A trading stamp transaction is defined as follows: the trading stamp company issues stamps to a vendor; the vendor then provides them to its customers; and the customer then exchanges the stamps for merchandise from the trading stamp company.

The exchange transaction for the merchandise shall be deemed a retail sale and the trading stamp company a retailer. All taxes imposed by this Chapter applicable to retail transactions are therefore applicable to such exchange transactions.

The rate of tax shall be the retail rate based upon the retail dollar value of the redeemed merchandise as expressed in the redemption dollar value per book of stamps or portion thereof. The tax imposition described herein is in lieu of any Privilege or Use Tax upon the business of issuing stamps, redeeming the same, or using or storing property redeemed.