Too pretty to pay

[Foxbite]

In tourist retail we got a lot of people from out of the country who were not used to having sales tax added at the end of the transaction. For some reason, people visiting from Italy seemed particularly put out by the sales taxes and often complained. Sometimes they got angry and thought I was trying to pull a fast one and make a little extra on the side, so I would call my manager and have him watch as I redid the transaction and re-total everything for the suspicious customers and have him try to explain sales tax.

But this one admittedly handsome Italian guy (FG) really took it to another level. He started off pleasantly making small talk about where he was from and what he was enjoying about my city as I rang his purchase. He wanted to buy a poster that was $19.99, so he slid me a $20 bill and started to walk away. I left the bill on the counter but held onto the poster so he couldn't leave, pointing out the tax rate that made the transaction $22.10. FG laughed and said our prices were lies if we tried to charge more. I explained that the city came up with the sales tax and we had no say in when it was applied to the purchase because our POS system was set up that way.

FG: (getting irritated) ...no. I don't agree. In Italy, the price is the price. I gave you $20. I take the poster.
Me: Whether you agree or not, you still owe $2.10.
FG: (louder) I TAKE poster now, no tax.
Me: I can't let you do that, you haven't paid fully for it. $2.10 please.
FG: Is not my city, not my tax. You pay. I take poster, NOW.
Me: Not until you pay all of the price.
FG: Do you hear? You pay. Is not my city, not my tax. You pay the tax. GIVE ME POSTER.
Me: (losing it, starting to laugh) Why would I pay tax for your poster?
FG: (suddenly striking a dramatic pose) BECAUSE I AM SO PRETTY!!

Sweets the manager pops up at this point, looks FG up and down in an appraising manner, then grabs the poster and puts it behind the counter. " MM-mm NO. You're not that pretty, Honey, NOBODY is too pretty to pay in Chicago. $2.10 or get out."

He paid and slunk out looking dejected.

[WishfulSpirit]

I personally find it idiotic that prices on tags in the United States don't have tax included but that doesn't excuse being sucky about it.

[EricKei]

Well yeah -- we could do that if taxes were consistent. When you have hundreds of different tax rates zones (each state has its own tax (save for a couple), each county, each city...), and even different taxes on different types of items in some areas, it's just too much to handle. If shelves had the tax-included price, ads would have to be that way, too -- and no company is gonna print out a hundred+ different sets of flyers every week just to account for the differences

[Smapti]

FG: (suddenly striking a dramatic pose) BECAUSE I AM SO PRETTY!!

Honestly, if I were the manager and that line were tried on me, I'd probably find some way to comp him the difference.

After I stopped laughing, that is.

[mhkohne]

Well yeah -- we could do that if taxes were consistent. When you have hundreds of different tax rates zones (each state has its own tax (save for a couple), each county, each city...), and even different taxes on different types of items in some areas, it's just too much to handle. If shelves had the tax-included price, ads would have to be that way, too -- and no company is gonna print out a hundred+ different sets of flyers every week just to account for the differences

In some places it's not an option anyway. Maryland, for instance, forbids selling on a tax included basis, generally (there are exceptions, but not many).

[Soulstealer]

Honestly, if I were the manager and that line were tried on me, I'd probably find some way to comp him the difference.

After I stopped laughing, that is.

I'd be the opposite, after I stopped laughing I'd see if I could charge him more

[Ghel]

Here in Minnesota, many things are taxed based on whether they're "essential" or not. Clothes under a certain dollar amount aren't taxed. Food that isn't considered "junk food" doesn't have sales tax. I was pleasantly surprised when my $1.99 tub of margarine wasn't taxed at the grocery store last week. It meant I didn't have to pull out my debit card for a $2.12 purchase.

[wolfie]

If shelves had the tax-included price, ads would have to be that way, too -- and no company is gonna print out a hundred+ different sets of flyers every week just to account for the differences

And if it were done that way, expect hordes of shrieking SCs demanding the price in the ad (from an adjacent county/city that had a lower tax rate than the one where the store is located).

Here in Minnesota, many things are taxed based on whether they're "essential" or not. Clothes under a certain dollar amount aren't taxed.

I'm sure a parka would cost more than a pair of silk underpants. The underpants would probably be under the price threshold (even though silk is a luxury item - what's wrong with cotton?) while the parka was over the threshold and therefore taxable. Of course, you're in Minnesota, so a parka is NOT a luxury item.

[Ghel]

I may have been misinformed, since I just looked it up and whether clothes are taxed in MN depends on use, not price. But that's as much as I'll say, since I wasn't intending to start a debate on sales tax.

[roxtar]

reminds me of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5bjCZepV8

[Minflick]

Ooooo, what BURN! Dang!!! He's lucky she didn't try to run him over! I may snigger my way through the morning on the strength of this...

[taxguykarl]

He's lucky she didn't try to run him over!

Agreed that was a low blow, but I get the sense that she opted to quit while only slightly behind....unlike those losers on Cops.

[wolfie]

Actually, it was an Italian GUY. As for being "Too pretty to pay", he should have left out the "r".

[kaherbert]

I've been on the opposite side of this. I was in Canada (I'm from Texas). I went to the store and picked up several things for my Nanna. I forgot to get her stamps. When I went back the stamps cost more than the price on the cover.

I expressed surprise, while getting the money out of my purse. The manager, who was ringing me up, asked "Since you are (Nanna's Name) granddaughter can I ask why are Americans always surprised the stamps cost more in a store?"

I explained about how stamps have to be sold at face value and that lower level of governments can't tax the federal government. That Dad have to subtract the taxes he paid on the beer he sold to stores and restaurants on the Air Force Base, then apply to Texas to get his refund. That the School district couldn't collect property tax from the AFB including the housing the kids lived in. (I was the only one in the store. She knew who I was because I was picking up a special order of yarn for Nanna)

She thanked me for explaining. Later she told my Uncle (small small town), that she had told her employees to tell Americans before hand that in Canada stamps would cost more than the face value in the store, but they could go to the Post office and get them for face value. It cut down on shocked arguments and accusations of them illegally upping the price. People generally preferred to pay the slightly higher price to going to the difficult to park at Post Office.

Also lots of countries allow tourists to apply for a refund of VATs because they are a national level tax. Since in the US the sales tax you pay comes from the state, county/parish, and city added together that doesn't generally happen. I can also understand the confusion of tourists. I've seen visiting family members confused because the same thing cost sightly different amounts depending on the side of the road the store was on. One side you were in Houston, the other side you were in another city or the county. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...-united-states

[Cia]

The Federal gov't is taxed in South Dakota. The Feds are SALES tax exempt but they are not Use and Contractor's Excise tax exempt. I love explaining taxes to airmen and the VA.