Halfords

[Gareth]

Anyone been in Halfords lately?
Went to buy something today and on paying was asked for my e mail address so they could e mail the receipt to me, as they no longer give out paper receipts at the till. Refusing to give my personal details just so they could use this as an excuse to bombard me with promotional rubbish I left the store realising I now have no proof of purchase if it should be faulty.
Had no reply from Halfords yet but wonder how this would affect people with no computers and is it actually legal?
Any thoughts????
Gareth.

[old_n_notpastityet]

Re: Halfords

I always want a receipt for everything,it is proof of your purchase and also importantly proof of you paying for it whatever it is.How can you prove you paid if you were challenged on exit and you have no proof of purchase .Also not everyone has an E-Mail address,or even a computer. Personally I would say no receipt then you can keep it and walk out.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Halfords

Halfords Professional range of tools have a lifetime garuntee, but it turned out that it only applies if you have a receipt. Most of my receipts were in the top drawer of my toolbox. Over time the receipts printed on thermal paper faded to the point they were illegible, making it technically impossible to prove when you bought the tool.
Patently absurd that as the range is clearly stamped, it must have originated from Halfords, so the garuntee should still be valid even if was bought second user.
With an email receipt, at least it can be printed out if ever needed, but I dare say Halfords must keep their own record as emails can easily be edited before printing to include an extra tool if it should break.

I have a couple of email addresses I only use when unwanted marketing emails might result. I scan the mailbox once month and delete or unsubscribe as appropriate. I find it better than redirecting email to a spam folder, as just occasionally useful stuff gets directed there automatically.

[milliemarlin]

Re: Halfords

Lots of people are asking the same question on the web about other companies. I found this on a uk government web site:
2. VAT invoices
Only VAT-registered businesses can issue VAT invoices and you must:
issue and keep valid invoices - these can be paper or electronic
….
I think you might argue that if you don’t give them your email they have failed to supply a valid VAT receipt. But I bet wiser men have looked into this in more detail than me.
I avoid Halfords as they tend to be expensive. Meantime, I always use a credit card in such shops.
Paul

[Gareth]

Re: Halfords

Hi Paul, I was using a credit card and they refused to issue a paper receipt.

[dave_clutterbuck]

Re: Halfords

Hi Gareth, good to see you are recovering well. I went into a Halfords today they just gave me paper receipt no mention about E Mailing it to me.
Regards
Dave

[Gareth]

Re: Halfords

Had an e mail back from them and they are suppost to offer a paper receipt as normal if you don't give your e mail address. I suspect that the staff get brownie points for getting this info from customers, such is the way of the world...

[stevejgreen]

Re: Halfords

As said before, if the receipt is printed on thermal paper, it has a lifetime shorter than than the guarantee. If it's something like a torque wrench or other high value item, go with the email receipt that can be reprinted on demand.

[milliemarlin]

Re: Halfords

There was a mention of this on “You and Yours” Radio 4’s consumer affairs programme. A listener had a similar experience in Top shop. The program contacted Top shop and was told that giving your email was an option, an opportunity to receive news and offers, but not mandatory. No mentions of Halfords but other high street names were mentioned. The puzzle is that retailers are alienating customers for reasons unknown. The programme concluded that this was a subject they might return to. The programme is available to listen again: Wed 30ᵗʰ March about 29 minutes in.

[Gareth]

Re: Halfords

Wondered how long it would be before they were all at it.
Why am I not surprised....
Gareth.

[dcunn]

Re: Halfords

FWIW at Halfords today I noticed a small sign near the till offering the choice of paper or electronic

[stevejgreen]

Re: Halfords

FWIW at Halfords today I noticed a small sign near the till offering the choice of paper or electronic

If the paper one is thermally printed, it has a tendency to fade and become worthless when returning a high value 'lifetime guarantee' tool. An electronic one can always be reprinted if needed.

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Halfords

FWIW at Halfords today I noticed a small sign near the till offering the choice of paper or electronic

Strange, when I was at the Halfords at Rugby yesterday they asked if I wanted an email receipt and when I said "no thanks" theyautomatically printed one for me. I paid cash but doubt that has any influence on what you receive.

Sounds like some branches haven't got their heads around that they are offering you an extra service not a replacement. Loads of places print and also emailreceipts if you wish, Screwfix are a good example of this.