Amazon Ends Prime Invitee Program, Restricts Free Shipping Sharing to Households
Amazon is discontinuing its Prime Invitee program on October 1, limiting free shipping benefits to members within the same household, replacing it with Amazon Family.
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Overview
- Amazon is discontinuing its Prime Invitee program, which previously allowed members to share free shipping benefits with individuals residing outside their primary household.
- Effective October 1, the program will be replaced by Amazon Family, restricting free shipping perks exclusively to members within the same primary residential address.
- The updated policy limits sharing to one additional adult and up to four teens and children, ensuring all beneficiaries reside in the same household as the primary Prime member.
- This change means that individuals who previously received free shipping through the Invitee program but live separately will no longer have access to this specific benefit.
- The annual Prime membership fee in the U.S. is $139, though new subscribers can access a promotional first year for $15, then pay $15 monthly.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Amazon's policy change as a strategic move to boost subscriptions following missed internal targets, impacting users who previously shared benefits. They emphasize the financial burden on consumers and draw parallels to Netflix's "crackdown," suggesting a corporate effort to increase revenue by "forcing" new sign-ups.
"Starting in October, you'll have to get your own Amazon Prime subscription in order to benefit from the company's free shipping program."
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FAQ
The Amazon Prime Invitee program allowed Prime members to share free shipping benefits with individuals outside their primary household. It is ending on October 1, 2025, to be replaced by Amazon Family, which restricts sharing to members living in the same household and encourages additional Prime signups.
Amazon Family allows benefit sharing with only members of the same household, including one additional adult and up to four teens and children, limiting free shipping and other perks to the primary residential address, unlike the broader sharing allowed under the Invitee program.
Individuals who received free shipping benefits through the Prime Invitee program but live separately from the Prime member will lose access to free shipping benefits starting October 1 and will need their own Prime subscription to continue enjoying free shipping.
The standard annual Amazon Prime membership fee in the U.S. is $139. New subscribers can access a promotional first year for $15 and subsequently pay $15 monthly to maintain the subscription.
Amazon is discontinuing the Invitee program amid slowing Prime account signups, aiming to encourage individual subscriptions by restricting sharing to household members and replacing the program with Amazon Family to focus on household-based benefit sharing.
History
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