Mississippi shoppers have a chance to save some money today and tomorrow during the state’s annual sales tax holiday. MPB’s Evelina Burnett has the details.
Until midnight Saturday, shoppers in Mississippi don’t have to pay sales tax on clothing and footwear items that cost less than $100.
Kathy Waterbury with the Department of Revenue says sports gear, such as cleats or roller blades, and school supplies are not included in the holiday.
"Also not included in the holiday are accessory items, such as handbags, purses, watches, wallets, backpacks and those types of things," she says.
Still, many retailers are offering specials today and tomorrow to help boost sales, even of items not included in the exemption. Michelle Rogers, marketing director for Edgewater Mall in Biloxi, says the sales tax holiday has turned into one of the mall’s busiest shopping weekends of the year. She says it's also revived what was fast becoming a dying tradition – back to school shopping.
"Because schools start earlier than then did years ago, kids are just wearing their shorts on to school, and then we would see an increased traffic when that first cold snap would come and people would come in to get long pants and boots," she says. "This has really given a shot in the arm to back-to-school shopping, so parents and really everyone is taking advantage of the weekend to come in and buy some things because they can save that money."
The mall, like some other retailers, will also be offering extended shopping hours, opening from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
