). The participants were between 19 and 72 years old and in equal proportions female and male. The aim was to discover which shopping motives could be relevant to the online shopping behavior in Germany. On the basis of the pertinent literature and the results of the preliminary investigation, the shopping motives were conceptualized and operationalized.

The quantitative data of the main research was obtained from a representative sample of 1,000 German online buyers, of which 993 could be used for evaluation. The online survey took place in February 2018 using an online panel. The demographic characteristics of the participants can be found in Appendix 1 .

In order to investigate possible differences in the shopping motives between the different retail segments, 19 online shops were examined, which together represent approximative 70% of total German online sales in 2018 (see Table  2 ).

3.2 Shopping Motives

In the quantitative phase, the study had three basic objectives:

To empirically evaluate a total of nine shopping motives and 23 proposed dimensions gathered from the literature review and subsequently refined by the focus groups.

To analyze the proposed multi-item scales considering the common scientific quality criteria.

To assess the hypothesis by answering the central question: “Are there differences in the online shopping motives between buyers and non-buyers in the six online retailing segments: marketplaces, generalists, fashion, consumer electronics, beauty and toys? And if so, what are they?”.

In order to address the first two objectives, we adhered to the following procedure (Homburg and Dobratz 1991 , p. 233):

First, we checked whether the limit values for the quality criteria item-to-total correlation (ITC; ≥ 0.4) and Cronbach’s alpha (α ≥ 0.7) were met.

Second, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out and we checked whether all indicators loaded on one factor, with the factor loadings ≥ 0.7 and the indicator reliability (IR) ≥ 0.5.

Third, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS) and checked whether the factor loadings are significant and whether the following criteria exceeded the minimum values: factor reliability (FR) ≥ 0.6, average variance extracted (AVE) ≥ 0.5, and whether the Fornell-Larcker criterion was met. Iterative attempts were made to fulfill the quality criteria by eliminating individual indicators. If that was not possible, the respective dimension or motive was removed from the model.

Finally, the quality of the overall model was checked (AMOS).

The final result demonstrated that the nine shopping motives could be confirmed but not the proposed dimensionality. Figure  1 gives an overview of the hypothetical and empirical dimensionality of the shopping motives construct.

figure 1

Hypothetical and empirical dimensionality of the shopping motives construct

The two hypothesized dimensions of the recreational orientation, gratification and idea shopping, were incorporated into a new dimension, which we called inspirational shopping . Since only two dimensions of the convenience orientation exceeded the minimum value of the quality criteria, namely search and possession convenience, we focused only on these for further research. For the same reasons, we eliminated the dimension payment-related risks from the model. Also, for shopping motives price, sustainability and quality orientation, only one dimension for each was maintained. The dimensions in-expensive buying, corporate sustainability and product quality were dropped. The 16 remaining dimensions fulfill all quality criteria (see Table  3 ). The goodness-of-fit of this overall model is acceptable to good: χ2/d.f.: 3.47; NFI: 0.859; CFI: 0.894; RMSEA: 0.05. (Note that AMOS does not report GFI, PGFI, AGFI and RMR when estimating means and intercepts.)

Looking at the strength of the purchasing motives across all respondents, the following ranking of the mean values results (5 = maximum, 1 = minimum):

search convenience (4.30),

variety seeking (4.08),

possession convenience (3.95),

smart shopping (3.62),

product-related risk (3.61),

third-party advice (3.46),

retailer-related risk (3.45),

data-related risk (3.4),

assortment specialization (3.25),

inspirational shopping (3.16),

visual appeal (3.05),

delivery-related risk (3.08),

independence (3.04),

sustainability - ecological (2.49),

social shopping (2.27),

company owned advice (2.11).

It is not surprising to see that shopping motives best met by online retail occupy the top of the list. Similarly, the last three shopping motives – company owned advice, social shopping and sustainability are those least able to be fulfilled by online shopping. Rather, these motives make up the strengths of brick-and-mortar retail.

3.3 Comparison of the Buying Behavior in the Researched Online Retailing Segments

To test the hypothesis, the buyers and non-buyers of a segment were compared using the Mann-Whitney-U test. This test shows that there are significant differences in the online shopping motives between buyers and non-buyers in the six online retailing segments: marketplaces (MP), generalists, fashion, consumer electronics (CE), beauty and toys (see Table  4 ). Therefore, the hypothesis H1 cannot be rejected.

