Retailers hope tax-free weekend boosts sales

Retailers across Massachusetts are hoping the tax-free weekend boosts sales.

JOSH THE SIGN IS CLEAR THIS ISHAPPENING THIS WEEKEND AS YOUCAN SE PEOPLE WALKING INTO THEBUILDING.SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE BEENLOOKING FORWARD TO THESE TWODAYS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.DAVE JOHNSON: THE SNOWBLOWERS ASYOU SEE IN THE WINDOW ARE,ALTHOUGH NO ONE WANTS TO SEETHEM, IT’S LIKE HALLOWEEN CANDYAND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET ADEAL.SO THE MORE THEY SPEND THE MORETHEY SAVJOSH: YOU MIGHT NOT BE THINKINGABOUT CLEARING OFF YOUR DRIVEWAYIN AUGUST, BUT DAVE JOHNSONHOPES YOU ARE.CAOLA EQUIPMENT IN WORCEST, FAMILY OWNED FOR NEARLY 70YEARS BY HIS FAMILY, MARKED THESALES TAX FREE WEEKEND ON THEIRCALENDAR MONTHS AGO.DAVE: FOR THE MOST PART, IT’STHE BIGGER TICKET ITEMS, THATPEOPLE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUTAND THEY ASK US ALL YEAR LONGWHEN’S THE BEST TIME, WE ALWAYSSAY WAIT TIL THEY HAVE IALAN: ANY TIME IS SALES TAX FREEIS TIMELY FOR US AND EVERYBODYELSE.JOSH: AND THAT TIME IS NOW.PERCY’S APPLIANCES ANDELECTRONICS HAS HAD TROUBLEGETTING INVENTORY DURING THEPANDEMIC.IT’S A LOCALLY OWNED SMALLBUSINESS IN WORCESTER HOPINGTHIS WEEKEND THEY WILL BE ABLETO MOVE MANY OF THEIR APPLIANCESOUT.BUT WHEREAS IN YEARS PAST, THISSHOW HIM THAT SHOWROOM WOULD BEPACKED THIS WEEKEND, THIS YEARTHERE ARE RESTRICTIONS.ALAN: IT WOULD JUST BECRAZINESS, NOW IT’S ANYWHEREBETWEEN 10-15 PEOPLE ONLY AT ONETIME AND THAT’S IT AND WE JUST,WE LOCK THE DOOR.AND TWO PEOPLE LEAVE AND TWOCOME IN, TWO PEOPLE LEAVE ANDTWO COME IN.JOSH: MOST SINGLE ITEMS UP TO$2499 ARE TAX FREE, BUT THATDOES NOT INCLUDE CARS, BOATS,BOOZE, CIGARETTES, MARIJUANA, ORFOODTHIS BEGINS TOMORROW AND IT GOESTHROUGH SUNDAY.