California Lawmaker Wants to Move toward E-receipts

Megalith

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California assemblyman Phil Ting has introduced legislation that would effectively ban paper receipts in the state. If Assembly Bill 161 were to pass, vendors would be subject to fines for issuing paper receipts unless the customer specifically asked for that option. Ting says they have a chemical harmful to health.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Sacramento, the lawmaker said there are health concerns for consumers and store employees with some of the chemicals used in paper receipts. He acknowledged that some retailers — both large and small — have already started offering consumers the option to receive a digital receipt as an alternative.
 
I mean I usually complain about over reaching laws like this, but really paper receipts need to go away at this point. I mean the law is still an overreach, but I can't think of any reasonable arguments that could be made against it.
 
I mean I usually complain about over reaching laws like this, but really paper receipts need to go away at this point. I mean the law is still an overreach, but I can't think of any reasonable arguments that could be made against it.

When I owned a store, I asked people if they wanted a receipt. If they did, I printed one. If they didn't, I didn't. Problem solved.
 
When I owned a store, I asked people if they wanted a receipt. If they did, I printed one. If they didn't, I didn't. Problem solved.

But did you propose electronic receipt too ? A lot of places don't if not most. I'm not really for that bill but I would really love to get electronic receipt sent to my email on every paypass / CC / NFC payments.
But yeah, a law may be over reaching but is also probably the only way to force stores to stop printing those for no reason.
 
When I owned a store, I asked people if they wanted a receipt. If they did, I printed one. If they didn't, I didn't. Problem solved.
Which seems like the logical thing to do. An electronic receipt just seems like another way for them to collect data and/or track cash purchases since it seems like it would have be tied to an email or phone number.
 
Here's my problem. The register prints out a receipt and the person says "Would you like your receipt?" I say no and they throw it in the trash. How about they have to push a button to even print the receipt.

And just like that 90% of receipt waste went away.
 
Decline the receipt and give no email, problem solved. When I lived in Lawrence KS, they would only print and give you a receipt if you asked for it. Central KS they print them and throw them away because very few people want them. It's a waste.
 
Why not associate an email to a CC and/or other electronic method of transaction ? I mean no need to provide it to retailer if the CC company would do it... Those companies already have all the data they need on you, that would be the logical next step.
EDIT: No need to use the main email of the card, it would be wise to allow using a separate email for receipts.
EDIT2: A dialog asking "Do you want a receipt" after you put your PIN could be nice to ensure they don't print and trash every receipts.
 
the one thing is,

i dont want to give my email to EVERY SINGLE retail location i go to. supermarket, gas station, etc etc etc.

Agree... though maybe an option through the CC/payment processor to send them the receipt which they could then send to you... Or better yet they could just forward the copy to you (hopefully without them making a copy ha right lol).
 
I mean I usually complain about over reaching laws like this, but really paper receipts need to go away at this point. I mean the law is still an overreach, but I can't think of any reasonable arguments that could be made against it.

Except that when I want a receipt, I want a PAPER receipt because I don't want to give every last store and franchise my phone number and/or email. There are times when it's worthwhile to have actual paper in hand as well. I just miss when receipts used a different ink mix in the pre thermal paper days so that a receipt would last clearly for months or years than fading away rather quickly.
 
Yes, because the wrong emails never get entered into those machines, those databases never get hacked for credit cards but won't for email addresses and purchase lists. Its like this tard legislator has never walked into a Radio Shack or a Harbor Freight store.

I'm sure no one will have any problems returning items with a printed out receipt from home or you know having to return home to print a reciept to be able to return something that breaks immediately. There will be no new games of fraud this way I'm sure.
 
As resonated elsewhere in this thread, I think one of the strongest concerns is privacy. I don't give my phone numbers or email addresses to businesses most of the time. I'm not going to do that just to get a receipt. That's a forced option.

I mean I usually complain about over reaching laws like this, but really paper receipts need to go away at this point. I mean the law is still an overreach, but I can't think of any reasonable arguments that could be made against it.
 
But did you propose electronic receipt too ? A lot of places don't if not most. I'm not really for that bill but I would really love to get electronic receipt sent to my email on every paypass / CC / NFC payments.
But yeah, a law may be over reaching but is also probably the only way to force stores to stop printing those for no reason.

Yes, I did. But I had to have their e-mail address on file.
 
the one thing is,

i dont want to give my email to EVERY SINGLE retail location i go to. supermarket, gas station, etc etc etc.


I mean as long as you're given the option. I always say no to gas receipts unless its work related so it just doesnt given me one.

Honestly email or no email it would be nice it if it was the law that they had to ask before printing them out. I kinda wonder how much receipt paper could be saved that way. Its so pointless that they print out a receipt to make this big deal over how much you saved using their stupid grocery data mining card. If I'm buying I'm vodka, Kahlua, bourbon, 4 variety packs of IPA and 5 steaks, and 20 packs of shin ramen do they really think Im at a place in my life where I care about my card savings?

I think the only places that have me on file are places like microcenter. I always always want an email receipt for obvious reasons.
 
I'm all for this, but let THEM keep the data in house and not require an email.

