We'll email you the reciept.

[Gypsy]

You will?

I was at Old Navy today and they are "going green" by not printing receipts anymore. They asked for my email... and all I could think was, great now I need to get a new addy for receipts.

The funny part was after I gave her my email (not happy about that, btw) she printed out, on receipt paper, an 8 inch "please go to this website and fill out a survey and we'll reward you with 10% off your next purchase" thing. "Going green" is obviously still a work in progress.

I don't think I like emailed receipts. Not at all. Too invasion of my privacy. Plus I can't tell you how often I've caught errors on my receipts. Thoughts?

 

[yssie]

Whoa.

I really don't like that. I always check over my receipt right away to make sure there's nothing off - and like you, I find problems too often to be at all comfortable with something like this!

 

[Gypsy]

I know, right! I was ambushed so I went with it. But afterwards I was like... I should have just said no. Restaurants and grocery stores best not even consider this cause that's where I catch the most errors, but I catch other places in errors too.

 

[Porridge]

Wow - no way would I be cool with this. I hope it doesn't catch on!

 

[megumic]

I agree with points made above, however, I do like this in the sense that I won't have extra paper floating around my life that I don't need. So, if I need a receipt for a return or a correction, I can simply print it out and use it. If I don't need it, I never have to think about that silly piece of paper. Also, makes losing a receipt nigh impossible, which I tend to do from time to time as well (unless they eff up your email address of course...to me that is a big concern!)

 

[purselover]

I was asked if I wanted an emailed receipt last time I was in Urban Outfitters and I went for it. I really like the idea and I hope more stores initiate it. If you pay attention to the screen when items are being scanned that will minimize your chances at missing a mistake being made. Also I don't shop that much so a few extra emails with my receipts isn't a big deal to me - I deleted it pretty much right away- but if more stores use it I'd probably just start a separate folder to move them all into.

 

[Amys Bling]

Now I'm going to take to create a receipts folder in my email account so I can actually find them. Lol

 

[iheartscience]

Apple has done this for a while. I prefer it, personally. If you lose a paper receipt you're screwed, but if they email it you can access it whenever you need it.

You can always just make a separate email for receipts if you don't already have a junk email address.

 

[ame]

I have a separate email set up for that. The only place that actually emails me at my actual address is the Apple store and the ATT store.

 

[Maria D]

I recently bought my daughter a macbook at an Apple store as a high school graduation/off to college present. The customer service rep was a fellow teacher at the school that I work at. So he knows my name, plus my email address is my first initial followed by last name, plus my credit card is right in front of him and he STILL spells out my last name wrong on the email address! There was nothing for me to easily check because the whole thing is entered into a small hand-held device. Good thing I asked for both a hard copy and email receipt (just because it was an expensive item). After I never got the email, I looked at the hard copy and saw that he misspelled the address.

I think it's fine if a person agrees to an emailed receipt but the customer should have a choice. There are still some out there who are not online! Hard to believe, I know.

 

[marymm]

Not a fan of this at all - even online orders arrive with printed receipts - if hard copy receipts are not provided, then they don't get my business - nor do I ever provide my zip code, my telephone number, or my email address when they ask for this kind of info while processing my purchase.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Whoa.

I really don't like that. I always check over my receipt right away to make sure there's nothing off - and like you, I find problems too often to be at all comfortable with something like this!

Same here. I carry my phone with me everywhere so if an emailed receipt was the only option I would be standing there waiting for it to pop up on my phone and not leave the store without it. How else could I prove that something was incorrect?

 

[dragonfly411]

I'd actually be ok with this BUT I would ask for them to make sure it is sent immediately. With so many phones having email access, I could confirm it was sent before I leave the store.

 

[ImperfectGirl]

I'm not really a fan either for reasons already mentioned. The last time I was at Old Navy, I was given the option but I declined and asked for my printed receipts. Hopefully it will remain and option and we won't be forced to have them emailed.

