Kmart is moving to digital receipts using ‘smart’ Aussie technology

The budget retailer has announced a change to the way its customers shop, claiming it will help eradicate a huge checkout problem.

Kmart is introducing a new technology at its tills that will completely change the way we shop.

The budget retailer is ditching paper receipts in favour of “digital smart receipts” using a tech platform called Slyp.

Instead of traditional paper receipts, most of which are not recyclable due to the type of ink used when printing, Kmart customers will receive fully itemised and tax-compliant record of their transaction automatically in their bank app.

Paper receipts will still be available as “smart receipts” are currently only being offered to NAB customers, but the retailer has said “more banks are coming soon”.

The move simplifies the buying process for customers as it makes it easier to return items – and it also helps businesses such as Kmart operate in a greener capacity.

Lil Velis-Bowker, chief customer officer at Kmart, said the change will “improve and enhance customers’ shopping experience” both in store and online.

Kmart has announced its moving to digital receipts and ditching paper. Picture: Supplied

“By switching to digital smart receipts we are able to give our customers a more seamless shopping experience, by taking away the stress of needing to keep hold of a physical printed receipt,” she told news.com.au.

“This allows our customers to process returns more easily, but also gives them a great opportunity to have a history of their Kmart purchases easily at hand in their banking app.

“By using digital smart receipts we will also be able to reduce our future reliance on printed receipts, which is important to us as we continue to work through ways we can reduce our environmental impact.”

Kmart is the latest in a string of Australian retailers who have adopted Slyp, a technology that launched in 2020 after four years of development.

Paul Weingarth, CEO and co-founder of the “smart receipts” told news.com.au the idea came after a shopping trip that ended with him taking home a ream of paper.

“I realised the need for something like Slyp in 2016 after I purchased a chainsaw and received a 50cm long receipt at my local hardware store,” he said.

“The cashier asked me to take a photo of the receipt because it was going to fade over time — it just made no sense to me.

“We had many iterations of what eventually became the Slyp Smart Receipt, and built it in close consultation with retailers, banks and customers to make sure it was as easy, convenient and seamless as possible.”

Using a technology called Slyp, customers bank transactions will now be accepted as tax invoices. Picture: Supplied

After securing the support of all four major Australian banks, Paul said Slyp launched in late 2020 and has fast become a “growing network”.

“We are now live with hundreds of brands across more than 1800 locations around Australia,” he said.

“We’re bringing more merchants on every day and we’re working with all of Australia’s biggest banks to bring Smart Receipts to their banking app in the near future.”

As well as Kmart, iconic Aussie fashion store Country Road is also joining the platform, alongside hundreds of other national retailers including Chemist Warehouse, JD Sports, General Pants, Barbeques Galore, Mitre 10, and Cue.

Paul said Slyp’s main goal was to “divert as many paper receipts from landfill as possible and eventually move to eradicate them altogether”.

“Paper receipts are too often discarded at the bottom of handbags, abandoned in shopping trolleys or left littering our streets,” he explained.

“From here they end up in landfill or waterways because – contrary to popular belief – paper receipts are not recyclable.

“They are produced using significant natural resources in the form of trees, water and oil, and are coated in BPA/BPS chemicals, rendering them unrecyclable and extremely unsustainable.”

Paul Weingarth, CEO and co-founder of Slyp, said the ‘smart receipts’ were born out of a need to eradicate paper. Picture: Supplied

While the change will be drastic for some, Kmart said it feels confident customers will “enjoy” the paperless option.

However the superstore stressed “paper receipts will continue to remain available for those customers who instead prefer a printed copy”.

“Our customers are always eager to enjoy additional ways of making their Kmart shopping experience even more seamless, convenient, and personalised, and we anticipate that the introduction of digital smart receipts is something that will excite many of our customers,” Lil said.