Buyers and non-buyers of all six online retailing segments differ with respect to both recreational motives (social shopping and inspirational shopping) and their price orientation (smart shopping). Both motives are more pronounced with buyers. Only the shopping motive privacy-related risk aversion does not differentiate between buyers and non-buyers of any online retailing segment.

Recreational Orientation : Compared to non-buyers, buyers from all segments are looking for more social and inspirational shopping. These shopping motives are the strongest in the beauty and fashion industries.

Search convenience is the strongest online shopping motive. There are significant differences with regard to this shopping motive in the generalists, consumer electronics and beauty segments. With regard to possession convenience , there is a significant difference in all segments besides marketplaces. The possession convenience is most pronounced in the beauty industry.

With the exception of the generalists, buyers and non-buyers of all industries differed on independence orientation .

Risk aversion : with regard to privacy - related risks , there are no significant differences between buyers and non-buyers in any industry. The issue of privacy seems to be relatively important to all consumers (rank 8). Product - related risks only differ between buyers and non-buyers in the case of generalists and in the beauty industry. Furthermore, for delivery - related risks there are only weakly significant differences for marketplaces and in the beauty industry. In terms of retailer - related risk s, there are significant differences in all industries except marketplaces and toys. In general, risk aversion is more pronounced among buyers than among non-buyers. This is probably also the reason why customers bought from the large, well-known online retailers surveyed here.

Buyers and non-buyers of all six online retailing segments demonstrate a highly significant difference with respect to their price orientation (smart shopping ).

Advice orientation : while third party advice ranks 6th among the shopping motives, the need for company owned advice is the least pronounced shopping motive (ranked 16th). The need for company owned advice is most pronounced in the consumer electronics and beauty industry, where it also distinguishes highly significantly between buyers and non-buyers. With the exception of the fashion industry, the need for third party advice is more pronounced among buyers than among non-buyers in all segments.

As far as the shopping motive assortment orientation is concerned, buyers in the beauty industry are those most concerned with variety seeking and the desire for specialization . The two assortment shopping motives differ significantly between buyers and non-buyers in all sectors with the exception of marketplaces (specialization) and marketplaces and toys (variety seeking).

Sustainability orientation - ecological does not seem to be particularly important for online buyers (ranked 14). Only in the fashion industry does it rank significantly higher among buyers than among non-buyers. One reason for this may be that this industry also has the highest return rates: on average, up to 50% (Wirtschaftswoche 2018 ).

Quality orientation - visual appeal : The need for visual appeal is significantly more pronounced among buyers than among non-buyers in all sectors with the exception of marketplace as well as toys.

In summary, it can be said that the most pronounced differences between buyers and non-buyers are in the beauty industry. In comparing the strength of motives across all industries, then most appear strongest in the beauty industry. In the marketplace segment, there are the fewest differences between buyers and non-buyers.

4 Discussion and Limitations

The first conclusion of our research is that nine shopping motives with 16 dimensions in total could be defined and confirmed:

recreational orientation (dimensions: social & inspirational shopping),

convenience orientation (dimensions: search & possession convenience),

striving for independence,

risk aversion (dimensions: privacy, product, delivery & retailer related),

price orientation (smart shopping),

advice orientation (dimensions: company owned & third party),

assortment orientation (dimensions: variety seeking & specialization),

sustainability orientation (ecological)

quality orientation (visual appeal).

Search convenience, variety seeking and possession convenience are the top three shopping motives among German online shoppers.

Secondly, the study has shown that there are differences in shopping motives between buyers vs. non-buyers in the researched segments. Most differences exist between online buyers and non-buyers in the beauty segment, where 14 of the 16 shopping motive dimensions differ significantly. The fewest differences are in the marketplaces segment, where only five of the 16 dimensions differ significantly.

Our examination also has limitations. In connection with the results of the group comparisons, it should be noted that these are significantly influenced by the selection of online shops we examined. In order to enable an objective analysis, we studied the top-selling German online retailers for every segment. Nevertheless, variation in customer shopping motives arising out of company differences between retailers within an industry should also be considered. Further research should benchmark individual retailers against peers in their segment with respect to shopping motives.

