Do you write receipts for customers? Is this necessary?

[Former_Member]

I read online that it's important to bring a receipt book to write receipts. Do you do this? It sounds time consuming and as a buyer at a craft market, I don't think I'd expect one.... but maybe I'm in the minority?

[wavejewelry]

Check with your state sales tax regulations. Here, in Hawaii, we're required to ask the customer if they want a receipt and provide one if they do. I use a calculator that produces a paper print out and stamp it with my business info. Most customers don't want a receipt but, sometimes, tourists from foreign countries need one for customs.

[Former_Member]

I always bring a receipt book with me and I ask customers if they want a receipt. Many say no, but there's always a few who do want one.

[eaststreettins]

I did at the beginning but now I just ask. More often I use the receipt book for custom orders.

[TheHomespunLoft]

I always do-- more for my records than theirs.. Most don't want one-but I have my copy so I know what I sold. I also write on it the time it is-just so I know if it a slow time or not for the next year.

[OutOfTheWoodsUSA]

We bring a receipt book with us; however, we've only been asked for a receipt once in the last 50 shows.

[WillowSwitchDesigns]

Most of my sales are through square, but instead of a receipt, everyone who makes a purchase gets a business card of mine with the name of the show, what they bought, the price, the date and an order # that I use for my records. That way that get a useful biz card instead of a forgotten why they picked it up biz card...

[whatleyphotography]

I don't write receipts except for custom orders. Maybe I should, but I just can't see that I would have time. I think I should start asking folks if they want one. I don't recall ever getting one when I buy something at a show with cash though.

[Former_Member]

I do write them, most of my customers pay with cash, I stamp them with my business info, and then I use my copy for my paperwork when I get home.

[Former_Member]

I always give a paper receipt... even if the customer doesn't want it... if you get audited they will want to see proof of sales

[3BeadDesigns]

I have a book but have never used it:) Most customers don't even want a receipt through Square either but I always ask and send one anyway if they are in the system.

[TextileTrolley]

I bring a receipt book with me but have never been asked to give a receipt!
Some that use Square even opt for no receipt!

[CozyDawg]

The one show I did, I put every single transaction through the Etsy app. This was my way of having proof of sales. Two people wanted receipts.

[Former_Member]

I always write out receipts, more for my record keeping. I have found that most people don't want the receipts whenever I have asked.

[Jackpots]

I always do - the easiest way for me to keep track of sales & taxes. I slip the customer's copy in the bag with the pottery. It gives them a way to find me again. I also include a business card. I've had postcard sized ones made up with a close up photo of a pot on the front and all my contact and social media info on the back - too much for a regular sized card.

[RadicalWorks]

I sell things so quickly, I never have time to write receipts for customers.

Even when I sell things with Square, I always ask if they want their receipt sent to them. Most will say "No". Lol

[Former_Member]

We have a receipt book with us when doing craft fairs but have never used it.

When using our Square Reader, we ask customers if they want a receipt but they always pass, I guess since they'll have a receipt via their credit card statement.

[Former_Member]

same here, I always bring a receipt book but I only wrote 2 last year

[FayeValentineJewelry]

I've never done receipts at shows, though perhaps I should offer them..

I don't need them for my records, as I keep sales sheets to record all my sales (item info, price, date etc). This system has been working very well for me and makes tax payments each quarter very quick.

[CarolBradleyDesigns]

I always write receipts with each item's inventory number on it. I need that information to know (1) the cost of goods sold and (2) how well different items are selling.

[TigersandDragons]

I have a receipt book, but I only write receipts when asked or when I am writing up a Custom order. Otherwise I keep track of all sales in a notebook. It's super useful to keep track of sales trends.

[ElisaAlvarado]

I always write a paper receipt. I keep one copy of the receipt for me for my state sales tax records. I could never get my taxes right without receipts. Some people put even cash sales into their square but paper works best for me.

[TremoughGlass]

Like Amelia sometimes the sales come so fast that I just don't have a chance to write a receipt. I have tried to keep a book on what I have sold and write up sales at quiet points in the day but even that can be difficult as I might forget the odd item that I've sold.

In three years only one person has ever asked for a receipt and if somebody pays by card then my izettle automatically sends a receipt to their e-mail.

[TigersandDragons]

You can train yourself into the habit of writing down an item as soon as it sells, a notebook system can work well. The notebook I use is the size of my hand, I keep it open and next to the calculator....with plenty of pens.

Even when I'm busy, I usually can find a few seconds to scribble, "Silver earrings $36 MC (for master card). Sometimes I do a quick sketch of the item if it is hard to describe. If it's a sale of more than 3 items to the same person, then I will write down the items while I'm still dealing with the customer, so that I can double check my math, and be sure that I calculate the correct total.

In 15 years of shows, I rarely miss writing down a sale, and can double check against the paper credit card slips, and my cash float. While Revenue Canada would prefer receipt books or cash register rolls, my sales notebooks are a sales record they can peruse if I am ever audited.

[Former_Member]

Tigersanddragons brings up a really good point. I don't use a notebook but what we do is to have a spreadsheet drawn up for each show, that lists all of our soaps & skin care products, along with some blank area's to write in any last minute additions.

For each product, we list the starting inventory, then we have an area next to the products where I put hash marks for each item sold. We also have area's where we can put hash marks for specials that we run.

The importance of this is twofold IMHO. First off, this allows us to total up our sales for the show to get the total sales number to calculate any tax that we might owe (sales tax). Some states we do shows in don't have sales tax but I still want to see those total sales figures. After deducting our booth fee, expenses, etc., we'll get to see our profit for that show. That helps to determine if we want to go back to that show in the future.

The other important thing, and this is really important, is that we have a record of what actually sold. We can see which products are more popular, which are not. We can compare this years totals against last years to see if we're making progress. But the main thing for me is that we get to see into the minds of our customers, to see what they like & want to buy. This helps us to plan inventory levels, as we'll double up the inventory on items we sold out of or that sold really well & this also gives us insight as to what additional complementary products we might want to develop.

It's also interesting to see how different products will sell completely different at different shows, different area's of the country, etc... All really good info to have for your business.