Authors:
Luis Lopez, Charles Messina
Abstract:
This disclosure proposes a solution to the current coin shortage by printing the amount of change due to the customer on the receipt using a barcode and allowing the receipt to used as credit on the next purchase.
Background:
The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the coin supply chain in the U.S. This has created a problem where retailers do not have enough coins to give their customers the correct change. In the past, retailers have put out jars next to the registers that encourage customers to drop their change or to take change as needed. This allows then to hand the cashier the correct amount of change and speed up the checkout process. Unfortunately, this increases the risks of spreading COVID-19 since you have multiple customers handling the coins in the jar as well as the cashiers.
Description:
One way to solve this problem is to print the amount of change due to the customer on the receipt using a barcode. This barcode would include security features and would be scanned the next time the customer returns to the store. At that time, the amount of change on the receipt would be credited towards this next purchase or cashed out if the store has change.
TGCS Reference 1961
