Thursday, September 4, 2025

Amazon Pares Back Free Shipping Perk on Prime Membership Karen Weise


By Karen Weise from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/CuOwUWG
via IFTTT

Amazon is ending its long-standing **Prime Invitee Program** effective **October 1, 2025**. Under the Invitee program, Prime members could share free two-day shipping benefits with a person (invitee) who did *not* live in the same household. That will no longer be allowed. Only people living together at the same primary residential address can share Prime benefits under Amazon’s newly emphasized “Amazon Family” program. ([The Verge][1])

For those who have been using the Invitee program and will lose the free shipping benefit under someone else’s Prime membership, Amazon is offering a discounted Prime membership option: **\$14.99** for the first year, after which the regular rate applies. ([AP News][2]) The move is part of a wider shift to tighten sharing of subscription benefits, likely aimed at reducing benefit “leakage” and pushing people toward their own memberships. ([The Verge][1])

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## Reliable Sources



[2]: https://apnews.com/article/5e043a4500a74942b7ca2d9c9adf3e6a?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Amazon ends a program that lets Prime members share free shipping perk with users outside household"

[3]: https://muckrack.com/kyweise/articles?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Articles by Karen Weise - The New York Times Journalist"

[4]: https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/online-shopping/amazon-prime-invitee-ends-oct?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Amazon Ends Free Shipping Benefit Sharing with Non-Household Members"

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