Sharing Amazon Prime With Friends? That Ends Next Month
Do you use Amazon Prime sharing? Well, there are some major changes rolling out on October 1 that might perk your ears up.
In about a month, Amazon will end its Invitee Program. That means we’ll no longer be able to extend perks like Amazon Prime free shipping to friends or family who live outside your home.
From now on, Prime benefits can only be shared through Amazon Household Sharing and Amazon Family Sharing.
This shift tightens who can receive access. So, if you were using the Amazon Invitee Program to give someone else shipping perks, their access is about to expire.
Amazon to Restrict Prime Benefits to Home Address
The invitee program launched years ago, allowing Prime members to share free two-day shipping with anyone, no matter their address. It worked almost like a referral system, and many customers used it to split Prime perks with friends and family.
But, as of October 1, that program will disappear. Invitees who are not part of your household won’t be able to use your Prime membership anymore, which could mean higher costs if you were used to splitting benefits.
How Does Amazon Household Sharing Work?
The replacement is Amazon Household Sharing, also called Amazon Family Sharing. With this setup, you can link accounts with one other adult in your home, plus add up to four teens and four child profiles.
Everyone must live at the same primary residential address and, in most cases, you’ll need to share a payment method to verify.
Household members will also receive more than just Amazon Prime free shipping. They can also access:
Prime Video
Amazon Music
Prime Reading
Exclusive shopping deals
Extras like Grubhub+ and fuel discounts at certain stations
The goal is to bundle all of Amazon’s perks under one umbrella that makes sense for families who are already living together.
What If You Lose Access?
If you were relying on the Amazon Invitee Program, you have a couple of options. You can either ask a Prime member in your household to add you to their account, or you can sign up for your own membership. Amazon is offering a limited-time discount for invitees: a full year of Prime for $14.99, available through the end of December. That might come in handy for holiday shopping.
The company says this special pricing is meant to help smooth the transition for longtime invitees, many of whom have enjoyed Prime perks for years without paying the full price.
Why the Change?
To no surprise, industry insiders believe this all comes down to profitability. Sharing perks outside the household may have cost Amazon more than it helped the giant, in terms of new sign-ups. By tightening the rules, Amazon assumes more people will join Prime on their own.
The timing is also notable. Amazon recently reported slower-than-expected subscriber growth, and restricting sharing is one way to push those on the sidelines into buying their own memberships.
The Future of Amazon Prime Sharing
So, what does this mean for you? Simply put, Amazon Prime sharing is now limited to people living under the same roof. If you were sharing beyond that, it’s time to rethink.
For some, that means setting up Amazon Household Sharing with family members. For others, it might mean locking in that discounted membership before the end of the year. Either way, the perks aren’t disappearing. They’re just being kept closer to home.
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