Local

Shoppers to migrate to South Carolina for tax-free weekend

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Plenty of North Carolina shoppers are taking their dollars to South Carolina to take advantage of sales tax savings this weekend.
 
North Carolina dropped the annual sales tax holiday this summer. That will mean big money for back-to-school retailers across the border.
 
Nancy Faile came to the Target store in Rock Hill with her back-to-school list. She always waits until this weekend to do her shopping.
 
"It may not be much, but every little bit you can save helps," Faile said.
 
Most shoppers are looking for discounts on clothes, shoes and school supplies, and those items are tax free all weekend.  
 
Target manager Jordan Garrison said this weekend usually boosts sales about 40 percent and savings for shoppers can be significant.
 
"Most shoppers are saving anywhere between maybe as little as $5, $6 or you can save $20 or $30 depending on how much shopping you're doing," she said.
 
Garrison said this tax-free holiday is already bigger than last year.
 
She expects about 10 percent more in sales thanks to shoppers driving across the border.
 
"We're already seeing a lot of traffic coming down from the Charlotte area -- from Pineville," she said.
 
Anticipating that, they've added staff, as well as merchandise.
 
Some Galleria Mall retailers are running ads beckoning North Carolina shoppers southward to take advantage of the now exclusive break for shoppers.
 
South Carolina's tax-free weekend is in its 15th year and ends Sunday night.  Shoppers are expected to spend about $3 million on tax-free items statewide.

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