As used in sections 1333.11 to 1333.21 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Cost to the retailer" means the invoice cost of cigarettes to the retailer, or the replacement cost of cigarettes to the retailer within thirty days prior to the date of sale, in the quantity last purchased, whichever is lower, less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash, to which shall be added the cost of doing business by the retailer as evidenced by the standards and the methods of accounting regularly employed by the retailer in the retailer's allocation of overhead costs and expenses, paid or incurred. "Cost to the retailer" must include, without limitation, labor, including salaries of executives and officers, rent, depreciation, selling costs, maintenance of equipment, delivery costs, all types of licenses, insurance, advertising, and taxes, exclusive of county cigarette taxes paid or payable on the cigarettes. Where the sale to the retailer is on a cash and carry basis, the cartage to the retail outlet, if performed or paid for by the retailer, shall be added to the invoice cost of the cigarettes to the retailer. In the absence of proof of a lesser or higher cost by the retailer, the cartage cost shall be three-fourths of one per cent of the invoice cost of the cigarettes to the retailer, not including the amount added thereto by the wholesaler for the face value of state and county cigarette tax stamps affixed to each package of cigarettes.

(B) In the absence of proof of a lesser or higher cost of doing business by the retailer making the sale, the cost of doing business to the retailer shall be eight per cent of the invoice cost of the cigarettes to the retailer exclusive of the face value of county cigarette taxes paid on the cigarettes or of the replacement cost of the cigarettes to the retailer within thirty days prior to the date of sale in the quantity last purchased exclusive of the face value of county cigarette taxes paid on the cigarettes, whichever is lower, less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash.

(C) "Cost to the wholesaler" means the invoice cost of the cigarettes to the wholesaler, or the replacement cost of the cigarettes to the wholesaler within thirty days prior to the date of sale, in the quantity last purchased, whichever is lower, less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash, to which shall be added a wholesaler's markup to cover in part the cost of doing business, which wholesaler's markup, in the absence of proof of a lesser or higher cost of doing business by the wholesaler as evidenced by the standards and methods of accounting regularly employed by the wholesaler in the wholesaler's allocation of overhead costs and expenses, paid or incurred, including without limitation, labor, salaries of executives and officers, rent, depreciation, selling costs, maintenance of equipment, delivery, delivery costs, all types of licenses, taxes, insurance, and advertising, shall be three and five-tenths per cent of such invoice cost of the cigarettes to the wholesaler, to which shall be added the full face value of state and county cigarette tax stamps affixed by the wholesaler to each package of cigarettes, or of the replacement cost of the cigarettes to the wholesaler within thirty days prior to the date of sale in the quantity last purchased, whichever is lower, less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash. Where the sale by the wholesaler to the retailer is on a cash and carry basis, the wholesaler may, in the absence of proof of a lesser or higher cost, allow to the retailer an amount not to exceed three-fourths of one per cent of the "cost to the wholesaler" excluding the amount added thereto for the face value of state and county cigarette tax stamps affixed to each package of cigarettes.

(D) Any person licensed to sell cigarettes as both a wholesaler and a retailer, who does sell cigarettes at retail, shall, in determining "cost to the retailer", first compute "cost to the wholesaler" as provided in division (C) of this section; that "cost to the wholesaler" shall then be used in lieu of the lower of either invoice cost or replacement cost less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash in computing "cost to the retailer" as provided in divisions (A) and (B) of this section.

(E) In all advertisements, offers for sale, or sales involving two or more items at a combined price and in all advertisements, offers for sale, or sales involving the giving of any concession of any kind, whether it be coupons or otherwise, the retailer's or wholesaler's selling price shall not be below the "cost to the retailer" or the "cost to wholesaler", respectively, of all articles, products, commodities, and concessions included in such transactions.

(F)

(1) "Sell at retail," "sales at retail," and "retail sales" include any transfer of title to tangible personal property for a valuable consideration made, in the ordinary course of trade or usual prosecution of the seller's business, to the purchaser for consumption or use.

(2) "Sell at wholesale," "sales at wholesale," and "wholesale sales" include any such transfer of title to tangible personal property for the purpose of resale.

(G) "Retailer" includes any person who is permitted to sell cigarettes at retail within this state under section 5743.15 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Wholesaler" includes any person who is permitted to sell cigarettes at wholesale within this state under that section.

(I) "Person" includes individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, joint-stock companies, business trusts, unincorporated organizations, receivers, or trustees.

(J) "County cigarette taxes" means the taxes levied under section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 07-01-2002; 03-30-2006 .