Target and Wal-Mart can use your VISA/Target card to look up purchases in the past several months. Expand that to every retailer, and longer than a few months, and that's all they need.

They don't need my number or email.
 
It's a slippery slope. Next up, California goes after children passing paper notes in class.

Why is the Government involved in this? Let the market decide and change naturally if that is the direction consumers wish to take it.

Because citizens don't know any better, so government must make these important decisions for us.
 
Except that when I want a receipt, I want a PAPER receipt because I don't want to give every last store and franchise my phone number and/or email. There are times when it's worthwhile to have actual paper in hand as well. I just miss when receipts used a different ink mix in the pre thermal paper days so that a receipt would last clearly for months or years than fading away rather quickly.

You don't need to give them your phone number and if you haven't setup an alternate email that is only used for this purpose by now, I mean I don't know what to tell you. The thermal paper thing has been a thing for a couple decades now, you are beating a dead horse if you think regular ink is ever coming back. There is literally no situation that a paper receipt is better anymore..mostly due to the aforementioned thermal paper nonsense.

As resonated elsewhere in this thread, I think one of the strongest concerns is privacy. I don't give my phone numbers or email addresses to businesses most of the time. I'm not going to do that just to get a receipt. That's a forced option.

See the above.

Step 1) Create a freemail account using junk information.
Step 2) optional Forward said email account to your regular email and setup filtering options to put all mails from that account in a specific folder.
Step 3) Profit

Congrats! you can now get digital receipts without giving away any personal information!
 
Can we convert to edocs with the court systems too please? thanks!
 
I definitely prefer an e-receipt over a printed one, less I've gotta scan and shred later. Pretty much every place here has the option, but if you want a digital receipt sent to you, you've gotta sit there and type your email into their terminals for every purchase. No way to pass an email to it with NFC or put one on the chip in the card or even just send the damn thing to the card issuer who can then forward it to whatever email you've got listed on your account.

Want more people to take the digital over the paper? Make it more convenient and it'll happen.
 
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This is absurd.


Maybe someone should tell the vegans that receipts aren’t good and then they wouldn’t have to worry about them being toxic to humans.
 
As others have mentioned, I don't want to have to provide a phone number and/or email address for a receipt to be sent to. Especially for a cash transaction. I use cash for a lot of small transactions so big data companies don't have EVERY thing I buy in their data records on me. And what are the loss control folks supposed to check against the load of stuff in your cart as you exit the place? For those with PTDs, do you want to have to hand it to the door person to check before you leave? That's assuming the email/text has made it to your PTD before you reach the exit door.
 
At least 2 to 3 times a year I cannot return something because of a loss sales ticket. I doubt very seriously stores want this going in or .. perhaps the savings would offset the lost revenue from returns? Nah I doubt it. I bet Walmart for example saves millions a day from loss sales tickets.
 
But did you propose electronic receipt too ? A lot of places don't if not most. I'm not really for that bill but I would really love to get electronic receipt sent to my email on every paypass / CC / NFC payments.

Every single place that takes NFC payments that I have used can also send electronic receipts. Heck even 7-11!

As for spam, it's never been an issue for me but if you really are concerned just set up a receipt only gmail, hotmail or other free email account.

If they want to do something, how about getting companies to cut this crap out: https://www.thisisinsider.com/why-are-cvs-receipts-so-long-2017-6

And yes, the chemicals in thermal paper are nasty. I really feel for the people checking receipts at doors of places like Costco, Sams, BJs, etc.
 
California assemblyman Phil Ting has introduced legislation that would effectively ban paper receipts in the state. If Assembly Bill 161 were to pass, vendors would be subject to fines for issuing paper receipts unless the customer specifically asked for that option. Ting says they have a chemical harmful to health.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Sacramento, the lawmaker said there are health concerns for consumers and store employees with some of the chemicals used in paper receipts. He acknowledged that some retailers — both large and small — have already started offering consumers the option to receive a digital receipt as an alternative.
This is a terrible idea. Asking to give you an e-receipt is to track customer data, not a way to save trees, and all major retailers already do this. I would rather have no receipt, than an emailed receipt.
I would much rather have a better solution of sending the receipt to my bank, and have them deliver it to me rather than having even more junk mail pile up in my email account.
 
As others have mentioned, I don't want to have to provide a phone number and/or email address for a receipt to be sent to. Especially for a cash transaction. I use cash for a lot of small transactions so big data companies don't have EVERY thing I buy in their data records on me. And what are the loss control folks supposed to check against the load of stuff in your cart as you exit the place? For those with PTDs, do you want to have to hand it to the door person to check before you leave? That's assuming the email/text has made it to your PTD before you reach the exit door.
Exactly! And I buy lots of stuff that simply isn't for me. I don't want them tracking all of that data and messing up what adverts get sent my way.
Maybe we need to use one of those dating phone numbers at registers like women use on creepy guys... actually, this sounds rather fun. I am going to do this going forward :)
(646) 926-6614
 
It's a slippery slope. Next up, California goes after children passing paper notes in class.



Because citizens don't know any better, so government must make these important decisions for us.
No need, Kids moved to texting in class a looooong time ago hahahaha
 
How about printing receipts that don't use chemicals that are dangerous to your health?
 
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