Haven't bought something from outside the EU in a while? They charge us at least VAT (maybe over a certain price, depending on your jurisdiction) :)

Large stores can afford to precalculate this and use a service that will handle taxes for you, small stores not so much so you may end paying it personally on receiving the package. But they can afford to precalculate it if the taxes are known in advance (usually starts at whatever your country's VAT rate is).

Now in this case, shipping to the US looks like it will be randomly taxed depending on the phase of the moon and how well Trump has slept last night, so this warning is fair. You can't expect them to absorb a 50% import tax if it's established tomorrow.

> Haven't bought something from outside the EU in a while? They charge us at least VAT (maybe over a certain price, depending on your jurisdiction) :)

Sure, and as you also seem familiar with, you know it's pretty trivial to calculate yourself when you place your order :)

So far, I've never bought something internationally, then before shipping the tax laws changed enough that the toll and/or tax payment was different than I expected.

No but there's a certain jurisdiction across an ocean where that's likely to happen and that's what they are aiming at.