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1. When and where does the holiday occur?
Shoppers could have started shopping as early as 12 a.m. yesterday, with the holiday lasting through 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The three-day tax exemption will take place at all online and Ohio stores.
Shoppers looking to use pickup methods from popular back-to-school stores like Meijer, Target and Walmart must order and pickup the items during the sales tax-free weekend.
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2. Only some items qualify
Popular school items like highlighters, pens, pencils, backpacks, calculators and more all qualify to be purchased without paying taxes, but only if the items are priced at $20 or less.
During the holiday, shoppers don’t have to pay taxes on school supplies and instructional material costing less than $20 per item, as well as clothing costing less than $75 per item.
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Clothing, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation, is “all human wearing apparel suitable for general use.” This includes shirts, pants, dresses, uniforms, shoes, underwear, socks, coats, gloves, hats, belts, neckties, scarves, aprons, lab coats, bathing suits, diapers for children and adults, formal wear, etc.
If customers purchase an item of clothing over $75 or school supplies over $20, customers will pay taxes on the whole purchase price, including the first $75 or $20 of the item. For example, if customers purchase $80 shoes, they will pay sales tax on all $80.
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3. How to beat the crowds.
Some area store owners told the Dayton Daily News that early today is the best time to shop. Come Saturday and Sunday, people will be off work and hitting the stores for the sales break. Add in the average errand runner during the weekend and stores could be extremely busy.
Online order and pickup options are another way to beat the crowd for consumers who don’t want to fight the crowd in the aisles or wait in line at checkouts.
4. More than just back-to-school shoppers can benefit from the sales
Teachers and parents of school-aged children won’t be the only shoppers to take advantage of tax exemptions during this weekend’s holiday.
New moms, office workers and soon-to-be brides, among many others, can also get deals. Diapers and baby receiving blankets are included in the clothing that qualifies to be tax-free during the weekend. Office workers can stock up on supplies like pens, pencils and post-it notes.
For brides, hosiery, garters, formal wear and wedding apparel are also included in the clothing list, so soon-to-brides looking to purchase those items that cost less than $75 can do so tax-free today through Sunday.
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5. The holiday is permanent now
This is the second year for the tax-free holiday since Gov. John Kasich signed the bill into permanent law, rather than a pilot phase.
Now shoppers will see the tax free weekend every year during the first weekend in August.
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