 

[lyra]

I wouldn't go for this at all. It gives the store all the advantages and could cost me more money. If I have to print a receipt it's my printer, paper and ink. They're just pushing their costs onto the consumer. It may even be harder to return items, which is a win-win for the store again.

 

[JewelFreak]

Good point, Lyra.

I don't shop that much so a few extra emails with my receipts isn't a big deal to me

If that's all you get....you can bet the stores sell their email lists to other marketers, who then sell them to more. I imagine tons of offers for heaven-knows-what in a short time.

Too much invasion for me. If a store won't give me a printed receipt, I won't buy from them. I NEVER give out my email address & if some place I bought from online continues sending me "offers" when I un-checked the option to receive them, I block the address & never go there again. Like Marymm, I don't give out address, phone no. or other info either. That was the original idea behind Visa, etc., cards, that you wouldn't have to do that.

 

[Verdy]

I feel you, Gypsy. I don't like handing out my email to just anyone, and whenever I go shopping I check the receipt right there to make sure everything's okay and that there's no mistakes. I'm very good at keeping them, I put all of my most recent receipts in a small box. Emailing receipts like you said is invasion of privacy and not to mention a cost of gas if there IS a mistake (especially if you're buying things out of state, another city, abroad, etc.). You would have to go check your email and if there is a mistake, drive back to wherever you made your purchase from, THEN drive back home. Anyone else see this as a huge hassle? And what happens if you're one of those people that almost never checks their email? Maybe once in a blue moon? The receipt could expire and if there is a mistake, there would be nothing that you could do. I hope other stores don't follow this trend, or I might just cease shopping for everything but food and clothing!

 

[centralsquare]

On one hand, I like it because it's green. But, on the other, what if they mistype your email address???

 

[MonkeyPie]

I must not see the big deal - I went to ON not long ago and when they offered my a paperless option, I was all over it. Besides, I already have an account with ON online so they already have my email address. I hate having my wallet/purse stuffed full of paper I will just throw away. Plus, I watch the display closely as my stuff is scanned so I can catch any issues before they even finish ringing me up. I wouldn't like this at a grocery store, though. They usually scan too fast for me to keep up with. But for a store where I am only buying a few things? All for it.

Also, making the assumption that they will sell your info is just silly. If you KNEW that was happening, then yes, I would agree that it would be a lose/lose situation for you. But ON likely doesn't.

 

[JewelFreak]

Old Navy is a chain; in today's world it's somewhat naive to assume they won't sell email addresses. Individual one-off stores, probably not, but chains, yeah. And other businesses. AA for instance -- I ordered a plane ticket online for DH out of my mileage. Within a couple weeks my inbox was STUFFED with spam from retailers & real estate brokers, etc. -- all addressed to DH at my email address, so it had to be AA that sold it. First wave lasted about 6 weeks, tons per day, from upscale businesses. Next another wave from mid-price places, lasted longer still. Last, holy cow, offers for creepy stuff I didn't even know what it was (& didn't want to know) -- everything sent to DH at my address.

When I bought a car last year they insisted on my email address for the financing. "We NEVER sell addresses!" True. But starting 2 weeks later I received several emails a day from VW -- with offers for new cars, when I had just bought one! Plus for parts, service, whatever they could think up. I eventually blocked the address to keep from going nuts.

I just assume I'll get junk mail either from the original business or from a ton of their buddies.

--- Laurie

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I bet this pilot program goes the way of the dodo. Once they see that it has a negative impact on sales over a period of time, the cost savings won't offset the decrease in sales.

If they were to give you an OPTION of printing or emailing, it would be different because that takes the customer's preference into account (some might be green, some might want to support the paper companies), but forcing a customer to give up their email address is not going to go over well.

