In a recent notice, Amazon has publicly declared its end to the Prime Invitee Program, effective October 1, 2025. Users were notified of the decision via email notices and tweets. Meaning that the program allowed Prime members to share their free shipping perks with anyone outside of their home. This is big news, as it represents a major shift in Amazon’s strategy with its Prime membership benefits.
The Invitee Program begun in 2009. The goal was to improve the Prime experience by giving members the option to share their shipping benefits. Amazon learns from the churn of their policy. Amazon is changing their approach. Because of that, the company is planning to eliminate this program, which mostly let users share shipping perks.
Details on the Program’s Termination
The notice email sent to users explained what this change meant for them. Amazon informed members that those who have benefited from sharing free shipping with others will no longer have this option available. As a reminder, the firm wrote, invites will be automatically notified of the end of the program no later than September 5, 2025.
“We are writing to inform you that the Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime’s fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025,” – Amazon
The end of the Invitee Program will particularly affect members who share free shipping with individuals living at different addresses. Amazon recently announced that it’s cracking down on sharing Prime benefits. This transition follows the company’s recent efforts to rein in their free shipping perks.
Membership Costs and Benefits
The economic impact of the waiver Amazon Prime membership is currently $139 per year, or $14.99 monthly. There are lots of other awesome program benefits that go even further than free shipping. Immerse yourself in services like Prime Video and jump into unlimited entertainment like Kindle eBooks and audiobooks! These features continue to be accessible to Prime members who share their accounts with other adults living at the same address.
“The Invitee Program, which enabled sharing of the Prime shipping benefit only, is being phased out,” – Amazon representative
While the Invitee Program allowed for broader sharing capabilities, Amazon’s remaining offerings still enable members to share a range of benefits with one adult and multiple children within their household. This is still a very important part of the overall value proposition that Amazon Prime provides.
Impact on Users
With the end of the Invitee Program, a revamped constituency of Amazon Prime users will soon forge a new path. Millions of Americans depend on the program for its exceptional shipping benefits. They like it in terms of them sharing the costs of being a member. And while Amazon is still figuring out its policies, we’re all going to soon find out how these changes affect user behavior and whether or not people renew their subscriptions.
