AIBU to think I shouldn't have to give an email address to get a receipt?

[BabyYodasGotMyTeacher]

My DD(11) was buying something in New Look today and was asked for her email address for the receipt. I said no as I don't think it's appropriate for her to be giving out her email address, but was told that they had "gone paperless" so that was the only option.

She hadn't actually tried on the item so we definitely wanted a receipt in case it needed to go back - so I got very cross at being forced to hand over my email.

I am completely in favour of cutting down on receipts and having the option to choose paper/email/none but AIBU to think one shouldn't be forced to hand over email addresses just to get a proof of an in person purchase?

River Island are the same, I said it was a gift and they just printed one… so annoying to have to argue with some poor sales assistant who’s been told to say no….

As others have said they can give a paper one if you insist. I actually find it much better. In Zara they were able to find my receipt when I gave my phone number, no more searching for receipts. Just set up an email address purely for receipts.

I had this from new look. Said they couldn't provide me with paper receipt on the till they were on so I asked if they could not use another one then?
They agreed and moved till to do it.

I'm sick of this paperless nonsense, if you need to return anything online now from places like ebay or Amazon and even big companies, they won't provide a return label, you're expected to down load and print one off yourself .When we tell them we don't have a printer, can they post the return label they say they can't as they are paperless & we say so are we. Then they say get a friend to print it or go to the post office.None of our friends have printers anymore & it's a ride in the car to a not very private post office where you'd have to be giving all the details in front of other customers of post office and shop.
But what about the people who don't have cars or a post office near them, what are they supposed to do in that situation, it's a big excuse to not give refunds, because a lot a folk will just give up.

I had similar in New Look a few months back (yes I was on the last thread about this). The snotty assistant kept insisting they could no
longer do a paper receipt for environmental reasons but I refused to budge until she eventually did give me the paper receipt she allegedly couldn’t do. But she said it was the last time I’d be able to do that. Haven’t been back in the shop since.

Saw someone on here recently who apparently told them her “Inbox was full” so they gave her a paper one straight away. Confuse the boggers with technical terms. That’s the way.

If you are even mildly caring about the environment then we should refuse. All the heat produced at server farms, and the energy used, is getting frightening. NL are using you for profit, not for environmental reasons.

But all that computing power comes at an environmental cost. Some studies have warned that the AI industry alone could consume as much energy as a country the size of the Netherlands by 2027.

Concern over their energy use and demands on infrastructure has increased in recent years. Official data showed that in the Republic of Ireland, which is home to the European headquarters of several big tech firms such as Google and Facebook-parent Meta, data centres accounted for nearly a fifth of all electricity used in 2022.

Most New Look staff are horrible! They're clearly under so much pressure from management that they turn into monsters at the till. It never used to be like this, it's only been since the email receipts came out. Staff were always lovely, you might get the odd surly assistant but they were in the minority. Nowadays, it's a pleasant surprise to not be greeted with a scowl.

My daughter likes New Look and I have been a regular customer for about 25 years but I avoid going in as much now. I try to shop elsewhere as much as possible because I dread the row at the till over a bloody receipt! I'd rather pay more in a different shop.

The staff act like not giving my email address will result in the death of their whole family. They really get so angry and aggressive about it. I'm always polite when I ask for a paper receipt but the nasty responses I get are awful.

People post on here about New Look regularly so it wouldn't surprise me if they went out of business soon. They're pissing off too many people. There are other shops and the kids like shopping online.

I'm not setting up another email address, why should I? I've already got my personal email, work email, university email, second job email, volunteer email - too many emails, one more will send me over the edge!

Just so they can send you loads of bloody crap emails!

I hate going in our local one because I vaguely know some of the staff and I feel stupid when they get really arsey with me when I request a paper receipt, especially when we've been chatting pleasantly beforehand.
My mum got flustered at the till over Christmas buying for my daughter too, I didn't like that at all.
If they're so keen to save the planet, why still give plastic bags?

Just do what I do, tell them you don't have an email address and they have to give you a paper receipt

I always so no to email receipts mainly because I have a long surname with multiple variations of spelling it and I can’t be arsed standing there phonetically spelling my name

I was told in a peacocks that I couldn’t exchange an item if I didn’t provide an email
they just point blank refused so I had no choice but to provide it but won’t shop there again just because this policy is so ridiculous

New Look went through a period where it was email receipt only, but I saw they had reintroduced the paper option again. I can’t be doing with the dad of email receipts, I’m old school!

They are data harvesting and they will sell on your details. Nothing to do with being paperless. You have a right to a paper one. Stand up for yourself and they have to give you one. Not everyone has an email address.

They aren’t allowed under GDPR rules to collect email of under 13 without parental consent so if DD was just buying it by herself then they could get in big trouble.

also they need to provide their privacy policy too if they want to collect data so ask for that and say no marketing. Then when you get marketing emails you can inform ICO

Imagine on trying to return the item and you can't find the email among hundreds. Nightmare. I WANT A PAPER RECEIPT!!!
i stood my ground in New Look and demanded to see manager and I said I won't be buying unless I get a paper receipt

You could tell them you're happy to be emailed the receipt (it could potentially be very useful if you lose receipt and need to take something back) but that you don't want any marketing material. They have to remove that option if you've said no.

You don’t have to, you can just ask for paper.

God I've had this time and time again, and New Look are one of the worst offenders for it. Even if you ask for paper they often refuse, or say if you don't give your address you lose your right to return. However I contacted them and they clarified that although they prioritise email receipts, you can have a paper one if you prefer. So just keep saying 'paper please, I don't have an email'. If they continue to refuse ask for a manager. If the manager doesn't follow policy then take a photo of the item being purchased or say you'll take a photo of their point of sale screen, and screenshot the banking transaction. Frankly at that point you have to wonder if their clothes are so magical they're worth all of this stress. I don't go there anymore as a result.

They don't even ask usually now, they just point the till screen at you and direct you to enter your personal details. It's absolute insanity.

Unfortunately staff are now directed to not allow paper. Even if you ask.

I was told I couldn't have any form of receipt if not via email, warned that if I needed to return I wouldn't be 'allowed' to, and informed darkly 'okay don't have one: but next time, you WILL be asked for one'. It was almost laughable. I did contact head office who confirmed you can have a paper receipt so if anyone has similar issues I highly recommend refusing the purchase, and contacting head office to report. They are absolutely taking advantage of people to get personal details for marketing purposes.

Your not wrong
Annoys me as well

There have been numerous occasions where I have insisted on a paper receipt. I was once buying teabags and milk at the co-op for work and their receipt printer wasn't working. I made them hand write a VAT receipt out so I could claim it back from work. It is a legal requirement to give you a receipt.

Yes there is.

Any VAT-registered business must by law provide you with a receipt if you ask for one.

i would be Talking to the Manager and then contacting their board members very sternly about Digital Exclusion an that it often amounts to ageism.

I've had the "we don't do paper receipts" in places and that is one of my go-to points. I will now include their use of plastic bags (if they have them) if they try the "sustainability" route, alongside the emissions coming from all those massive cloud servers.

But in effect it just means i don't use that shop.