Another limitation has its origin in the representativeness of the investigation. In Germany, over 90% of online buyers have already bought from Amazon (IFH 2018 ). As a result, there are overlaps between buyers at marketplaces and buyers in other segments.

Notwithstanding these limitations, the present work provides an important contribution to the empirical investigation of shopping motives in online commerce. Against the backdrop of a growing e-commerce industry in Germany, as well as intensifying competition among retailers, the subject matter studied here will only gain in importance for science and practice in coming years.

Atkins, K., Kim, Y.: Smart shopping: conceptualization and measurement. Int. J. Retail. Distrib. Manag. 40 (5), 360–375 (2012)

Article   Google Scholar  

Bahtar, A., Muda, M.: The impact of user – generated content (UGC) on product reviews towards online purchasing – a conceptual framework. Proc. Econ. Financ. 37 , 337–342 (2016)

Bevh: bevh (2019). https://www.bevh.org/presse/pressemitteilungen.html . Accessed 28 Jan 2019

EHI (2018). https://www.ehi.org/de/top-100-umsatzstaerkste-onlineshops-in-deutschland/ . Accessed 10 Sep 2018

Falode, B.O., et al.: Online and offline shopping motivation of apparel consumers in Ibadan Metropolis. Nigeria. Int. J. Mark. Stud. 8 (1), 150 (2016)

Ganesh, J., Reynolds, K., Luckett, M., Pomirleanu, N.: Online shopper motivations, and e-store attributes: an examination of online patronage behavior and shopper typologies. J. Retail. 86 , 106–115 (2010)

Google Scholar  

Hirschman, E.C., Holbrook, M.B.: Hedonic consumption: emerging concepts, methods and propositions. J. Mark. 46 (Summer), 92–101 (1982)

Homburg, C., Dobratz, A.: Iterative Modellselektion in der Kausalanalyse. Zeitschrift für betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung 43 (3), 213–237 (1991). S. 233

Hönle, J.: Online beraten und verkaufen, pp. 1–8. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden (2017)

Book   Google Scholar  

Iconaru, C.: Perceived risk when buying online: evidence from a semi- structured interview. Econ. Ser. 22 (2), 63–73 (2012)

IFH: Branchenreport Onlinehandel, Jahrgang 2018, Köln (2018)

Jiang, L.A., Yang, Z., Jun, M.: Measuring consumer perceptions of online shopping convenience. J. Serv. Manag. 24 (2), 191–214 (2013)

Joshi, Y., Rahman, Z.: Factors affecting green purchase behavior and future research directions. Int. Strat. Manag. Rev. 3 , 128–143 (2015)

Kaufman-Scarborough, C., Lindquist, J.D.: E-shopping in a multiple channel environment. J. Consum. Mark. 19 (4), 333–350 (2002)

Kroeber-Riel, W., Gröppel-Klein, A.: Konsumentenverhalten, 10th edn. Vahlen, München (2013)

Martínez-López, F., Pla-Gracía, C., Gázquez-Abad, J., Rodríguez-Ardura, I.: Utilitarian motivations in online consumption: dimensional structure and scales. Electron. Commer. Res. Appl. 13 , 188–204 (2014)

Martínez-López, F., Pla-Gracía, C., Gázquez-Abad, J., Rodríguez-Ardura, I.: Hedonic motivations in online consumption Behaviour. Int. J. Bus. Environ. 8 (2), 2016 (2016)

Ono, A., et al.: Consumer motivations in browsing online stores with mobile devices. Int. J. Electron. Commer. 16 (4), 153–178 (2012)

Schröder, H., Zaharia, S.: Linking multi-channel customer Behaviour with shopping motives: an empirical investigation of a German retailer. J. Retail. Consum. Serv. 15 , 452–468 (2008)

Statista: Anteil der Online-Käufer an der Bevölkerung nach Ländern weltweit im Jahr 2017 (2018)

Swaminathan, V., Rohm, A.J.: A typology of online shoppers based on shopping motivations. J. Bus. Res. 57 (7), 748–757 (2004)

Wirtschaftswoche 2018. https://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/handel/neuware-auf-den-muell-die-folgen-des-retouren-wahnsinns-im-online-handel/22696156.html . Accessed 15 Dec 2018

Zaharia, S.: Multi-Channel-Retailing und Kundenverhalten. Wie sich Kunden informieren und wie sie einkaufen, 1st edn., Köln (2006)

Zaharia, S., Hackstetter, T.: Segmentierung von Onlinekäufern auf Basis ihrer Einkaufsmotive. In: Dialogmarketing Perspektiven 2016/2017, pp. 45–72, Wiesbaden (2017)

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein, Krefeld, Germany

Silvia Zaharia

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Silvia Zaharia .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA

Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah

Appendix 1: Demographic Characteristics of the Survey Participants

Appendix 2: operationalization of the shopping motives construct.

  • Note: The scores for the shopping motives were given on a 5-point Likert Scale from 1 “Strongly Agree” to 5 “Strongly Disagree”.
  • a Gratification Shopping & Idea Shopping were merged into Inspirational Shopping after the empirical check.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Cite this paper.

Zaharia, S. (2019). Online Shopping Motives - An Empirical Investigation of Consumer Buying Behavior in Germany’s Main Online Retail Segments. In: Nah, F.FH., Siau, K. (eds) HCI in Business, Government and Organizations. eCommerce and Consumer Behavior. HCII 2019. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11588. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22335-9_23

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22335-9_23

Published : 14 June 2019

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-22334-2

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-22335-9

eBook Packages : Computer Science Computer Science (R0)

Share this paper

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Publish with us

Policies and ethics

  • Find a journal
  • Track your research

logo my daily german

50 Useful German Essay Words and Phrases

Author Image

by  fredo21  

January 9, 2019

2  Comments

Essay-writing is in itself already a difficult endeavor. Now writing an essay in a foreign language like German ---that’s on a different plane of difficulty.  

To make it easier for you, here in this article, we’ve compiled the most useful German essay phrases. Feel free to use these to add a dash of pizzazz into your essays. It will add just the right amount of flourish into your writing---enough to impress whoever comes across your work!

German Essay Phrases

You can also download these phrases in PDF format by clicking the button below.

PDF download

Now here’s your list!

What other German vocabulary list would you like to see featured here? Please feel free to leave a message in the comment section and we’ll try our best to accommodate your requests soon!

Once again, you can download your copy of the PDF by subscribing using the button below!

For an easier way to learn German vocabulary, check out German short stories for beginners!

German Short Stories for Beginners 2021

A FUN AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEARN GERMAN

  • 10 entertaining short stories about everyday themes
  • Practice reading and listening with 90+ minutes of audio 
  • Learn 1,000+ new German vocabulary effortlessly!

About the author 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

Asking questions are genuinely good thing if you are not understanding anything completely, except this piece of writing provides nice understanding yet.

You might also like

Learning Method

Sentence Structure and Word Order in German

German declension: the four grammatical cases in detail, prepositions with dative, accusative, and mixed, learn all about german two-way prepositions: what they are and how to use them, learn german words and expressions now.

my daily german learning package

SIGN UP NOW TO GET THESE FOR FREE!

  • 100 Days of German Words and Expressions E-book
  • 300 Useful German Adjectives

Sign Up Below ... and Get Instant Access to the Freebie

download learning package

online shopping essay in german

German Shopping Vocabulary Word List & Pronunciation

Explore German shopping vocabulary, for discussions on weekend activities.

Shopping in Germany can be a delightful experience, especially if you know the essential vocabulary. In this blog post, we'll cover some very useful German words related to shopping.

Clothes Shopping Vocabulary

Let's start with some words for clothes and fashion:

Grocery Shopping Vocabulary

Next, let's learn some words for grocery shopping:

Shopping Verbs

Now, let's discover some verbs related to shopping:

Shopping Places Vocabulary

Lastly, let's explore some words for places to shop:

With this shopping-related vocabulary, you'll be able to navigate stores, boutiques, and markets with ease during your time in Germany. Happy shopping!

Learn German :: Lesson 56 Shopping

German vocabulary, teach yourself german.

