King William County resident Teresa Petty said the statewide tax-free holiday on school supplies later this week isn't enough incentive to warrant a shopping trip.

Between the cost of car repairs, a vacation, and high gas and food prices, "we've just been hit really hard" this summer, said Petty, the mother of a rising fifthand seventh-grader who said she typically spends about $50 per child for school supplies.

When it comes to school-supply shopping this year, "I've just got to do it little by little," Petty said.

Parents across the state will get some relief Friday, Saturday and next Sunday as the state waives the 5 percent sales tax on school supplies valued at $20 or less, and clothing and shoes $100 or less.

According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend an average of $594.24 on back-to-school shopping this year, up from $563.49 last year, for electronics, clothing, shoes and school supplies.

The retail group and others believe sales-tax holiday weekends, such as the one in Virginia, will be more meaningful this year for consumers because of the slowing economy and higher gasoline prices.

"They're having to look for ways to save [because] it's almost weekly we're seeing changes" at the gas pump or in the grocery stores, said George Peyton, vice president of government relations for the Retail Merchants Association in Richmond.

More people are using coupons to save money, he said. Others will use their government stimulus checks.

The tax holiday "really is meaningful and it's additional savings," Peyton said.

. . .

Many consumers will be spending more time at discount stores and steering clear of anything that's not a necessity, experts say.

Tricia Bellflower is taking that approach.

She said she and her 12-year-old son, John, agreed this year to buy only the necessities for school. That means the seventh-grader won't be sporting a new wardrobe when he returns to Chesterfield County's Manchester Middle School.

"I go to the gas station and $75 doesn't even fill the tank," she said. "So I'm not buying anything that's not absolutely essential."

John will get a new backpack, but his mother has no plans to shop for it later this week. "I guess if you have a hundred kids, the tax-free holiday will save you money," she said. "But when you have just one, it doesn't. I'll spend more in gas for the special trip than I'll save."

Hanover County resident Elizabeth Proctor feels the same.

For items like backpacks, "I used to replace those every year just because it was fun," said Proctor, who has four children. "But this year, probably not."

She took advantage of the tax holiday last year.

"It was harder than it should have been for not that much of a savings," she said. "On every $100, you save $4. I didn't find that it was that helpful, and I stood in line forever."

Yet J. Craig Shearman, vice president of governmental affairs for the National Retail Federation, said tax holidays have traditionally been successful.

This year, 15 states and the District of Columbia have them. Virginia has three -- one for hurricane preparedness in May, one for back-to-school shopping in August and another in October for energy-efficient appliances and products.

"There's something special about sales tax holidays versus just a regular sale," he said.

Psychologically, the tax-free weekends are appealing to consumers because they see it as "getting one over on Uncle Sam."

. . .

Jeff Kraus, market manager for Richmond-area Wal-Mart stores, said the chain's 11 local stores already are seeing back-to-school shoppers. Of Virginia's three tax holidays, "this one brings them out."

Kraus said in addition to tax-free school supplies, Wal-Mart is offering the tax-free purchases on electronics including televisions and computers.

State law allows retailers the option of paying the 5 percent sales tax on items not covered by the regulations. Dozens of retailers plan to do so.

Saxon Shoes president Gary Weiner said everything in his store -- shoes, handbags and accessories -- will be tax-free for the three-day period.

Weiner called last year's event phenomenal.

"We're taking the position that [this year] is going to be as good," he said, adding that he's going to be heavily staffed.

Last year, Saxon had 20 employees on hand at its store in the Short Pump Town Center instead of the usual 12 or 13. "And we still had a 15to 20-minute wait."

. . .

Others, however, say their regular back-to-school sales are more popular than the tax holidays.

Joe Kammermeier, general manager for the Staples store on Carmia Way in Chesterfield, said the store recently started 1-cent promotions, where a few specified items are on sale for a penny for a limited time.

"We see more traffic . . . on that kind of stuff," he said, rather than the tax holidays.

A recent 1-cent sale included items like pencils and hand sanitizer, a staple of many school-supply lists.

He said Staples is not picking up the sales tax on items that are not covered by the regulations as some other retailers are doing. Instead, the chain will just not charge the tax on the specified items.

. . .

Richmond resident Mary Roberts plans to take advantage of the tax-free holiday.

Her daughter, Katie, needs items as she enters the ninth grade at St. Gertrude High School.

"We are definitely going to take advantage of it for the big-ticket item, so we'll just get everything else on the same day," Roberts said. "I think people are looking for any way to save money these days."
Contact Holly Prestidge at (804) 649-6945 or hprestidge@timesdispatch.com.