Eye on the Blog: Premium Membership Cut to $9.50 Per Month, VAT Charges to End

Since September 2007, Linden Lab has charged a VAT or Value Added Tax from residents outside the United States from those countries whose tax system includes it. This has particularly been an annoyance to European residents, some of whom have complained it puts them at a business disadvantage with Americans. But in a move that will mean relief to these users of Second Life, Linden Lab announced in their latest blog entry that they will no longer be charging VAT.

Premium members will also have reason to cheer. Linden Lab has reduced the monthly fee for premium accounts to $9.50 US dollars a month.

... we’re reducing the standard cost of a monthly Premium subscription to just $9.50 a month. Enjoy all the benefits of Premium Membership for less!
 
We will also no longer charge VAT for Premium subscriptions. If you live in a region where VAT applies, this means an effective savings in some countries of more than 20% below what you would have previously paid!

Several residents have expressed opinions in threads in the official forums and SL Universe. Not everyone was pleased with the decision to end the VAT. Some Americans complained the Lab was effectively giving Europeans a discount.

For the complete blog post: Click Here.