Whether you're interested in small talk with shopkeepers or asking about the store’s return policy, this German lesson has got you covered. You'll leave this German lesson with the ability to talk shop, quite literally!

Shopping :: German vocabulary

Navigating through shopping centers or local markets becomes way easier once you get the hang of basic shopping German vocabulary. Imagine going into a store and confidently asking for help, checking operating hours, or even striking a casual conversation about sales items. German Lesson 56 is all about empowering you to do just that.

In this German lesson, you will learn German phrases like "Open," "Closed," "I am going shopping," and questions like "Can you help me?" and "What time will the store close?". More specific German vocabulary like "I will buy it" and "I like it" or "I don't like it" will help you be more expressive in a shopping scenario. While the focus is on everyday shopping situations, these German phrases and questions can come in handy in various aspects of life.

online shopping essay in german

How to say "Online shopping" in German.

Online shopping, das einkaufen online, learn the word in this minigame:, more supermarket vocabulary in german, example sentences, "online shopping" in 45 more languages., other interesting topics in german, ready to learn german, language drops is a fun, visual language learning app. learn german free today..

  • Drops for Business
  • Visual Dictionary (Word Drops)
  • Recommended Resources
  • Redeem Gift
  • Join Our Translator Team
  • Help and FAQ

Visit Drops on Twitter

Drops Courses

Traditional vs. Online Shopping Essay

Introduction.

Shopping constitutes a compulsory function for humans in all walks of life. For a majority of people, shopping is an activity that has transcended from being merely a necessity to one that has become a favorite pastime that brings happiness, recreation, and ‘quality time with friends and members of the family. There are basically 3 kinds of shopping where we buy things we require, things we convince ourselves we require, and things we look at (window shopping) just for pleasure. In the modern world of today, it is possible to indulge in all 3 kinds of shopping by utilizing 2 methods: Traditional shopping and ‘Online’ shopping.

Traditional shopping involves shoppers physically entering a brick-and-mortar store or shopping mall to select items of their choice, pay for them in cash or by credit card, and either take delivery personally or have them delivered to their homes by the retailer. ‘Online shopping is a relatively new method of shopping that involves the shopper sitting in front of a Personal Computer at any location (it could be at home, in the office, in friends’ apartments or in internet cafes), browsing through different categories of products at selected websites either alone or with the assistance of family members and/or friends, choosing items, paying for the purchases by credit card or by electronically transferring money from a bank account (from personal experience, I have noticed there is usually no other payment option).

The selected goods are delivered within a period ranging from a day to a week or even longer. In almost all cases, due to the fact that while selecting an item its availability is also clearly mentioned, the entire selection is delivered; if for some unforeseen reason some items are not delivered, then the value of those items is refunded to the customer by the ‘Online’ seller.

Traditional and ‘Online’ shopping are similar in two ways. Firstly, both forms of shopping follow the general concept of commerce; in both cases, there is a buyer and a seller, both of whom share a specific understanding of how the commercial transaction is expected to unfold, run its course and reach its satisfactory conclusion. Secondly, the prominent method of payment in both forms of shopping is credit card payment; although traditional shoppers can opt for check or cash payment, and although ‘Online’ shoppers can opt for electronic transfer of funds from their bank accounts, credit card purchases are preferred in both cases.

Traditional and ‘Online’ shopping is different in several ways. In one group of differences, Traditional shopping holds ‘absolute’ superiority: Firstly, shoppers experience the physical thrill of shopping. Shopping is commonly seen as a way of unwinding after a hard day’s work, or (especially in the case of housewives), escaping from the monotonous routine of everyday life (cooking, cleaning, and looking after the kids). Then there is festival shopping, which usually involves the entire family shopping for decorations and gifts for such occasions as Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving (personally, I have several fond memories of this).

Secondly, Traditional shoppers are brought face-to-face with an item that they can touch, feel and examine at close proximity – this goes a long way towards making up their mind to buy it. Thirdly, Traditional shoppers are able to talk with the salespersons or merchants of the store or mall upfront, and freely seek clarification or additional information about products that interest them. Fourthly, Traditional shoppers are able to bargain and obtain a better price for their purchases.

Although people in the United States do not usually engage in energetic bargaining, there are people of several other international cultures (such as Italians, Greeks, and Indians), to whom bargaining forms the essence of the shopping experience, and without which they would end up with the uncomfortable feeling of being cheated. Fifthly, Traditional shoppers are able to judge the merchant’s reputation (and by association, the products being sold in that store) by interacting with other customers. Sixthly, Traditional shoppers are able to take home their purchases immediately, or at the most have them delivered to their homes on the same or the next day.

They, therefore, save time as do not have to wait for days or weeks to receive their purchases as is the usual case in ‘Online’ shopping (there is also the distinct possibility of some items not being ultimately delivered due to some reason such as shortages caused due to improper inventory management). Lastly, almost everyone is well aware that today’s world is blemished by an increasing number of cybercrimes.

These have grown at an alarming rate with increasingly ingenious methods being adopted by computer-savvy criminals. A very large number of innocent people have been, and are being fleeced of their hard-earned money over the Internet – their only crime being that they had to give their personal and bank details while shopping online. On the other hand, Traditional shoppers do not need to give their names, address, and (most importantly) bank account information which are all ‘must-do’s in the case of ‘Online’ shopping.

In the second group of differences, ‘Online’ shopping holds the ‘absolute’ superiority. The first difference involves selection. ‘Online shoppers can browse through a wide selection of products from different retailers and place a single order involving products from different retailers, rather than otherwise embark on the tedious exercise of visiting several stores or malls physically to pick up a few items here and a few items there.

Secondly, ‘Online’ shoppers are benefited by a significant reduction in prices as ‘Online’ sellers have vastly reduced overheads to contend with (especially store/mall rent/maintenance and salaries/perks for salespersons) and are able to comfortably pass on a sizeable part of this benefit to customers in the form of reduced prices for the products sold. Lastly, ‘Online’ shoppers have the luxury of doing their shopping at leisure from the comfort of their home, without having to drive to far-away shopping destinations and being traumatized by rash drivers and difficult car parking situations.

In the third group of differences, both types of shopping score nearly equal points. The first difference involves the time element. In Traditional shopping, customers save time as don’t have to wait for days or weeks to receive their purchases. ‘Online’ shoppers choose the time and place to shop, thus saving valuable time and problems associated with traveling to and from the store.

Secondly, while admitting that the ‘sight and touch’ factor is important, ‘Online’ shoppers find it is irrelevant in the case of items like computers, consumer electronic items, cosmetics, perfumes, and jewelry, where ‘Online’ specifications are clear-cut, very detailed and imminently satisfactory. Lastly, while Traditional shoppers can get clarification and further information about a product from the salesperson or merchant, ‘Online’ shoppers have access to clarifying the information in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and ‘Online’ customer service for the products they intend to purchase.

From a fair and impartial judgment of both cases, it is my contention that Traditional shopping is definitely better than ‘Online’ shopping simply because the comparative number and weight of its advantages vis-à-vis ‘Online shopping is much more significant as compared to ‘Online’ shopping own unique advantages. As a result, while agreeing that ‘Online’ shopping continues to grow in the United States, it will not overtake Traditional shopping mainly because of the two greatest ‘arrows in the quiver’ of the latter – Firstly, it involves the formidably unique ‘sight and touches’ advantage that Traditional shoppers enjoy.

And secondly, it gives people an opportunity to mingle with others, interact with acquaintances, friends, and relatives and spend ‘quality time with them – in our increasingly busy and modern world of today comprising people increasingly cocooned in their own lives and problems, this pleasurable human interaction afforded by Traditional shopping is literally priceless.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, October 8). Traditional vs. Online Shopping. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/

"Traditional vs. Online Shopping." IvyPanda , 8 Oct. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Traditional vs. Online Shopping'. 8 October.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Traditional vs. Online Shopping." October 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

1. IvyPanda . "Traditional vs. Online Shopping." October 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Traditional vs. Online Shopping." October 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

  • Marketing Strategy for a Shopping Mall
  • Mystery Shopper in JC Penny Stores in US
  • American vs. Turkish Malls and Shopping Culture
  • McDonald's: Public Space Interpretation
  • The Interface of Subcultures and the Use of Cosmetics
  • Consumer Behavior: Factors Influencing Consumption
  • Geographic Information System Report Response
  • Analysis of Consumer Behavior Regarding Peapod and the Online Grocery Shopping

