Amazon discontinues charity donation program amid cost cuts

Amazon said Wednesday it plans to shut down its charity donation program, in the latest example of the company’s broader cost-cutting efforts.

Amazon said Wednesday it plans to shut down its charity donation program, in the latest example of the company’s broader cost-cutting efforts.

Through the program, called AmazonSmile, the e-retailer donates a percentage of eligible purchases on the site to the shopper’s chosen charity organization. Amazon said it has donated roughly $500 million to charities since the program launched in 2013.

Amazon now plans to wind down AmazonSmile by Feb. 20, the company said in a notice to customers posted to its website.

“After almost a decade, the program has not grown to create the impact that we had originally hoped,” the company said. “With so many eligible organizations — more than 1 million globally — our ability to have an impact was often spread too thin.”

Amazon reportedly plans to lay off 10,000 employeesNov. 15, 202202:13The average donation to charities was less than $230, Amazon said.