How NFC Receipts Work — The Technology Behind Quitslip
You've probably used NFC before without thinking about it. Tap your credit card to pay? That's NFC. Tap your phone to unlock a hotel room? NFC. It's the same technology behind Apple Pay and Google Pay. Quitslip uses it to do something deceptively simple: deliver your receipt to your phone the moment you tap a sticker.
What Is NFC?
NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It's a wireless technology that lets two devices exchange data when they're held close together — typically within 4 centimetres. Unlike Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, NFC doesn't need pairing, passwords, or setup. You just bring two NFC-enabled devices close together and they communicate instantly.
An NFC sticker (sometimes called a tag) is a small, thin chip with a tiny antenna coiled inside it. It has no battery — it draws power from the electromagnetic field of the phone that taps it. This is why NFC tags can last essentially forever without maintenance.
Why NFC Is Better Than QR Codes for Receipts
QR codes had their moment, especially during the pandemic. But for receipts, NFC is the superior technology. Here's why:
| NFC Sticker | QR Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Instant tap — 0.5 seconds | Open camera, aim, wait for scan |
| Ease of use | Just hold phone near sticker | Need camera app, steady hand, good lighting |
| Works in | Any lighting, any angle | Fails in low light, glare, or at odd angles |
| Durability | Lasts years, no fading | Fades, scratches, becomes unscannable |
| Feels like | Tap-to-pay (familiar) | Scanning a label (clunky) |
The biggest advantage is the user experience. Tapping a sticker feels like tapping your card to pay — it's a gesture people already know. There's no friction, no fumbling with camera angles, and it works just as well in a dimly lit bar as it does in a bright grocery store.
How Quitslip Works — Step by Step
Here's exactly what happens from the moment a customer pays to the moment their receipt appears on their phone:
Privacy by Design
One of the most important aspects of the Quitslip system is privacy. When a customer taps the NFC sticker, we don't track them. We don't drop cookies. We don't require an email address or phone number. The customer is completely anonymous unless they choose to create a Quitslip account to save their receipts.
The receipt page shows the most recent transaction for that merchant. If you tap the sticker, you see the latest receipt. No personal data is exchanged in the process.
This is a fundamental design choice. We believe your purchase history is private, and accessing a receipt shouldn't require surrendering your contact information to yet another marketing database.
Device Compatibility
NFC works on virtually every modern smartphone:
- iPhone: Every model from iPhone 7 onwards (2016+) supports NFC tag reading. iPhones XS and later read NFC tags automatically without opening any app — just tap and the receipt opens in Safari.
- Android: Nearly all Android phones manufactured since 2015 have NFC built in. Tapping a tag opens the URL automatically in Chrome or the default browser.
No app download is required. No Bluetooth pairing. No Wi-Fi connection. The customer's phone just needs to be awake (screen on) — they tap, and their browser opens with the receipt.
What About the NFC Sticker Itself?
The Quitslip NFC sticker is a small, durable tag that adheres to the merchant's counter near the POS terminal. It's about the size of a large coin, waterproof, and designed to withstand years of daily use. Each sticker is pre-programmed with a unique URL tied to the merchant's Quitslip account.
There's no battery to charge, no Wi-Fi to connect, and nothing to maintain. Once it's stuck to the counter, it works indefinitely. Pro plan merchants receive a custom branded NFC stand instead of a sticker — a more premium countertop presence.