cephalotodd:

we should make fun of americans more. why dont their shops include tax in the price tag. like how much does this item cost? its a surprise 🙂

Sales tax is decided by the state government, not nationally. So for chain stores that operate in several different states will state the flat price without tax otherwise the price for a single item will vary state to state. This is especially true for online stores.

We’re a litigious nation and having worked retail I know beyond a shadow of a doubt people would get pissy if prices varied much from one state to another.