Amazon customers have long favored the convenience factor of fast, free shipping benefits from the multibillion dollar tech conglomerate to justify against the time and cost of buying goods at a local brick-and-mortar retailer. “The Invitee Program, which enabled sharing of the Prime shipping benefit only, is being phased out,” a representative for Amazon said in an emailed statement to ABC News. The company has sent email notices to its users with information about the plans for the Prime Invitee Program, which will end Oct. 1. The notice reads, “We are writing to inform you that the Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime’s fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025. The annual cost of an Amazon Prime membership is $139, or $14.99 per month.