It’s the weak link of every warranty: the proof of purchase. You may well have rights for two years or more, but after-sales service first demands a document that is dated and readable. And the till receipt, of all things, is designed to disappear.
Why thermal receipts fade
Most till receipts are printed on thermal paper: no ink, just a reaction to heat. Over time, with light and warmth (a glovebox, a pocket, a drawer near a heat source), the print fades until it vanishes — often within months, sometimes within weeks.
By the time you need it, two years later, all that’s left is a blank rectangle.
What proof is accepted?
Good news: the receipt isn’t the only admissible proof. The following are generally accepted:
- the invoice (the strongest, especially for big-ticket purchases);
- a readable till receipt;
- the order confirmation e-mail (online purchases);
- a bank statement showing the merchant and the date (supporting evidence);
- a dated delivery note.
Good archiving habits
1. Photograph it the same day. Before the receipt fades, take a photo in good conditions (well lit, flat, in focus). It’s the single most important step.
2. Ask for an invoice. For any moderately expensive purchase, request an invoice in your name: it’s the most robust proof, and it doesn’t fade.
3. Centralize the digital stuff. Order e-mails, PDF invoices, photos of receipts: gather them in one place instead of scattering them across your inbox, your phone and various drawers.
4. Link the proof to the item. A receipt photo lost among 5,000 holiday photos is as useless as a faded receipt. The ideal is to attach it to the device it belongs to.
The most common mistake
Keeping the receipt “just in case” inside the appliance’s box… then throwing out the box. Or piling receipts into a drawer with no dates and no order. The day of the breakdown, you know you “kept something” — but you can’t lay your hands on it in time.
The simple method: photo + item, in one place
That’s exactly what Keept does: when you add an item, you photograph the invoice or receipt, and it stays attached to the device along with its purchase date. The paper receipt can fade all it likes: your digital proof stays readable and dated, ready to be produced the day you need it.