The transaction slip produced for transactions made through a POS terminal is a printout that gives the details of that transaction. You could call it the transaction's title deed.
So can there be a situation where a transaction is made through a POS but no transaction slip is given?
Such a situation can happen, even if rarely. For it to happen, there has to be paper in the POS device, but not enough paper left to print the full receipt for one transaction.
In that case, here is what we, as the cardholder, need to do:
First, the empty roll in the POS's paper compartment needs to be removed and replaced with a new roll.
- You can print the last transaction by selecting the "Print Last Transaction" option from the POS menu. If the last printed transaction slip shows our card's number and the transaction is successful, we can safely say the transaction went through.
- As a second solution, you can start a cancellation of the last successful transaction from the POS's Cancel menu. If the cancellation starts and the transaction amount is correct, you can say the transaction made with your card was successful.
- As a third solution, if the transaction wasn't done offline, it will show up in your card's issuer's authorization system. You can call your bank's call center and ask whether the transaction was successful.
- As a fourth solution, if you can log into your bank's internet branch and see this transaction among your card's pending open authorizations, you can say the transaction was successful.
- As a fifth solution, right after the transaction, the POS briefly displays a message on screen stating whether the transaction was successful. Ask the merchant representative whether this message appeared. If they say it did, you can trust the merchant and say the transaction was successful.
Don't dismiss it as "just a piece of paper." If it's supposed to print and doesn't, it can leave you in a tough spot :)