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Does the average american, when naming a price of any given item, takes into account taxes or disregards it? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 1 week ago by qyron@sopuli.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

101 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Watching a documentary, there was aremark from the journalist on how, due to how wildly taxation on goods may vary, from area to area, in the US, most retailers do not put the full prices on the shelves and instead just tally it at checkout.

This made no sense to me, a european, as when I go to any regular shop, prices already include all taxes applicable to the product.

There are specialty stores where VAT and other taxes may not be applied on the price on the shelf but those are usually wholesellers, selling for professionals, that already know what additional taxes will be added and at which rates, at checkout.

Not having the full price you'll be paying, on display, seems very underhanded and a bad practice. The client should know how much they are going to pay from the moment they pick an item.

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[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've not worked in retail in over 2 decades, we printed all the price labels at the store back then and we have a universal VAT rate across the country meaning they could have done it centrally. I don't think the UK is over 30 years more technologically advanced than the US making that impossible.

[–] sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don't think the retailers are saying they can't price at the store-level. They are saying it is inefficient and burdensome - particularly as inventory moves (and would need to be recalculated and retagged). Anywho, it's something you get used to, even if it is a weird way to operate.

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Inventory can move store to store but the price tag remains on the shelf at the store, so this argument doesn't really make sense to me.

[–] sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.world 0 points 6 days ago

We are talking about different things. I'm talking about clothing.

[–] Zexks@lemmy.world 0 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Many/most put the tag right on the item not the shelf. Thats for groceries only. And even here a lot.

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I only see that at independent corner stores here. If we're talking inefficiency, having to label every single product on the shelf is peak inefficiency.

[–] Zexks@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

One label for 10s of products is less efficient than separate labels for every product. Explain exactly how that works. This is what Walmart, target, kroger, aldis, and every other major chain that actually has to deal with logistics does.

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

You and I are saying the same thing here, assuming that first line is supposed to be a question.