Ultimately, however, the compact states want Congress to pass a law requiring online and mail-order merchants to collect their taxes.

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"Online and mail-order retailers should collect sales tax at the point of purchase, too, so there will be a level playing field, " says Jason Brewer, a spokesman for the Retail Industry Leaders Association, which includes nine of the 10 largest merchants.

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Whether you're looking for heirloom tomatoes or deer-resistant daffodils, most mail-order nurseries have moved their inventories online, supplementing their catalogs with more choices, information and links.

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In other words, we want our customers to come in and buy from us because we will take care of their needs far better than any online retailer who thinks of them simply as another e-mail address and order number.

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