Amazon will end a long-running program that allowed Prime members to share free shipping perks with people outside their households, according to an update on the company’s website.
The change takes effect Oct. 1, when the Prime Invitee program will be phased out.
The option had let subscribers extend free two-day shipping benefits to others who didn’t live at the same address.
Instead, the Seattle-based company is directing customers toward Amazon Family, which provides shipping and other perks to people within the same household.
That includes sharing Prime benefits with one other adult — such as a spouse, family member, or roommate — along with up to four teenagers (who had to be added before April 7) and up to four children’s profiles.
Prime membership costs $14.99 a month or $139 annually. Beyond shipping, members receive access to streaming movies and television, exclusive shopping deals, and other features.
Amazon’s decision comes as the company makes major investments in speeding up delivery across the U.S., especially in smaller cities, towns and rural communities.
In July, Amazon announced its faster delivery service had already reached 1,000 of the more than 4,000 targeted locations nationwide, with plans to expand further by year’s end.
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