How Much Does Alabama Lose On Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday deals and steals — that’s what a lot of shoppers have been hoping for all day long. But just how much does Alabama lose out because of all the online shopping? For Mandy Freeman, the Black Friday madness that trickles through Saturday and Sunday were not her idea of shopping this weekend. “Ugh — Black Friday. The lines, mostly, the people having to fight for all different kind of items.” Freeman says she was glad she dodged the weekend shopping. Instead, she waited to get the deals — all under her fingertips. “To me it’s just easier to go online, you can see everything basically in one shot,” Said Freeman. She saved 30 percent off a quilt and duvet she’s been eying since Black Friday. And sure, for the projected 120 million online shoppers, buying items online may seem easier than waiting in line. But the Alabama Retail Association says if you’re buying from a store that does not have a presence in Alabama and is tax free, the state won’t benefit. “It’s good from the retailers who collect the sales tax. If you’re not buying from retailers who collect the sales tax, than it’s bad for the state and local economies,” Said Dennis. On Cyber Monday, Alabamians are estimated to spend about $30 million. It could top $2 billion nationwide. Dennis says collecting the tax can be a problem. “You, as the consumer, are supposed to take care of that on your income tax at the end of the year,” Said Dennis. “You’re supposed to claim how much you bought without paying taxes and then you just include that in your income tax filing.” Dennis says very few people do that — whether it’s Cyber Monday or not — the state loses about $300 million a year from online shopping. She says if you are planning on catching some of those online deals, it helps if the retailer has a store in Alabama. ASK YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO PUSH FOR E-FAIRNESS Now that Congress is back at work after the Thanksgiving break, some local retailers are asking for fairness between retailers who have an online presence and those who don’t — they say some have an unfair tax advantage. The Retail Association is urging those businesses to contact their congressional representative. Click the link below to find out who your area representative is and how to contact them. http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
