Both customers and retailers have been experiencing the benefits of emailing receipts (eReceipts) and more stores are implementing them every day. eReceipts are becoming one of the most useful and efficient marketing tools you can use and we’ve outlined the 10 reasons why.
1. Save Money
Think about how much money you spend in a year on receipt paper per store. Thermal receipt paper is not cheap, but what if you could eliminate that cost to your business? By implementing eReceipts you can nearly eliminate receipt paper costs. Every little bit helps right?
2. Go Green
You already know that lots of trees are being cut down in order to produce the paper for your receipts, but did you know that many brands of thermal receipt paper are not recyclable? While regular paper can be recycled and reused to save other trees from being cut down, some receipt paper will just create more waste and more trees will be needed to make more paper. eReceipts are actively helping to reduce this waste cycle.
3. Collect Email addresses
We’re all weary of all the marketing emails that come through our inbox on a daily basis, so customers are understandably hesitant to give sales associates their email addresses. However, more and more customers are coming to expect and prefer eReceipts and in many cases will willingly provide their email address for an eReceipt. If you want to maximize the number of customers that provide email addresses, include a special offer in your eReceipt. Customer willingness to give you their e-mail address shoots up from 5% to more than 40% when you include a special offer combined with the eReceipt.
4. Advertise to your existing clientele
Depending on the eReceipt solution you use, you may be able to advertise in your eReceipt. Advertising to someone who was just in your store and purchased something is a great opportunity to spark return business. A banner ad can encourage the customer to shop online, attend an upcoming event or take advantage of a sale or discount code. Utilizing an eReceipt to market to existing customers is one of the most inexpensive targeted marketing you will find.
5. Promote your social media sites
Social media has become a really important tool for retailers in the past few years. Having a large number of quality followers is crucial in reaching new and relevant audiences. The best way to get your customers to follow you on your social media sites is to make it easy for them. By providing links to your social media on their eReceipt, there’s a higher chance they will visit your pages and click around.
6. Make a more seamless experience for your customers
Now that smartphones are so widespread, after a transaction is completed, the receipt from the purchase can be in the customer’s pocket in seconds. While some customers will still prefer that you hand them a paper receipt, an increasing number are tired of having their wallets fill up with receipts that just end up in the trash. Should the customer need to return the purchase, you want it to be as easy and pleasant as possible for the customer so they feel secure in shopping with you again. Being able to easily pull up the receipt on their smartphone and not having to find the paper copy makes the experience easy and stress-free
7. Offer incentives for the customers to come back
Using the eReceipt as a marketing tool is a no-brainer. You want customers who have already shopped in your store and had a good experience to come back to your store or shop online using your eCommerce site. Using the banner ad to offer a limited time discount is a great way to encourage a customer to shop with you again quickly. Alternatively, you can offer incentives for referring a friend in order to expand your clientele. The opportunities are endless!
8. Easily collect customer feedback
Getting feedback from customers can sometimes be a challenge, but knowing that information can increase your customer retention. You can make it easy for customers to give their opinion by providing an easy form in the eReceipt. When you receive the feedback from the customer, their eReceipt will be attached which provides you with even more insight. Knowing what they purchased and who ran the transaction can be very important information when analyzing customer feedback.
9. Promote your upcoming events
If you have a trunk show or a big sale coming up, the eReceipt is a great tool to promote your event. It’s just one more way to invite your customer to shop with you again. You could even offer an incentive to come to the event!
10. Because it’s fun!
What was once a simple receipt now enables you to building long-lasting relationships through smart design. The eReceipts are a just another way to touch base with your customer and thank them for shopping in your store. Because eReceipts are so customizable you can have some fun and get very creative with them. Your website, social media sites and store all look great and your eReceipt should reflect that! Whether your store is whimsical or classic, your eReceipt can portray that image and take your relationship with the customer to a whole new level.
