ARTS and Shop.org Accept the Standard for "Digital Receipts"

ARTS, the Association for Retail Technology Standards of the National Retail Federation, and Shop.org, a consortium of the leading online retailers, have formally accepted a proposed standard for delivering receipts over the Internet.  An innovation that will bring proof of purchase. The digital receipt is the product of an alliance formed and led by NCR Corporation, and that includes Hewlett-Packard's VeriFone division, America Online, Intuit, Microsoft, Office Depot, ValiCert, Inc. (formerly known as Receipt.com), RCS, and VISA.

The "receipt" is an Internet version of the traditional paper receipt, and can be delivered via e-mail or to a web site database.  Deliverable for online and offline purchases, digital receipts will also allow purchase data to be downloaded into personal finance, tax or accounting applications.

While digital receipt technology broadens the channel to consumers, it also enables retailers to narrow the flow of information to suit the profile of each customer.

For example, it can:-

·         Provide a "one-to-one" marketing communications medium that can be customized for the recipient

·         Be used as an opt-in tool (i.e. the consumer chooses to participate voluntarily and selects the information to be delivered from the retailer)

·         Be used to deliver promotions and offers with a significantly higher response rate

·         Send Internet applications along with the receipt to replace manual tasks, e.g. rebates, warranty registrations, etc.

 

Beyond personal finance implications, this technology empowers consumers to help shape the relationships they have with retailers. Rather than solely receiving what the retailer chooses to send, consumers will now have the power to use e-mail and the Internet to communicate with retailers about their in-store and online retail transactions, such as purchases, returns and layaways.

 

"This technology, which is an open solution created by leaders in the industry, will allow consumers to easily track and manage their purchases and utilize the Internet to communicate with the retailer to perform basic post-purchase transactions (e.g. rebates, Warranties, price-adjustments, etc.)."