Sometimes it seems like traditional cash transactions and paper receipts are almost obsolete. Many transactions now result in electronic receipts. In fact, the entire transaction – selection, payment, shipping, contractual agreements, receipts, etc. – may occur completely online.
Yet, there are many reasons why paper receipts still play a critical role in transaction documentation. Here are just a few of them:
- Avoiding mistakes. You are much more likely to catch a mistake in a transaction (for example, a double charge) when you can see all the numbers on paper. It also serves as documentation of the mistake that can be used to resolve it later.
- Permanence. Our email inboxes are often overloaded with tens of thousands of archived messages going back for years. Websites are constantly moving or changing. It’s very easy for a digital receipt to be deleted or simply lost in the mess. Paper receipts have none of these problems, they can be safely placed in a file, where they will always be available.
- Taxes. There is no substitute for paper receipts for documenting expenses when it’s time to do taxes, and paper receipts are absolutely priceless if you are audited.
- Gift receipts. When purchasing presents, you can provide a paper receipt that can be used for refunds, exchanges, etc. This is almost impossible with a digital receipt.
- Confirmation. A paper receipt clearly proves that a transaction occurred at a certain time, date, and place and for a certain amount. It can even be hand-signed for further confirmation.
As you can see, even with the popularity of digital transaction documentation, paper receipts are still essential for both private individuals and businesses. Paper receipts protect both the business and the customer!