 

[LGK]

SquareUp receipts are super weird too. SU is a credit card processer that small merchants (like those selling at street fairs etc) can run via an app on a smartphone. I use it when I sell mineral makeup at fairs- in fact I will be doing one this weekend. It's crazy- I can either type in the CC# on the app, or swipe their card with a teeny card reader that plugs into the phone, and then they sign their name on my phone's screen. Then, it texts them a receipt that shows the exact location that their card was swiped, and a copy of their signature, as well as the usual details. It's crazy. And very handy.

 

[iheartscience]

I bet this pilot program goes the way of the dodo. Once they see that it has a negative impact on sales over a period of time, the cost savings won't offset the decrease in sales.

If they were to give you an OPTION of printing or emailing, it would be different because that takes the customer's preference into account (some might be green, some might want to support the paper companies), but forcing a customer to give up their email address is not going to go over well.

It is optional at Urban Outfitters and Apple, and it looks like Old Navy's emailed receipt is optional, too. (ImperfectGirl said she declined it.) It doesn't sound like any stores are forcing customers to do anything.

I think printed receipts are more likely to go the way of the dodo in the future.

 

[iheartscience]

SquareUp receipts are super weird too. SU is a credit card processer that small merchants (like those selling at street fairs etc) can run via an app on a smartphone. I use it when I sell mineral makeup at fairs- in fact I will be doing one this weekend. It's crazy- I can either type in the CC# on the app, or swipe their card with a teeny card reader that plugs into the phone, and then they sign their name on my phone's screen. Then, it texts them a receipt that shows the exact location that their card was swiped, and a copy of their signature, as well as the usual details. It's crazy. And very handy.

I bought a rug at a flea market from a seller who had SquareUp-so cool!

 

[iheartscience]

On one hand, I like it because it's green. But, on the other, what if they mistype your email address???

At Urban Outfitters they have you check your email address on the little credit card machine screen. Not sure about Apple-I can't remember.

 

[Selkie]

SquareUp receipts are super weird too. SU is a credit card processer that small merchants (like those selling at street fairs etc) can run via an app on a smartphone. I use it when I sell mineral makeup at fairs- in fact I will be doing one this weekend. It's crazy- I can either type in the CC# on the app, or swipe their card with a teeny card reader that plugs into the phone, and then they sign their name on my phone's screen. Then, it texts them a receipt that shows the exact location that their card was swiped, and a copy of their signature, as well as the usual details. It's crazy. And very handy.

Food trucks are really big where I live, and they're using something like this. First time I'd ever seen it. Pretty cool, I think.

 

[Lauren8211]

I personally love the option. Can't lose the receipt, and save a tree. Call me granola, but I dig it.

I'm not sure why more people don't have a "junk" email where they can sign up for crap, receive receipts, etc. It's free! Link it to your main email so that it goes to a specific folder (or folders! oooh!) - done. No junk, no waste, complete organization.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I bet this pilot program goes the way of the dodo. Once they see that it has a negative impact on sales over a period of time, the cost savings won't offset the decrease in sales.

If they were to give you an OPTION of printing or emailing, it would be different because that takes the customer's preference into account (some might be green, some might want to support the paper companies), but forcing a customer to give up their email address is not going to go over well.

It is optional at Urban Outfitters and Apple, and it looks like Old Navy's emailed receipt is optional, too. (ImperfectGirl said she declined it.) It doesn't sound like any stores are forcing customers to do anything.

I think printed receipts are more likely to go the way of the dodo in the future.

So long as it's optional, I think it's great. It makes the experience more about the customer, which is always good for marketing.

 

[stephbolt]

I haven't experienced this option anywhere yet, but I would definitely opt in! I would love to have less paper to throw away/recycle, especially knowing that receipts are often contaminated with BPA. Maybe I don't shop enough, because I can count on one hand the number of times I've been overcharged for something. And plus, I wouldn't have to worry about losing the receipt, which I am guaranteed to do at least 70% of the time.

 

[zoebartlett]

I wouldn't like to have receipts e-mailed to me. It would be harder to make a quick trip to the store to return something if I had to print out the receipt before hand. It would be just one more thing to take care of and I'd find that annoying.