Amazon has announced the discontinuation of its AmazonSmile program, a charitable initiative that redirected 0.5% of eligible purchases towards non-profit organizations. The company cited that the program, which has been in place for nearly a decade, has not grown to the level of impact they had hoped for. Charities that have participated in AmazonSmile will receive a one-time donation equivalent to three months of their previous donations as a form of “severance package.” This decision is expected to positively impact Amazon’s bottom line by no longer having to set aside a percentage of purchases made on AmazonSmile and potentially by the layoff of employees who worked on the program. This announcement follows the company’s recent round of layoffs that will affect 18,000 employees.
Amazon Discontinues AmazonSmile Charity Donation Program