IMAGES

  1. The Pros and Cons of Online Shopping

    online shopping essay in german

  2. 💐 Demerits of online shopping. Disadvantages of Shopping Online. 2022-11-07

    online shopping essay in german

  3. Learning To Speak German Free Essay Example

    online shopping essay in german

  4. How To Write An Essay In German

    online shopping essay in german

  5. Positive and Negative Effects of Shopping Online vs. Traditional

    online shopping essay in german

  6. Write a short essay on Online Shopping

    online shopping essay in german

VIDEO

  1. Essay on Online Shopping || Online Shopping essay in English for students|| essay writing || essay

  2. German Expressionism video essay

  3. Writing an essay I Best writing services

  4. Write Ten Line Essay On Amazon In English || AHB EDUCATION

  5. Write an essay I Top writing services

  6. Writing an essay I Essay writing hacks

COMMENTS

  1. Online Shopping in German

    Here are a few keywords that you need to know if you are ever shopping on a German website. das Internet the Internet. die Webseite the website. der Warenkorb the shopping cart. die Kleidung the clothes. die Drogerie Produkte the drugstore products. das Angebot/ die Angebote the offer/the offers. die Neuerscheinungen the new releases.

  2. Easy German Essays for Beginners: 8 Examples to Practice Your Language

    In conclusion, writing essays in German can be a fun and effective way to improve your language skills. The eight essay examples provided in this article (Easy German Essays for Beginners) offer a range of topics that will help you practice your writing skills, expand your vocabulary, and gain confidence in your ability to express yourself in ...

  3. Phrases related to shopping in German

    Shopping is an essential part of daily life, and understanding how to express your shopping preferences and navigate online purchases can be very useful. Let's dive into many phrases that will help you engage in conversations about shopping and online shopping in German . Phrases about Shopping in German : Ich gehe gern einkaufen. (I enjoy ...

  4. 50+ Best Shopping Vocabulary In German

    The German word for shopping is " einkaufen .". This word is commonly used to refer to shopping or making purchases, whether for groceries, clothing, electronics, or other items. When combined with other words, "einkaufen" can take on different meanings. For example, " Lebensmittel einkaufen " refers specifically to grocery shopping ...

  5. Lesson 54: Shopping

    Lesson 54: Shopping - Einkaufen. Shopping is not always that easy. Expand your vocabulary with the Audio Tutor. Here you can learn new words and improve your pronunciation. Fill in the gaps. I want to buy a present. - Ich möchte ein Geschenk kaufen. But nothing too expensive. - Aber nichts allzu Teueres.

  6. 24 German Essay Phrases

    The Different Types of German Essays. How to Write an Essay in German in 4 Steps. 1. Write down a list of words. 2. Do your research. 3. Make an outline using transition words. 4.

  7. Online Grocery Shopping in Germany: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19

    Online grocery shopping in Germany has shown a strong growth in the past years and is expected to further develop in the future, especially through the influence of COVID-19. The main purpose of this study was to examine six theoretical customer-oriented factors and their influence on consumer online grocery purchase intentions. Additionally, this study compares consumer perceptions before and ...

  8. Top shopping website in Germany: Everything you need to Know

    Top Shopping Websites in Germany. 1. Amazon.de. Amazon, a US-based e-commerce giant, has been operating since the 1990s. Amazon Germany is a significant player in the German market, holding a strong position. Amazon Germany is the third-largest website in Germany. It is also the third-largest e-commerce site globally.

  9. Translating English Words About Shopping Into German

    Zigaretten, Tabakwaren. toy store. s Spielwarengeschäft. Spielwaren, Spielzeuge. watch repair shop. r Uhrmacher. Uhren reparieren. Cite this Article. Shopping in German-speaking countries requires this lesson on the necessary phrases, terms, and names for stores and activities.

  10. Going Shopping

    Reading a Clothing Receipt. Learn to read a clothing receipt. Video. • 1 Minute. With this core path, learn words, phrases and grammar you need to go shopping in German. - at GermanPod101.

