There are a number of retailers in my community that I spend cash with. And have charge card transactions on a weekly–and even daily basis. I’m calling out these retailers because they do not provide a receipt for goods purchased. I have to ask for one. Irritates me. Most especially if I’m putting a purchase on plastic.
What’s up with this? Are the store owners skimming profits? Are they saving virgin forests? Why isn’t it a course of business in a purchase transaction? (of course, this has NEVER happened to me at CVS. )
Do any other HO posters notice this where you shop?
Yes, a lot of the smaller stores either don’t give a receipt or ask if I want it. I’m not sure why. And all the stores are stingy with bags. If you only have a couple of items the cashier will ask if you need a bag. No, I’ll just juggle them till I get home. Irks me to no end. You’d think the cashiers had to pay for them.
Yes, it irritates me too. Starbucks does not give me receipts, and a buffet near my office doesn’t either. I’ve messed up my checking account a few times because I didn’t deduct the purchases.
I almost never need a receipt, and I bring reusable bags with me everywhere. So when I’m offered a bag or a receipt, I almost always decline - there’s no need to waste paper and plastic on me. A few places I shop offer to email me the receipt, which might be a good idea for some people.
I have the opposite problem at my local grocery store. I bring reusable bags with me. I don’t need a bag. I don’t want a bag. But even if I say “I don’t need a bag,” even if I stand there holding my reusable bag at chest level, ready to fill it with food, the cashiers will still start loading my stuff into plastic bags. Usually doubled. Then they act pissed off when I repeat that I DO NOT NEED A BAG. Sheesh.
I’ve noticed more places asking if I’d like my receipt, but I don’t recall not being offered one. At arts festivals, local artisans, etc. I’m generally offered an e-mail receipt. I suspect the artisans/small business owners see this as a good way to beef up their e-mail lists (based on my bursting inbox).
I have noticed the no bag trend much more. On a recent weekend I hit up a Barnes & Noble for a paperback and was not offered a bag. Then I stopped at Michael’s for a small item and was not offered a bag. Finally a stop at the hardware store for a small battery–no bag offered. When I got home, my purse was bursting at the seams. I guess I could have worried about shoplifting accusations . . . but they all gave me receipts
If you’re processing credit cards via your smart phone (which we do) you can’t give a paper receipt, only phone or e-mail. Well, you can but it takes another piece of equipment & supplies so at that point it’s just easier to get a cash register.
A lot of artisans & small businesses use Square or a similar app for both credit card transactions and sales tracking. I do, it’s great but receipts are available by text or email, no paper. I do always offer credit card buyers a receipt, but I’m realizing I don’t do that with cash. Not for any reason, maybe I should start. Still, the vast majority of customers don’t want a receipt.
Seattle has a 5 cent charge for paper bags so many people bring their own and it’s a legitimate question here to ask if people need bags.
I have almost gone cashless and use contactless credit card all the time and generally have to ask for a receipt.
The odd thing is that here in Australia the machine automatically prints a transaction record for the store but doesn’t for the me. I would have thought the transaction record would be automatic for the business but customers would want it to keep track of spending…especially in bars…!
My pet peeve is the number of businesses that have a $10 or $20 minimum spend in order top use a card - as I rarely have cash these days its a lost sale. Yesterday a pub had a $20 minimum, my wife and I had no cash, so they lost probably $50 of business as we would have had a few rounds (and they wouldn’t run a tab).
If a cashier is asking that of their own volition I’d fall over dead in shock. Anyone who’s owned a business (and any thinking individual) really must understand that profits are made penny by penny
in most businesses. A business owner decides where they want to save money and where they want to provide service and absorb a cost. You can certainly disagree and I’d encourage you to let them know if their choice bothers you. Blaming an employee for the owner’s choice is pretty short-sighted and unfair to the employee. Just sayin’.
I’m glad I posted this topic because several replies have shown me that there is a new purchase model evolving that is driven by technology, and not dependent on cash, check or a charge card to conduct a transaction. But, there is an inherent trust demanded there, that I just do not have and will never cultivate.
I want a receipt because it allows me to review and check my spending; and reveals immediately if there were any errors created in a purchase. Example: I stop in a store and buy a bottle of liquor for $21.17, and two bottles of mix @ $1.89 each. Total should be $24.95, but I’m told the cost is $26.84. I don’t do the math in my head, and wind up paying for a phantom, third bottle of mix. (this has happened to me more than once).
Mistakes happen, I understand. But taking away from me; a tool I can use to correct a mistake, with written proof, is not acceptable.
I hope you realize that my post, the one you replied to, is about asking if you want a bag not a receipt. I’ve yet to be denied a receipt anywhere, and would agree with you on that issue.
My goodness, so what’s the big deal with a simple question? When I do little shopping at the grocer, I am asked this all the time. 90% of the time I decline and they throw it in the bin.
How dare they not know what I want.
If you want a receipt answer yes, please and if you do not answer no thank you.
Is this what people care about these days? Embarassing.
jfood, I’m not sure the question here is about being asked if you want a receipt, but thought the issue was that some places seem to not ask if you do want one. In my experience the only reason for this might be the business wanting to save on receipt paper, unless we’re talking about something like Apple Pay, or paying on a hand-held device, where the whole transaction bypasses paper altogether. I suppose all-digital is the way of the future, but I know that Mrs. Midlife gives me a very hard time if I don’t provide her with a record of every transaction that goes through our checking account.
Fair point…long day on the phone. I did re-read the OP you are correct.
But re-reading the OP raises a different issue. Why is it such a big deal to ask for a receipt or a bag? Why do some of the responses immediately assume the business owner is skimming.
Have we lost the ability to have verbal discussions versus these on-line discussions. Why do some always run to the right goalpost of assume nepharious intent.
I ordered scarpariello the other night and there were no cherry peppers. Did I assume the restaurant was trying to screw me or save some pennies? Nope, they forgot in the heat of slam-time in the kitchen.
I wish we could believe in the good of our neighbors instead of thinking the worse.
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