RALEIGH -- Newlywed Audrey Stone is on a mission this weekend.
"I just got married and I've got a whole house to fill with furniture," Stone said. "So, I'm trying to take advantage of this tax-free weekend. I'm trying to find some things, find some good deals."
But not all retailers get to participate in the exemptions. For example, stores that sell furniture, jewelry, and cosmetics still have to pay the sales tax.
News 14 Carolina's Ilin Chen has more on the attempts of state retailers to get more business during tax-free weekend.
That's why some places are enticing shoppers with their own matching discounts. Some stores see their foot traffic increase by almost a third during the sales tax holiday.
"Because you have so many consumers out in the market this weekend, this three-day period, the first question you're going to receive is, 'So are you guys doing tax-free this weekend?' " Anterio Kittrell, of Heavner Furniture Market, said.
Even national chains, like Oreck Vacuums, are offering a 7 percent discount throughout the state. But that will cost them.
"Sales dollars, I'm reluctant to say, but it could [cost us] as much as $25,000 to $30,000," Oreck Vacuums Manager Carly Mason said.
National furniture stores like RoomStore and Ashley Furniture don't advertise their offers. But, if customers ask, they can also take off 7 percent for those who qualify.
And that's exactly what shoppers like Stone want to hear.
"Everything we have right now is kind of hand-me-down, so really I'll buy absolutely anything if I can find a good deal on it," Stone said.