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Do photos of receipts count as proof of purchase?

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Hi,

There are lots of apps on the iphone that take shots of and store your receipts. It would be nice if I could record purchases digitally with one of these apps, and then throw away the original receipt. No more spending hours looking for a receipt of something you bought 2 years ago for warranty purposes!

But I've searched the net and I can't find any information on whether or not a photo of a receipt like this would count as a proof of purchase. Reasonably it would, but things rarely work in a reasonable manner.

Does anyone know what the legal stance on this is? Is there any way of finding out other than calling a number of retailers and asking? Is there one rule for all or will every retailer have different rules on this?

Thanks for the help.

Comments

  • halibut2209
    halibut2209 Posts: 4,250 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I doubt it, as there is nothing to tie a photo to the seller. A bank account transaction is tied to a name, and the receipt is tied to the person who has it in their possession. Photos can be copied to other people
    One important thing to remember is that when you get to the end of this sentence, you'll realise it's just my sig.
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It would depend. In order to get a warranty repair done or an exchange for something other than faulty (ie change of mind) yes they can insist on an actual receipt.

    As for the sale of goods act, you only need proof of purchase, it doesnt have to be a receipt. It doesnt even have to be a document. Technically it could be an eyewitness. However, what is really important at the end of the day isnt what the store would think but rather, would a judge find it as "proof" that on the balance of probabilities, you purchased that product.

    The few times I've dealt with customer services online or on the phone (rather than going in store) and they've asked me to send the receipt, they've always asked me to scan it then attach it to an email......so no different. I do know several people who scan all their receipts and keep them all on the one memory stick, but I've never heard them say whether they've had to use them or not.
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I doubt it, as there is nothing to tie a photo to the seller. A bank account transaction is tied to a name, and the receipt is tied to the person who has it in their possession. Photos can be copied to other people

    Same with receipts though ;) They can be copied and a receipt isnt "tied" to anyone. They can give the receipt to someone else, so not conclusive proof that the person bought that item at that store.

    Likewise it doesnt have to be your bank statement, could be anyones. Not like the store will have the name/address of the person who purchased it unless it was delivered and people do use other peoples accounts/cards.

    Heck just last week my sister asked me to order her a Viv Westwood jumper and the week before my mate used it too. Technically the contract is with them and the companies they respectively bought from, I'm just the payment source.
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • halibut2209
    halibut2209 Posts: 4,250 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    "They can give the receipt to someone else, so not conclusive proof that the person bought that item at that store."

    I didn't say that. I said it ties it to who has the receipt in their possession. ie only one person

    Same with the bank statement. I wouldn't consider it unreasonable for the shop to ask for proof that the person named on the bank statement is the person who is returning the item.

    In either case there's no way to really "prove" that that is the person who originally bought the item, but both proofs (receipt and bank statement) are linked to one person - whoever has the receipt, and the named person on the bank statement.

    A photo of a receipt can be copied so if I had something from Argos bought a year ago and didn't want it, I could get a friend to buy the same item, give me a photo of the receipt and we could then both return our items for a full refund.
    One important thing to remember is that when you get to the end of this sentence, you'll realise it's just my sig.
  • sach160
    sach160 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Thanks for the replies. Good points made. It's a tricky one. It's just a shame in this day and age there is no conclusive way to be done with paper receipts altogether. I guess I could keep all receipts and scan them, and if I ever have any issues, try using the scanned one and if that fails, dig up the paper one. That should still save some time and losing of receipts.
  • mttylad
    mttylad Posts: 1,519 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    These days you are very lucky to find a receipt still readable after a few years.
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    A photo of a receipt can be copied so if I had something from Argos bought a year ago and didn't want it, I could get a friend to buy the same item, give me a photo of the receipt and we could then both return our items for a full refund.

    Well not really as you have no statotory right to a refund just for change of mind and any policy of the stores can specify that the actual receipt has to be produced.

    You do make several good points however are you also forgetting that its really no different to someone going into a store saying i bought it around x date and the store locating the receipt? After all, the person doesn't have possession of the receipt and is in no way linked to the receipt other than to give the approximate date it was purchased. They may have seen someone buy it, it might be a family/friend etc..........

    As the above poster pointed out aswell......I have receipts less than a year old for big purchases that have completely faded. There is not one details visable. I do however have a bank statement showing the purchase.

    As I said above, imo it would be enough to convince a judge in small claims, however I think you would struggle if it was for anything other than your statutory rights (ie returning on stores own policy). Of course, that would depend on your luck of which store and which person served you, one thing i've learned from the forums is that there are no infallible companies, you can speak to 2 people of the same company and have 2 very different responses - often contradictory.
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
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