If your state is tax exempt on Toilet Paper, check your Staples receipts!

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I recently put an order in to Staples online for a case of toilet paper.  I was charged tax on this purchase.  When placing the order, the tax said “estimate” which happens on other sites, but the end charge usually does not include sales tax when the item is exempt.  Toilet paper is exempt in Pennsylvania.

I called Staples to try and recoup my tax amount which was a little over $3.  I was offered a $5 coupon on my next purchase.  I don’t order that much from Staples, so no, that will not suffice.  Besides, it’s MY money and they should not have charged me tax.

I was also told that I could return it for a full refund and buy my toilet paper elsewhere.  Um, no again.  I just want my tax back … AND, I don’t want to be charged tax the next time that I might order.  AND, I don’t want others to have to pay sales tax on items that are exempt from tax.

I took down the supervisor’s name and extension and forwarded my complaint to the PA Attorney General.

A similar thing happened the last time that I ordered from GetMaineLobster.com and was charged tax on seafood.  I contacted them, but they told me that “seafood was a luxury in some places”.  I can buy seafood at the grocery store and I do not pay tax on it.  Food is also tax exempt in Pennsylvania.

I am hoping the PA Attorney General can guide me on how to recoup my sales tax as well as have these businesses fix the problem for the future.

I know it may not seem like a lot of money … but it’s wrong.  It’s my money and I don’t want to spend extra because they won’t fix the problem.

Anyway, I’ll update when I hear anything back about it.  I only submitted for Staples, because GetMaineLobster was a while back and probably too long ago to fix.  Though I’m still thinking about filing anyway.   I did stop buying from the lobster place though.  It has been my main go-to for my winter solstice dinner each year for many years … and this year, I got my seafood elsewhere.   I do not like to be overcharged.

So, I’ll update this when I hear back.