Amazon is about to begin collecting sales tax on items sold to customers in Vermont. The company made the announcement Friday. Amazon said it will begin collecting the new tax on Feb. 1. A Vermont statue concerning internet sales tax goes into effect July 1. When asked why Amazon chose to begin collecting the sales tax Feb. 1, a spokeswoman declined to comment. "The amount of tax charged on your order will depend upon many factors including Identity of the seller, type of item purchased, and destination of the shipment," according to Amazon's posted sales tax policy. Vermont State Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe said the sales tax collection would benefit traditional retailers. "Six years ago a fellow Senator and I introduced a bill requiring online retailers to collect and remit Vermont sales tax," Ashe said. "It was a basic matter of fairness for us. In the six years since, large online retailers have been unwilling to play on the same level field with local brick and mortar stores, contributing to the closure of some of them." Ashe said he hoped more online retailers would also begin collecting sales tax from Vermont customers. Amazon collects sales tax in 34 other states, including the District of Columbia and New York. The sales tax rate in Vermont is six percent. It was not immediately known how much extra revenue the state would receive from the new sales tax.

Amazon is about to begin collecting sales tax on items sold to customers in Vermont.

The company made the announcement Friday.

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Amazon said it will begin collecting the new tax on Feb. 1.

A Vermont statue concerning internet sales tax goes into effect July 1.

When asked why Amazon chose to begin collecting the sales tax Feb. 1, a spokeswoman declined to comment.

"The amount of tax charged on your order will depend upon many factors including Identity of the seller, type of item purchased, and destination of the shipment," according to Amazon's posted sales tax policy.

Vermont State Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe said the sales tax collection would benefit traditional retailers.

"Six years ago a fellow Senator and I introduced a bill requiring online retailers to collect and remit Vermont sales tax," Ashe said. "It was a basic matter of fairness for us. In the six years since, large online retailers have been unwilling to play on the same level field with local brick and mortar stores, contributing to the closure of some of them."



Ashe said he hoped more online retailers would also begin collecting sales tax from Vermont customers.

Amazon collects sales tax in 34 other states, including the District of Columbia and New York.

The sales tax rate in Vermont is six percent. It was not immediately known how much extra revenue the state would receive from the new sales tax.