AmazonSmile no longer operates. Amazon closed the programme on 20 February 2023 after announcing that it would focus its charitable activity on other initiatives. Older instructions for selecting an AmazonSmile charity or shopping through smile.amazon.com are therefore obsolete.
A regular calendar review helps charities remove obsolete fundraising instructions.
How AmazonSmile worked
AmazonSmile allowed a shopper to select an eligible charitable organisation. Amazon then donated a small share of the price of eligible purchases made through the programme. The customer paid the normal purchase price.
The main Amazon account, basket and product range were connected to the Smile experience, although eligibility varied by product and market.
Why the programme closed
Amazon said the programme had spread its impact across more than one million eligible organisations and had not created the level of impact the company wanted. It announced a wind-down date of 20 February 2023 and described other areas of corporate giving it planned to continue.
What charities needed to do
Organisations could no longer register for continuing AmazonSmile donations after closure. Historical listings through services such as Guided Star do not reactivate the programme. Charities should remove old calls to visit smile.amazon.com so supporters are not sent to a discontinued programme.
Can shoppers still support a charity through Amazon?
Amazon may offer separate charitable programmes, wish lists or local initiatives, but these are not a replacement with the same terms as AmazonSmile. Check current information at org.amazon.com and on the charity’s official website before making a purchase or donation.
Choose a donation route
A direct donation gives the charity more control over the relationship and may avoid conditions tied to a shopping programme. Review the organisation’s registration, annual reporting and explanation of how funds are used. Independent guides can help donors compare select charities, but the donor should still verify current details with the organisation.
Update old website content
Site owners should search for AmazonSmile links, buttons and instructions. Replace them with accurate historical wording or the charity’s current support page. Preserve an article when it answers a continuing historical question, but show the closure date near the beginning so readers do not attempt an unavailable action.
AmazonSmile remains relevant as an example of purchase-linked giving, but it should be described in the past tense. No current guide should promise that an Amazon purchase will generate an AmazonSmile donation.
