Tax on Amazon purchases in Calif. begins Saturday

Sep 13, 2012 by Hannah Dreier

(AP)—Online retailer Amazon.com has tried to become all things to all consumers, but in California, it is about to take on a role it fought against for years: tax collector.

The change, which takes effect this weekend, comes after years of bitter back and forth between the world's largest online mall and the California Legislature over whether should have to impose sales taxes on customers. The two sides reached a deal in 2011 that included a one-year grace period set to end Saturday.

The looming deadline has spurred at least some consumers into impulse-buying mode, making big-ticket purchases and stocking up on essentials before the tax collection kicks in.

Explore further: California to target Web retailers for sales taxes

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