MoneyBusiness

Actions

Amazon to shut down Smile charity donation program

On the Money-Cost of Convenience
Posted at 10:01 AM, Jan 20, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-20 14:23:15-05

(KERO) — Shoppers won't be able to link their favorite charity to their Amazon purchases much longer.

The retailer is closing down its Smile charity donation program next month. The program allowed shoppers to choose from among a huge list of more than a million charities. Amazon would then donate a portion of the money shoppers spent to that selected charity.

According to the company, the size of the list is the main problem. Though the program has donated $500 million in the last ten years, Amazon says the average charity has received less than $230. The company says that falls short of the impact it originally hoped the program would have.

Amazon said charities enrolled in the program will get a one-time donation “equivalent to three months of what they earned in 2022" before the program ends.