This Wednesday, Amazon announced that it will soon eliminate one of the benefits that permeated consumers who were not Prime members: access to free shipments shared by those who are subscribers. This doesn't mean that the benefit can't be shared, but now there's an important restriction that requires members to live in the same household.

Starting October 1st, the Prime Invitee program, which allowed members to share only express shipping without having to share a residence, will definitively close.

This change especially impacts those who enjoyed two-day deliveries for years without paying the full subscription fee. Now, if you want to share Amazon Prime benefits, such as express shipping or access to digital content, you must do so only with people who live in your same primary residence, through the Amazon Family program, as announced in an update to the customer service section on the Amazon website.

What changes with the elimination of the Prime Invitee Program?

Until now, Prime members could invite other members, regardless of their address, to enjoy the benefit of free shipping. This will no longer be possible. Amazon confirmed on its customer service site that the Invitee program will officially end on October 1, 2025.

From then on, benefits can only be shared if members share the same household. This includes sharing a primary residence address and payment methods. Additionally, accounts will need to be linked through Amazon Family.

What is Amazon Family and how does it work?

Amazon Family is the new way to share Prime benefits with:

To set it up, users must go to their Prime account, find the "Share Prime Benefits" section, and send invitations to their family members. The condition is that all members share payment methods, although they can make purchases using their own funds.

Amazon clarifies that members can leave and return to an Amazon Family at any time, but they must wait 12 months before joining a different family group.

What benefits does Amazon Family include?

A shared Amazon Family membership allows access to a variety of benefits, including:

What if you were already part of the Invitee program?

Those who were enrolled in the program between 2009 and 2015, when it stopped accepting new members, will receive a special offer. Amazon confirmed that it will offer a 12-month Prime membership for just $14.99, valid through December 31, 2025. This promotion will be limited and will only be available to users who receive a direct notification from the company.

Lauren Beitelspacher, a professor at Babson College, told USA Today that the Prime Invitee program likely didn't generate the expected revenue and that "it was already costing the company enough money." Likewise, it is estimated that Jeff Bezos' company would seek to increase the number of individual subscriptions, although the elimination of this program causes inconvenience initially.

If you were a guest user and do not live with a Prime member, you have two options: ask to be added to Amazon Family if they live with you, or purchase your own subscription.

This change will not affect those who already have an active Prime membership, but it does change the rules of the game for those who depended on the shared benefit at no additional cost.

Given this update, it is important that users review their family settings and evaluate whether it is worth purchasing their own plan, especially if they use Amazon frequently. Maintaining access to fast shipping and other benefits can represent significant savings in the long run.