Paper receipts have been a staple in retail stores for as long as anyone can remember. Vending machines, too, hand out receipts after payments—whether for a public transportation ticket or parking. These small transactions add up, with consumers often receiving multiple receipts a day without thinking twice. However, paper receipts are becoming outdated, and there are alternatives that benefit not only the environment but also the retailer and the consumer.
From a consumer's perspective, digital receipts are preferable to paper ones. Why? Because digital receipts can never be lost or misplaced. While this may not be a big deal for something small like coffee, it’s a different story for more expensive purchases, such as a new suit or a birthday gift.
For retailers, the advantages of digital receipts over paper ones are even greater. First, digital receipts are much cheaper since they eliminate the need for printers, paper, ink and electricity. Additionally, printers that are no longer used require less maintenance. Second, digital receipts are far more eco-friendly than their paper cousins. By going digital, retailers can reduce their carbon footprint and more quickly achieve their sustainability goals.
But there’s an even bigger benefit that might not be as obvious: digital receipts can serve as another touchpoint in the customer journey—specifically in the offline-to-online (O2O) customer journey. The digital receipt can be linked to the retailer’s website, where customers can join loyalty programs or receive personalized offers. Since the digital receipt contains information about the purchase, such as items bought, store location, and date, it can present the customer with a highly targeted offer.
Taking it one step further: by storing all transactional data for customers, typically in the cloud, retailers gain access to a wealth of data that can be analyzed to optimize store inventory, streamline supply chain processes, and personalize shopping experiences. Digital receipts unlock the power of data, offering actionable insights in real time.
Digital receipts offer retailers a unique opportunity to engage with customers. And perhaps the best part is that this can be done anonymously, if the customer prefers. Loyalty campaigns can be tailored and offer personalized promotions to anonymous shoppers, ensuring that any customer receives relevant offers. This provides retailers in grocery, fashion, specialty, fuel, quick-service restaurants, and more with countless opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. With digital receipts, the end of an in-store journey can seamlessly lead to the start of the next one.
Diebold Nixdorf supports retailers and customers to digitize receipts with
Vynamic® Digital Receipt, a solution based on technology from a partnership with Anybill. Diebold Nixdorf has integrated this solution into its POS ecosystem through its cloud-native Vynamic Retail Platform. At checkout, Vynamic Digital Receipt enables retailers to share receipts via email or directly in the retailer’s loyalty app. For customers who prefer anonymity, retailers can display a QR code on a customer-facing screen. Customers can scan this code without registering, and the digital receipt can be stored as a PDF on their smartphone.
Curious to learn more about digital receipts for retailers? Download the infographic for
Vynamic Digital Receipt, or
contact us today to speak with an expert.
