One of the first lessons of shopping is to always keep your receipt. Even in the instances where you know the items fits, it’s a good idea to keep a recorded of your purchase. You never know, the seams can gunravel or the store can markdown the item a day later.
Our problem has always been keeping our receipts in order. Stuffing wads of paper into your bag or delicate wallet is not a great system but one that we continue to partake. You can imagine our enthusiasm when Apple started emailing receipts several years ago. More recently, however, department stores and retail outlets have been implementing similar technology.
A few weeks ago, a Gap associate declared, “We are trying to go paperless. Can we email you the receipt?” Needless to say, we were thrilled to participate. More recently, Barney’s implemented quick checkout technology, which allows sales associates to swipe your card on the sales floor in a similar manner as Apple. Give your sales person your email address and voila, your sale transaction is complete and your receipt is neatly folded into your email inbox.
Just this week Saks Fifth Avenue implemented a system that has the ability to email your receipt. (No more stuffing your receipt in your shoe box!) We are also told that Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Nordstrom have paperless receipt options.
As a matter of fact, the New York Times reported that Nordstrom is looking into ways to to make its e-receipts more appealing, perhaps by adding a picture of the item to the receipt so a shopper could post it to a Facebook wall. That’s what we call social shopping.
By next holiday season, wouldn’t be surprised if e-receipts are the norm rather than the exception. So next time you’re shopping, ask to have your receipt emailed. Your wallet will thank you!
