Amazon's Prime Sharing Program Gets a Makeover

Amazon is shaking things up with its Prime membership. Starting October 1, they're ending a feature that let members share free shipping with folks who don't live with them. This move is part of a bigger push to get more people to sign up for their own Prime accounts. Instead of sharing, Amazon is now offering a discount for those who want to join Prime. For a limited time, they can get a year of Prime for $14. 99. After that, it's $14. 99 per month or $139 a year. This deal starts this Friday and runs until the end of December. Amazon is also introducing a new program called Amazon Family. This lets members share perks like free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and movies with one other adult in their household. They can also add up to four teens and four child profiles. The adult they share with could be a spouse, family member, or roommate. This change comes as Amazon is investing heavily in expanding its delivery network. They're aiming to bring faster shipping to more rural areas. By the end of the year, they plan to have this service available in 1, 000 of the more than 4, 000 smaller communities they've targeted. So, what does this mean for Prime members? It's a shift from sharing to signing up. It's also a chance for those who don't live with a Prime member to get a discounted rate. And for those who do, it's a way to share perks with their household.