UmÂ…no. The seller didn't tell anyone you were going to pay anything. Duty and tax ares always paid by the importer. That's you. This is utterly standard for anyone bringing anything across any border, and has been forever. There is no option for the exporter to pay the duty or taxes; they're not his to pay. Usually you don't get dinged by US Customs on private importation of goods worth a small dollar value, but occasionally you do. In virtually every other country in the world, importers of any amount of goods worth any amount of money get dinged every single time.
Stop whining; you sound like a spoiled, overprivileged American. :roll:
