Amazon is eliminating one of its most generous perks

Amazon has announced a significant shift in its Prime membership policy, set to take effect on October 1. The company will discontinue the 'Prime Invitee' program, which previously allowed Prime members to share their free shipping benefits with friends and family members outside their households. As a result, anyone wishing to enjoy the free shipping perks will now need to purchase their own Prime membership. In lieu of the Prime Invitee program, Amazon is directing customers towards an alternative called 'Amazon Family.' This new option allows users to share Prime benefits, but only with individuals residing in the same household. The company has not disclosed how many users were benefiting from the Prime Invitee program, which ceased accepting new sign-ups in 2015. Recent reports indicate that Amazon faced challenges in meeting its membership goals during the recent Prime Day event in July, with 116,000 fewer sign-ups compared to the previous year. Despite these figures, Amazon maintained a positive outlook, touting record sales during the event. While Amazon has not publicly shared the total number of Prime subscribers in the U.S., estimates from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners suggest that as of March 2025, the figure could be around 197 million. The cost of a Prime membership currently stands at $14.99 per month or $139 annually, with the last price increase occurring in 2022.