Amazon cracks down on Prime free shipping sharing

Amazon is set to discontinue a program that permitted members of its Prime subscription to share free shipping perks with individuals outside their immediate households. Notifications have recently been sent to users, revealing that the Prime Invitee Program will conclude on October 1, 2025, as noted in a memo obtained by CNBC. The communication stated, "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." Additionally, the notice indicated that guests who were invited will receive direct notifications about this change by September 5, 2025. Previously, Prime members could extend free two-day shipping to one other adult, even if that person resided at a different address. However, starting next month, guests who do not live with the account holder will now need to enroll in their own Prime membership. In place of the Invitee Program, Amazon is shifting focus to Amazon Family, which allows Prime members to share benefits including free shipping with one adult, four children, and up to four teens, provided these individuals were added before April 7, 2025. All participants must maintain the same primary residential address, defined by Amazon as the location where users spend the majority of their time. This strategic change follows reports from Reuters highlighting a decline in Amazon's Prime signups in the U.S., which fell short of both last year's figures and the company's internal goals. Despite this, Amazon maintains that Prime membership continues to see growth both domestically and internationally.