Oklahoma City outlet mall set to open on tax-free weekend

Last year, shoppers saved more than $6.8 million during the sales tax holiday, according to the Oklahoma Tax Commission. It occurs each year on the first weekend in August and is mandatory for all retailers. The law exempts clothing and shoes priced at less than $100 from sales taxes; the $100 limit is per item, not per transaction.

Even though the state is facing a budget crunch, there wasn't a push to eliminate the sales tax holiday, which has been in place since 2007, said Paula Ross, a spokeswoman for the Tax Commission.

“For the merchants and the economy, it's a positive,” she said, adding that the loss of sales tax is made up in other ways such as keeping shoppers in Oklahoma and attracting those from other states.