"Would you like your receipt?"

[AlanRickmanslovely]

I'm asked over and over again in stores if I would like a receipt. I understand the thinking as far as not using resources unnecessarily, saving the planet by saving paper etc and try hard to do what I can to reduce my carbon footprint and save resources wherever possible.

BUT, the following questions spring to mind:-

1. If stopped when leaving the store and accused of shoplifting how do you prove your innocence?

2. If the item needs to be returned because it is faulty when you get it home, breaks in an unreasonably short time, or doesn't fit (and the shop has a returns policy to cover this), how do you prove when and where you purchased it?

3. If you pay by credit card and a dispute arises, how do you prove to your card company what, how and where you paid?

It’s cost cutting. 0.1p cost per receipt X a million transactions a day X 364 trading days a year = £££££

even if I did, the stuff is in coop packaging so it would be pretty stupid if they didnt believe I bought it from there.

They know from the packaging that the item came from there, but they have no way of knowing if you bought it or nicked it! It's far from unknown for thieves to pick stuff up from the shelves and go straight to the till asking for a 'refund' because they 'bought' it in error for some reason.

I usually shop at Morrisons and find myself needing to take something back every couple of weeks or so, usually fresh produce items which often don't last long enough to reach their use by date

I rarely buy cucumbers from Morrisons now as, since they've stopped wrapping them in protective plastic, they go all soft and floppy long before they've even been bought.

Their bananas, on the other hand - you know, those things that already come with their own very tough and efficient natural, biodegradable protective covers - almost all of their stock is put into superfluous single-use plastic bags before going out for sale.

I usually shop at Morrisons and find myself needing to take something back every couple of weeks or so

So, why do you continue to shop there? I won't buy vegetables from Aldi because it goes off very quickly. Do an online shop elsewhere.

So, why do you continue to shop there?

Not everywhere has a choice of big supermarkets. Not everywhere gets a choice of home delivery options. We must be one of the few places in the country that doesn't have a Tescos nor Asda within reasonable driving distance.

I don't want to have to drive to a different town!

My DH always asks for a receipt from Tesco. Without fail every time he buys a large basket, he is overcharged. This has become a bugbear of his and he examines the receipt thoroughly after paying before inevitably getting the store manager to issue a refund. While he is blatantly making a point by doing this, I think if we all did this, we might be surprised at the small overcharges which add up in Tesco’s favour over the course of a day/week/month.

Personally I never look at receipts for anything other than clothes shops and that is only if I need to return something.

Great point about needing receipts for balancing statements - can't think why I didn't include it in my OP because I am fanatical about doing this. I've used Microsoft Money since way back in the 1990's for keeping on top of our finances, so not having a receipt would make life very difficult.

I refuse a receipt for food items as generally, I can’t return them. A McDonald’s receipt would be a waste of paper for example. I wouldn’t refuse a receipt for clothing though, that’s just silly.

I say no most of the time, especially when buying lunch at work as the shop staff all know me so if I was stopped leaving the store the lady at the till would back me up + there's likely to be cameras anyway

If you pay on a card/phone/watch how do you keep track of your spending? How can anyone budget if they don't know what they buy?

I have an app on my phone where I can easily see my spending by date/ category eg food, transport, bills/ or by time period day/ week/ month/ year. My bank compiles this data automatically. The app also sends me a notification whenever I use my card. It is much easier to track your spending this way than do it manually.

I hate having receipts so only take them for items I think I might return. I do my grocery shop online for home delivery and would tend to buy big items online, I don't buy much when out and about. A few years ago I bought a loaf of bread from a supermarket which I found was mouldy when I opened it - I wasn't going to spend half an hour going there and back for a refund, so I just wrote it off and never went to that supermarket again.

I only ever take a receipt if I can’t get an email one and it’s a big or likely to return purchase.. like I’m buying a top for DM so I can’t try it on or something expensive that’s meant to last years so I need proof for the guarantee but I’d prefer an email as I can just search “dyson receipt/invoice” and it’s there.. unlike once you’ve moved house/cleared out the handbag n drawer of receipts and it’s gone on a nice holiday somewhere. I also use a separate email for receipts/ordering online so they’re all in the one inbox.

As for the till workers with a bag of them left at night don’t you have paper skips? Couldn’t it be separated.. it’s unlikely there’s much else in the bin behind the counter unless it’s a smaller shop.

