Your Dec. 14 story about Kansas Sampler overcharging customers on sales tax reminds me that many rural Douglas County residents may not realize they, too, are being overcharged on sales tax when they order products online or for items and services that are delivered to their homes.

While Costco correctly figures sales tax for rural residents by using the ZIP-plus-four code, most online sellers, including Amazon, overcharge rural residents 1.55 cents on every dollar by using the five-number ZIP code to calculate sales tax. By relying on the five-number ZIP code, online sellers are charging rural Douglas County residents the City of Lawrence sales tax. This is not correct. Douglas County rural residents should be charged a 7.3 percent cent sales tax, not 8.85 percent.

Items delivered to rural residents’ homes — e.g., newspapers — and work performed at a rural home should not include City of Lawrence sales tax. Neither should utilities charge rural residents a city sales tax. Over time, the incorrect sales tax can amount to hundreds of dollars.

Rural Douglas County residents should learn what sales tax rate they are being charged. If it is incorrect, speak up!