What people don't get is:
receipts are not for customers.
They prevent a crooked cashier from pretending to ring something up and pocketing the cash.
Ever seen those signs? "If you didn't get a receipt, your meal is free"
receipts are not for customers.
They prevent a crooked cashier from pretending to ring something up and pocketing the cash.
Ever seen those signs? "If you didn't get a receipt, your meal is free"
How?
A receipt would only be useful for that if the customer diligently looks for an omission. I'll bet that rarely happens. What seems more likely is that the customer will notice that they were charged more than what the total on the receipt said, and will demand that the store refund the "extra charge".
The idea is that there's a history of the transaction in the register to get the receipt (so it happened), and it was handed to someone and they might read it.
Receipts may also be required by law (which still supports "the receipt is not for the customer")
Furthermore, a business that accepts returns is the cost paid to increase customer confidence; it's called risk mitigation. Any return accepted is revenue rescinded and indirect cost incurred by the business to restock with the aim of winning future conversion.
A business issuing receipts as required by law is a consumer protection mechanism; a business retaining its receipts is for tax compliance.