Sales tax is actually only a consumer facing tax to make you think that's the full extent of the taxes levied on your products. The real taxes involved in buying a product are astronomically high. Think about the taxes placed on tin, copper, transportation, all the taxes that companies pay when transacting with other companies or importing the materials for your goods. Those are all additional sales taxes hidden behind the actual cost of the product itself, and this is where the bulk of taxes are hidden. The goofy little number that shows up on your receipt is just the tip of the iceberg.