I didn't usually bother with the receipt from Tesco, but then one day a leg of lamb set off the alarm on the way out and the security guard had a real go at me for not having the receipt.

I said to him that they ask you if you want it or not. Told him we'd go back together to the till I'd just come from to confirm that I'd bought it. He wouldn't do it, just kept blocking my way out for several minutes muttering "You must have a receipt." Very embarrassing. Now I always take the receipt even if it's just a packet of biscuits.

I was in next yesterday and was told they are no longer accepting returns without receipts. She then scanned my item and said she could tell me the date and time I bought the item, what else I bought and how I paid, amongst other stuff, it was like big brother

There is a ridiculously long thread on Piston Heads which in a TLDR is about a guy who's said no to his receipt in Tesco and was then stopped by security. Scuffle ensued and it's now going to court, but ultimately he was stopped and couldn't show a receipt.

With that in mind I now alway take mine.

Totally agree.

They almost lost a sale in one store because this Assistant insisted that I have an E-receipt. Explained to me that with the Internet and everything it's a good idea. Er, no. I want a piece of paper please.

Friggin nonsense

The E Receipts thing also confuses me.

A few years ago DH hit on what I thought was a genius idea to upload all our receipts for important stuff to a drop box. He'd scan them, upload them and then he had instant access to everything rather than hunting through boxes for the paperwork.

Then our home phone died. We'd bought it from Tesco about 6 months before so he took it back, receipt on his phone.
They did refund the handset but made it clear that this didn't count as a proof of purchase and they were only refunding as a goodwill gesture. yet an e-receipt would have been fine I assume.

He stopped doing it after that and I'm back to a jumbled box of 'important crap'

It seems like a piece of cake for any place you have a loyalty card to send you e-receipts automatically.

You can delete the ones you don't need, keep the ones you do.

Gotta be a start to the issue of wastage, reconciliation, records, returns etc?

I only take receipts for clothing or electricals, anything I might need to return. Food, cards, toiletries, other small items I refuse them. If they don't ask and just try to give me it with my change I lift eh change out of their hand, leave the receipt and say, "just the change thanks".

If I've paid on a card I'll say a cheery "thanks" and walk away as soon as the transaction has confirmed before they can press a receipt on me. Sometimes they call after me asking if I want the receipt and I'll always turn back and say "no, thanks".

I love that people are starting to ask rather than automatically printing it. And that the self-service machines are starting to have the option of saying no receipt. All the pay at pump machines offer a no receipt option now.

For all those of you who love emailed receipts - what happens if it never arrives in your in box? I.e. if the assistant puts in the wrong spelling or just doesn't click the "send invoice" button? You can't guarantee you're going to get your receipt.

I like the fact that shops are now asking people whether they want a receipt, rather than thrusting them upon everyone. I think it's environmental, rather than just cost-saving.
Receipts are made using plastics and inks, they are not just paper and not completely biodegradable.
I only say yes to receipts for clothes or gifts that I may need to return.
We need to stop and think about how all this unnecessary stuff impacts the environment, and every little helps!

I like the fact that shops are now asking people whether they want a receipt, rather than thrusting them upon everyone.

The idea is nice, but as pp have said, much of the time the receipt is printed regardless and the assistant bins it if you decline. At least if I take it I can shred it.

I’ve only ever been asked “would you like your receipt” when buying quick stuff like a drink in a cafe or a meal in a restaurant using contactless. Every other shop etc round here gives the receipt still, eg supermarket shop, petrol station, post office.

New Look and clothes shops try and suggest email receipt for clothes, but I always ask for the receipt there and then and it has quite literally never been a problem. Sorry to disappoint everyone.

It's a choosable option on Co-Op tills. When you scroll through to complete the purchase it prompts the cashier to ask the customer if they want a receipt. Every now and again they have a push on it and staff are encouraged to ask.

What I want to know is why can’t larger stores like supermarkets send it to an app on your phone & the app stores it?.

What upset is it going to cause in your life by being held up for all of 2 seconds to hear the words 'would you like a receipt' and the 0000.1 of a second it takes for to you say yes or no?

They ask because not everyone wants/needs one and the obvious thing that a lot of people saying no instead of just handing them out saves quite a lot of tree's