Sales tax is a tax imposed by state and local governments on the sale of goods and services. Our business has reached “nexus” in certain states, which means we are legally required to collect sales tax on purchases shipped to those states. If you are being charged sales tax, it’s because your shipping address is in a state where we now have a tax obligation.

Sales tax nexus occurs when a business has a significant connection to a state. This can be triggered by factors such as reaching a certain sales threshold in the state. Once we establish nexus in a state, we must collect and remit sales tax on all orders shipped to that state.

If your shipping address is in a state where we are required to collect sales tax, it will automatically be applied to your order at checkout. You will see the tax amount applied to your order after you submit your order. If you believe there is a problem or have been wrongly charged sales tax, reply to your order received email and our team will investigate further.

We are currently collecting sales tax in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. This list is subject to change over time as our business grows, but we will always keep it up to date.

If you are a tax-exempt organization, you may be eligible for tax-exempt status. Prior to placing your order, please reach out to our customer service team at service@allaboutbooks.org or your dedicated Sales account manager. They will assist you in providing the necessary documentation and guide you through the process of uploading and certifying your tax-exempt status documentation.

Sales tax is calculated based on the laws and rates of the state and local jurisdictions where your order is being shipped. Your tax rate may differ based on your location. Additionally, rates can change according to the shipping date and the state.

In some states, sales tax applies to shipping and handling fees as well as the cost of the products. The rules vary by state, so the tax on your order may include shipping depending on your location. Note, that this only applies to orders where a shipping and/or handling fee is included. AAB does not charge for standard ground shipping.

If you return an item, you will be refunded the amount you paid, including the sales tax. However, sales tax on shipping fees may not be refunded depending on state laws.

Currently, sales tax is only applicable to orders shipped within the United States. International orders are not subject to U.S. sales tax, though other taxes or duties may apply depending on your country.

We will send you an opportunity to submit your proper documentation before your order ships. You will not be charged if your paperwork is submitted and validated before your order is billed. If after, then you will be charged sales tax on that order and any order placed and billed before your documents have been submitted.

You will receive an email from Avalara to submit your documentation for validation. If you missed this email, contact our sales team (service@allaboutbooks.org) and we will provide you a link to submit your forms for your organization.

Our validation service, Avalara, handles the validation of submitted forms. The timing of these validations may vary, as they are carried out by human agents rather than an automated program.

No, you cannot have the sales tax refunded, please consult with your tax professional about a possible credit on your taxes.

If you have a validated sales tax-exempt certificate on file AND were charged and paid for sales tax in error, your account will be credited the overpayment to use toward a future purchase. If a valid sales tax-exempt certificate was not provided prior to invoicing and the sales tax amount paid was submitted to the state, it will not qualify for a refund or credit.

We will not charge sales tax in Delaware, New Hampshire, Montana, or Oregon as long they remain no-tax states. If changes are made to this list, our system will be updated, and you will be sent an email to provide the necessary documentation.