Some retailers are seeing 40% customer engagement rates from an unlikely source: the humble receipt. While brands pour resources into perfecting every digital touchpoint, a growing number are discovering their most underutilised asset was hiding at the bottom of shopping bags all along, says Mitul Jain, Founder & CEO of refive.

The data goldmine hiding in plain sight

Here’s retail’s biggest irony: brands know everything about customers who browse online but almost nothing about the majority who still prefer shopping in stores. Every click, scroll, and abandoned cart gets tracked digitally, while physical retail operates largely blind to customer behaviour.

The receipt represents an overlooked data collection opportunity. It’s the one moment when customers are satisfied, engaged and willing to share information. Yet, traditional paper receipts capture none of that willingness, turning the highest-value customer interaction into a dead end.

Turning transactions into customer intelligence

Digital receipts solve this data blind spot. When customers scan a QR code or tap their phone for their receipt, retailers gain visibility into who bought what, when, and how often. Each interaction builds comprehensive customer profiles that were impossible to create with anonymous cash transactions.

Digital receipts capture information that paper never could: which products customers bought together, how they prefer to receive communications, whether they’re interested in joining retail loyalty programmes. Each interaction helps build a richer customer profile.

That intelligence enables retail receipt personalisation on future visits. For example, a customer who bought running shoes might be served content about upcoming race events. Someone purchasing organic produce could receive information about farm sourcing. The receipt then evolves from generic proof-of-purchase to a vehicle for targeted, meaningful customer engagement based on shoppers’ buying behaviours.

The sophistication varies, but the concept is consistent: transform the most mundane retail interaction into meaningful in-store customer engagement. Some retailers are embedding satisfaction surveys directly into receipts. Others are using them to collect email addresses for follow-up marketing. A few forward-thinking brands are treating receipts as content platforms, showcasing styling tips for fashion purchases or care instructions for home goods.

Real results from real retailers

Gusti Leather, which operates 29 stores across three countries, achieved 21% average customer engagement with its digital receipt roll-out. It also converted 41% of receipt interactions into marketing opt-ins, transforming previously invisible customers into known, engaged contacts.

The pattern extends beyond fashion retail. One sporting goods retailer noticed checkout lines moving faster once staff stopped dealing with receipt printer issues. It was also able to recognise repeat customers for the first time from shoppers providing contact information through e-receipts.

We’ve also seen a smaller grocery chain using digital receipts to feature local suppliers with photos and sourcing stories. Customers then started asking about featured products by name during subsequent visits, creating measurable impact that store managers could track.

Why the timing makes sense

Three market forces are driving receipt transformation. First, retailers have an in-store customer engagement data gap between what they know about online versus offline shoppers. Digital receipts bridge that gap by capturing previously invisible customer behaviour.

Second, customer acquisition costs keep climbing while loyalty rates stagnate. Retailers need every conversion opportunity, especially ones that happen when customers are already satisfied or has just made a purchase.

Third, first-party data has become crucial as third-party tracking disappears. Receipt interactions generate zero-party data, volunteered directly by customers at the moment of highest satisfaction.

What retailers actually gain

Customer engagement tools, like digital receipts, streamline operations beyond data collection. Returns processing becomes simpler with permanent, searchable purchase records. Staff also spend less time troubleshooting paper jams while reducing paper waste from traditional receipts supports sustainability efforts and creating positive brand associations.

Most importantly, receipts create an owned media channel that works without apps or complex onboarding. Retailers can communicate directly with customers who just demonstrated purchase intent, using transaction data to guide conversations. Some are exploring retail media opportunities, where brands pay for targeted placement on receipts based on purchasing behaviour.

Unlike traditional paper receipts, digital versions track engagement rates and conversion rates, meaning retailers finally have data on what happens after the sale, not just during it.

The smart play

The most successful retailers aren’t treating this as a technology upgrade. They’re approaching it as a relationship building opportunity that happens to use technology. The receipt becomes less about proving what happened and more about suggesting what could happen next.

The early movers understand something important: customers don’t need another app or loyalty programme. They need brands that remember them, respect their time and reward their attention. Sometimes the best innovation isn’t creating something new. It’s finally putting something old to work.