A Kissimmee, Florida, woman said she bought a discounted television at a local BJ’s Wholesale Club on Sunday, but was charged tax on the full price.
WFTV's 9 Investigates uncovered this isn't the first time a BJ's customer complained about the way the store charges sales tax.
A complaint from a court in Miami-Dade County said the store also charged a customer sales tax on the full price of a discounted television.
The customer's lawyers said that practice is illegal.
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Donna Maddox went to a Kissimmee BJ’s to buy a $1,400 TV for $700.
She said she thought she got a great discount until she looked closely at her receipt.
"I really thought it was a mistake,” she said.
The receipt shows the store charged the state's 7 percent sales tax on the original price, not the sale price.
"It just seems shady,” said Maddox.
And Maddox isn't the first Florida BJ's customer to accuse the wholesale chain of illegally charging sales tax on discounted televisions.
9 Investigates found a class action suit against BJ’s that said the company, "Unlawfully charged its Florida customers on the discounted price of items.”
It’s something the lawsuit says is a "Violation of Florida's deceptive and unfair trade practices act."
The lawsuit said that's because state law only allows a store to charge sales tax on the original price if the discount or rebate is "issued directly by the manufacturer."
9 Investigates reached out to BJ's for a comment, and a corporate spokeswoman sent an email saying the company can't comment on pending litigation.
"I just think it's a deceitful practice," said Maddox.
She said she wants to make sure other BJ's customers know about the issue before they go shopping.
BJ's tried to get the judge to toss the lawsuit in July, but the judge denied that request and allowed the lawsuit to move forward.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February.
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