  11. PDF Online Grocery Shopping in Germany: Assessing the Impact

    In March 2020, the German federal government decided to close 'non-essential' shops in order to contain the pandemic. Grocery stores were allowed to remain open under strict ... perceive difficulties while shopping online, and it has been suggested that shopping in an online environment does require skills, opportunities, and resources [11 ...

  12. Common Shopping Phrases in German

    Ordering in a German Deli. Shopping for Clothing in German. Shopping for Groceries. Common Shopping Phrases. If you are really wanting to put your German learning on track, consider joining Herr Antrim's Deutschlerner Club! For just $14.99 per month you will get access to his full A1 and A2 courses plus new materials as he creates them.

  13. Online Shopping Motives

    In 2018, German online sales reached 65.10 billion euros representing 12.5% of total retail sales (Bevh 2019).In some verticals, such as consumer electronics (31%) and fashion & lifestyle (16%), the online share of sales was significantly higher than the average (Statista 2018).The 10 highest-revenue online shops in Germany are the U.S. marketplaces Amazon and eBay, followed by generalists ...

  14. 50 Useful German Essay Words and Phrases

    50 Useful German Essay Words and Phrases. Essay-writing is in itself already a difficult endeavor. Now writing an essay in a foreign language like German ---that's on a different plane of difficulty. To make it easier for you, here in this article, we've compiled the most useful German essay phrases. Feel free to use these to add a dash of ...

  15. Phrases for shopping in German

    I have a receipt. Ich habe einen Kassenzettel pronunciation. Ich habe einen Kassenzettel. There is something wrong with my purchase pronunciation. There is something wrong with my purchase. Mit meinem Einkauf stimmt etwas nicht. pronunciation. Mit meinem Einkauf stimmt etwas nicht. The price is incorrect pronunciation. The price is incorrect.

  16. German Shopping Vocabulary Word List & Pronunciation

    das Geschäft. store. der Markt. market. die Boutique. boutique. der Flohmarkt. flea market. With this shopping-related vocabulary, you'll be able to navigate stores, boutiques, and markets with ease during your time in Germany.

  17. German Buying Habits (400 Words)

    Essay on German Buying Habits German Costumer's Buying Habits Online According to figures released by the German Association for Consumer Research (GfK), 34. 1 million German consumers ... Unlike in other European countries where there is a reluctance toward online shopping by seniors, almost half of Germans between the age of 50 and 69 buy ...

  18. German Vocabulary → Shopping and Clothes → Buying Groceries

    Here are some common words and phrases related to supermarkets in German: German. Pronunciation. English. der Supermarkt. deɐ zuː.pɐˌmaɐ̯kt. supermarket. der Einkaufswagen. deɐ ˈaɪ̯nkaʊ̯fsvaːɡən.

  19. German lessons: Shopping

    Shopping :: German vocabulary . Navigating through shopping centers or local markets becomes way easier once you get the hang of basic shopping German vocabulary. Imagine going into a store and confidently asking for help, checking operating hours, or even striking a casual conversation about sales items. German Lesson 56 is all about ...

  20. Full article: The impact of online shopping attributes on customer

    1. Introduction. E-commerce growth has grown exponentially in recent years. An e-commerce transaction starts when the seller advertises products on a website, and customers show acceptance, evaluate the products' features, prices, and delivery options, buy products of interest, and then check out (Ribadu & Rahman, Citation 2019).Tailoring these products to specific markets and targeted ...

  21. How to say "Online shopping" in German.

    Hungarian online vásárlás. Korean 온라인 쇼핑. Castilian Spanish la compra en línea. Japanese オンラインショッピング. French les courses en ligne. Mandarin Chinese 网上购物. Italian lo shopping online. Russian онлайн-покупки.

  22. Traditional vs. Online Shopping

    Traditional and 'Online' shopping is different in several ways. In one group of differences, Traditional shopping holds 'absolute' superiority: Firstly, shoppers experience the physical thrill of shopping. Shopping is commonly seen as a way of unwinding after a hard day's work, or (especially in the case of housewives), escaping from ...

  23. Online Shopping Essay for Students in English

    An online shop creates a physical analogy for buying products or services. Some of the famous online retailing corporations which facilitate the experience of online shopping are Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Myntra, etc. Online shopping is a growing area of the digital world and technology. Establishing a store on the Internet gives various options ...