Quote Originally Posted by Bixillarla View Post
The tax rates fluctuate, sometimes there is no tax for that city for a bit. If you go to the NPC you hire retainers from in the market areas there is a option to check the tax rates.

There is no option for the sellers to charge the buyer the tax, the buyer always pays the tax.
Have never seen those listed tax rates ever change since the game was released. I assume the conditions for it to change are either very extreme or it is a remnant of something devs decided not to implement.

What OP is describing is what chococo is describing. Retainer location different from buying location = taxed.