> I know the logic behind it (so you know how much tax you’re paying) I always understood it to be the opposite- so that the varying price for the same thing b

> I know the logic behind it (so you know how much tax you’re paying) I always understood it to be the opposite- so that the varying price for the same thing by location was hidden from consumers. A nationwide chain can advertise that a product is $X, even though their customers will pay anywhere from zero additional tax (Alaska, Delaware) to over 11% additional tax (California, Arizona, Illinois). See https://www.avalara.com/taxrates/en/state-rates.html https://www.avalara.com/taxrates/en/state-rates.html for how widely it can range by location.