Avenue Improperly charging sales tax Troy Ohio

I live in Anchorage Alaska. We get charged extra shipping and handling costs because of where we live all the time, like we are a foreign country. We also have limited retail resourses, so I buy most of my Christmas gifts over the internet from known national retail stores and have them SHIPPED TO my friends and family in the lower 48. That way if they need to exchange the item -- they can take care of it locally and I don't have to pay ridiculous shipping costs.

Did you know you can send a letter from Alaska to Florida for $0.41, but apparently it's more expensive to send one FROM Florida to Alaska? But I digress ... this complaint is not about shipping this time (although it is the shipping racket that makes me buy online).

I purchased my mom something from the Avenue clothing store on the internet and had it shipped to her in St. Louis. They charged me sales tax "because there is a local store in the ship to address zip code". WHAT?? I have purchased from Toys R US, Target, Walmart, REI, Ann Taylor and misc. other national retailers and NEVER been charged sales tax when shipping to St. Louis.

Can someone explain to me why this applies to the Avenue ... but not the other retailers in the nation?

Lou
Anchorage, Alaska
U.S.A.