Amazon is ending a Prime perk that allowed members to share free shipping

Amazon is ending a program that let Prime members share free shipping benefits with people outside their household.

Instead, Amazon is encouraging users who don't live with the account holder to pay for their own Prime subscription, offering them a one-year subscription for $14.99.

Amazon last raised its Prime membership fee in 2022, when it increased to $139 from $119. By ending the Prime sharing program, called Prime Invitee, the company is nudging users who don't live with a Prime member to subscribe to their own Prime membership.

"The Invitee program, which enabled sharing of the Prime shipping benefit only, is being phased out, and Prime members can instead share a broad range of Prime benefits with Amazon Family," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.

When will Prime sharing end?

Amazon said in a customer service section of its website that it will end the sharing program, called Prime Invitee, on Oct. 1, and is urging non-household users to get their own subscription.

What's the discounted Prime offer?

Amazon is offering people who were using the Prime sharing service to sign up for one year of membership at $14.99. After that, it's $14.99 per month or $139 annually. 

The offer starts this Friday and is valid until Dec. 31, 2025.

What is replacing the Prime sharing program?

Amazon said it is replacing the Prime Invitee program with Amazon Family, which lets account holders share the free two-day shipping perk with only one other adult in their household, up to four teens (who were added before April 7) and up to four profiles for children, according to Amazon's website.

The additional benefits include sharing Prime Video, Amazon Music and other services, the Amazon spokesperson said. The Invitee program only included free shipping.

Amazon said that the additional adult added through Amazon Family could be a spouse, family member or roommate.

The news comes as the Seattle-based company is making big investments in expanding its network to bring faster delivery to customers in less densely populated areas across the U.S. The service is available in 1,000 of the more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities targeted by year-end, the company said in late July.