Current Events > Why the hell doesn't America include sales tax in the price tag?

(+) Yeah! (+)

so many things about this country are just totally ass-backwards to how they should be to actually be effective and efficient
---

Because it's different everywhere.
---

Sales tax varies by state. It's on the receipt if you want it.
---

there's no sales tax where I live
---

chain stores aren't going to print signs and tags for every county in every state.....

ChromaticAngel posted...

Sales tax varies by state. It's on the receipt if you want it.

chill02 posted...

there's no sales tax where I live

This seems like a fairly simple logistical challenge to overcome...
---

ChromaticAngel posted...

Sales tax varies by state. It's on the receipt if you want it.

This. The percent is small too and you can calculate it yourself if that really matters to you.
---

butthole666 posted...

ChromaticAngel posted...

Sales tax varies by state. It's on the receipt if you want it.

chill02 posted...

there's no sales tax where I live

This seems like a fairly simple logistical challenge to overcome...

I don't think you thought this through very well.
---

I even saw a promotional sign that said $4 plus tax, which is likely used all over the country
---

chill02 posted...

I even saw a promotional sign that said $4 plus tax, which is likely used all over the country

Yup. How it is here in Arizona
---

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

that makes no sense since the tax doesn't go to the seller, it goes to the state or county or township
---

chill02 posted...

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

that makes no sense since the tax doesn't go to the seller, it goes to the state or county or township

I think he means you're more likely to buy it in general
---

chill02 posted...

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

that makes no sense since the tax doesn't go to the seller, it goes to the state or county or township

Exactly, so if you think something is more expensive and don't buy it the store gets nothing. So why would they include tax when it can only hurt them
---

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

While true....for a big name store like wal mart, target, etc....they aren't going to print different signs for hundreds of counties across the nation to accommodate the sales tax there...The item costs x amount.....know that tax will be added....know what your local tax is...

TheVipaGTS posted...

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

While true....for a big name store like wal mart, target, etc....they aren't going to print different signs for hundreds of counties across the nation to accommodate the sales tax there...The item costs x amount.....know that tax will be added....know what your local tax is...

Not just counties too; cities can have different taxes as well.
---

TheVipaGTS posted...

Cartwheel_Kick posted...

Can't believe nobody said it yet. It's simply to fool you into thinking it's cheaper than it really is

While true....for a big name store like wal mart, target, etc....they aren't going to print different signs for hundreds of counties across the nation to accommodate the sales tax there...The item costs x amount.....know that tax will be added....know what your local tax is...

So, just post the tax rate right on the door.

TheVipaGTS posted...

While true....for a big name store like wal mart, target, etc....they aren't going to print different signs for hundreds of counties across the nation to accommodate the sales tax there...The item costs x amount.....know that tax will be added....know what your local tax is...

Why not? From past experience in retail, prices were printed off in store anyway and put out manually so it would make little difference.
---

It's so you know how much tax you're paying on every purchase. If it was just rolled into the price tag, you wouldn't know for sure. It's for transparency.

National advertising

A company is going to make one commercial advertising a product at $49.99 plus tax, not hundreds of commercials for every state/county/city with its own tax rate
---

this was easily the most annoying thing when it came to money when i was visiting the US

can't they just print signs with the prices per state? that wouldn't be too difficult
---

AlephZero posted...

A company is going to make one commercial advertising a product at $49.99 plus tax, not hundreds of commercials for every state/county/city with its own tax rate

Advertised as "$49.99 plus tax" but $54.03 on the shelf, is no different from advertised as "$49.99 plus tax" but $54.03 at the register.

Parappa09 posted...

this was easily the most annoying thing when it came to money when i was visiting the US

can't they just print signs with the prices per state? that wouldn't be too difficult

Tax rates can also vary by county or city, not just by state.
---

Because Americans are capable of doing the calculations in our head and don't need someone else to do it for us.
---

Were_Wyrm posted...

Because Americans are capable of doing the calculations in our head and don't need someone else to do it for us.

lol good one

edit: most people i know stumble to do 10% in their head, much less something like 8.75%
---

AlephZero posted...

Parappa09 posted...

this was easily the most annoying thing when it came to money when i was visiting the US

can't they just print signs with the prices per state? that wouldn't be too difficult

Tax rates can also vary by county or city, not just by state.

or maybe price labels so individual stores can print it out

or have TVs in fast food chains which show the menus and the pricing so it can be applicable per store. all the mcdonald's, kfc's, etc have fitted screens

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8
---

Parappa09 posted...

or maybe price labels so individual stores can print it out

When I worked in retail, I would often be printing price labels out before we opened. Dont see why couldnt be done in america too.
---

Parappa09 posted...

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8

Where the hell are you shopping that has a 60% sales tax?

You can pick up your purchase in a different place with no tax.
---

Funkydog posted...

Parappa09 posted...

or maybe price labels so individual stores can print it out

When I worked in retail, I would often be printing price labels out before we opened. Dont see why couldnt be done in america too.

exactly

Questionmarktarius posted...

Parappa09 posted...

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8

Where the hell are you shopping that has a 60% sales tax?

i did say "around"

i can't remember the exact pricing but it happened when i was in burger king in NYC
---

Parappa09 posted...

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8

Yeah lots of places have 62% sales tax.
---

bluezero posted...

Parappa09 posted...

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8

Yeah lots of places have 62% sales tax.

so you first did the tax wrong and now you're still doing it wrong and you were flippant both times

(8-5)/5 = .6 even, where are you getting .62?
---

Parappa09 posted...

Funkydog posted...

Parappa09 posted...

or maybe price labels so individual stores can print it out

When I worked in retail, I would often be printing price labels out before we opened. Dont see why couldnt be done in america too.

exactly

Questionmarktarius posted...

Parappa09 posted...

but i felt like i was being ripped off going to places advertising items as $5 but then paying around $8

Where the hell are you shopping that has a 60% sales tax?

i did say "around"

i can't remember the exact pricing but it happened when i was in burger king in NYC

Tax in NYC is 8.875%. So something for $5 is only $5.43 with tax.
---

To a large degree everthing in retail is designed to psychologically influence you. Its the reason our prices typically end in 9's. For whatever brain reason, on average people associate a $99 price tag more closely with $90 than the $100 it actually is. Its also why so many fast food joints use red/yellow color schemes. Everything from package coloring to the height/angle of a product on the self to the layout of a store us designed to influence you to spend. People see $5.07 on a menu they might not want to spend $5+ on an item. But at $4.99 its just a little more than $4 even though rationally we know that after tax it will be $5.07. Where i live has avg sales tax on most things but quite a high sales tax on fast food.