Receipt media is advertising and personalized messaging delivered on a shopper's receipt, printed or digital, at the moment a purchase is completed. Because the message is triggered by the live transaction, it can respond to exactly what is in the basket, reaching every shopper who checks out, not just loyalty members or logged-in app users.
Why the receipt is a media channel
Most retail media works before the purchase: search ads, sponsored products and onsite display try to influence what a shopper considers. The receipt is different. It arrives at the one point when the retailer knows for certain what was bought.
That makes the receipt the start of the next visit, not the end of this one. A relevant offer, a brand partner's message or a loyalty prompt placed on the receipt is tied to verified purchase behavior rather than a prediction of it.
- 01Before the purchaseSearch ads, sponsored products and onsite display work on a prediction of intent.
- 02The purchase Receipt mediaThe one moment the retailer knows for certain what was bought.
- 03The next visitA relevant offer, tied to verified purchase behavior, brings the shopper back.
How receipt media works
From the till to a measured result, in five steps.
Checkout
The shopper checks out, in store or online.
Data
The transaction data passes from the point of sale (POS) to the receipt media platform.
Decision
The platform evaluates the basket against live campaign rules and selects the most relevant offer or message.
Delivery
The message is added to the printed receipt (as a coupon at till) or to the digital receipt, in milliseconds, without slowing the checkout.
Measurement
Redemptions and later purchases are matched back to the campaign so the retailer and its brand partners can measure the incremental effect.
What can appear on a receipt
Personalized coupons
For a future visit, based on the current basket.
Brand-funded offers
From suppliers and retail media partners.
Loyalty prompts
Such as points balances or an invitation to join.
QR codes
That move shoppers into the retailer's app or digital channels.
Recommendations
Product recommendations and complementary add-ons.
Receipt media vs other retail media
| Dimension | Receipt media | Onsite and offsite retail media | In-store screens |
|---|---|---|---|
| When it reaches the shopper | At and just after the purchase | Before the purchase | During the store visit |
| What triggers it | The live transaction | Search, browsing and audience segments | Location and schedule |
| Who it reaches | Every shopper who checks out | Shoppers who browse online or are matched to a segment | Shoppers who pass the screen |
| Personalization | The actual basket, plus history where available | Predicted intent | Usually none |
Going deeper? Read receipt media vs retail media networks.
Benefits for retailers and brands
- Full reachEvery transaction can carry a message, including shoppers who are not loyalty members.
- RelevanceOffers are based on what was just bought, not on a broad segment.
- New inventoryThe receipt becomes ad space the retailer can offer brand partners without new hardware.
- Closed-loop measurementBecause each transaction is captured, campaigns can be measured on incremental sales rather than impressions alone.
- First-party dataReceipt engagement builds the retailer's own customer data in a privacy-compliant way.
The receipt, turned into a retail media channel
Ecrebo connects to a retailer's existing POS with no new hardware. Its promo engine reads each transaction and returns a personalized offer in roughly 250 milliseconds, delivered as a coupon at till, on a digital receipt or at ecommerce checkout. Retailers and their brand partners can then measure the incremental effect of every campaign.
- No new hardware
- ~250 ms decisioning
- Coupon at till
- Digital receipt
- Ecommerce checkout
Frequently asked questions
Is receipt media the same as a digital receipt?
No. A digital receipt is one channel for receipt media. Receipt media can also run on printed receipts through coupon-at-till technology.
Do shoppers need to be loyalty members to receive receipt media?
No. Because it is triggered by the transaction, receipt media can reach every eligible shopper at checkout.
Can brands buy receipt media?
Yes. Retailers can sell receipt placements to suppliers as part of their retail media offer, alongside onsite and in-store inventory.
How is receipt media measured?
Redemptions and later purchases are matched back to each campaign, so its incremental effect on sales can be measured.