Shop Alabama During Upcoming Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday

July 22, 2016

MONTGOMERY – Alabama’s 11th annual back-to-school sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, and ends at midnight Sunday, Aug. 7.

taxholidayHRes-283x300The state’s four-percent sales tax is waived throughout the state, while sales taxes levied by 293* cities and counties also are waived on:

  • clothing priced at $100 or less;
  • school supplies valued at $50 or less;
  • books that cost $30 or less; and
  • computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.

>> Learn more at alabamaretail.org/alabamasalestaxholidays

The Alabama Retail Association (ARA) predicts Alabamians will spend almost $1.14 billion on back-to-school shopping. Alabama sales generally represent 1.5 percent of all retail sales nationally. The National Retail Federation projects $75.8 billion will be spent nationally this back-to-school shopping season. For many retailers, the back-to-school shopping period is their second busiest time.

“Outside of December, (the sales tax holiday) is probably our biggest weekend of the year,” Michael Gee, president and co-owner of the Pants Store and an Alabama Retail board member, told ARA.

Alabamians will spend more than $4.5 billion in August, Alabama Retail projects. That is all taxed sales, all month, not just on back-to-school and represents a 2.5 percent growth over 2015, when Alabamians spent almost $4.4 billion in August.

>> Sales Tax Holiday by the Numbers Infographic

Shop AlabamaIn conjunction with the back-to-school shopping season, the Alabama Retail Association has launched its Shop Alabama campaign to encourage consumers to shop local.

“Those who shop in Alabama, strengthen the local economy, support friends and neighbors and invest in the community,” said ARA President Rick Brown. Through Sunday, Aug. 7, the Alabama Retail Association is asking shoppers to show why they #ShopAlabama in a post to the association’s Facebook page for a chance to win $300 in shopping money. To learn more, go to shopalabama.org/contest.

Alabama’s retailers employ one in four people in the private sector in our state, making retail the No. 1 private sector job creator in Alabama. Retail plus food and drinking establishments account for almost 10 percent of Alabama’s gross domestic product.

>> Retail Impact in Alabama Infographic

* As of July 19, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue

AlabamaRetailLogo

The Alabama Retail Association represents retailers, the largest private employer in the state of Alabama, before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Through sales of food, clothing, furniture, medicine and more, our 4,100 independent merchant and national company members touch almost every aspect of daily living. Since 1943, we’ve worked to promote what’s best for the retail industry in Alabama. Whether voicing the retail view when public policy is made, educating members about issues that impact them, negotiating rates for benefits and services or communicating the retail story, the Alabama Retail Association and its members are better together.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Nancy Dennis | 334.551.0643 | ndennis@alabamaretail.org
Melissa Warnke | 256.338.0621 | mwarnke@alabamaretail.org

Originally posted July 22