Many people shop on the Internet to avoid paying the tax they owe on their purchases.
But some online shoppers end up paying taxes that don't even exist. So was Joe, a friend of mine who bought a pair of reconditioned Compaq computers through an auction on the company's Web site. When he questioned the amount of sales tax he was charged, he learned he'd been victimized by a hidden accounting problem that may be costing online shoppers tens of thousands of dollars a year. Tucson stores collect 7 percent sales tax, including 2 percent that's sent to the city and 5 percent that goes to the state. But outside the city's limits, where Joe lives, only the state's sales tax applies.