---
title: RIP, AmazonSmile
description: Amazon shutters its AmazonSmile program due to lack of impact, despite small charities saying it helped.
---

[Hustle News ](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news)

# [RIP, AmazonSmile](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/01202023-amazon-smile)

 Written by [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) | Jan 20, 2023 7:36:06 AM

Amazon is [sunsetting](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-closing-amazonsmile-to-focus-its-philanthropic-giving-to-programs-with-greater-impact) its AmazonSmile program, which allows shoppers to donate a percentage of purchases to their charity of choice, by Feb. 20.

The news comes as the company tightens spending and lays off 18k+ employees — some of whom received notification by email this week, [per](https://www.businessinsider.com/read-the-email-amazon-sent-to-laid-off-employees-2023-1) *Business Insider*.

#### **Why?**

Amazon says it’s donated $449m+ to 1m+ charities since AmazonSmile launched in 2013, but says the program was “spread too thin” and failed to have the desired impact.

In 2022, charities received an average of less than $230, [per](https://www.npr.org/2023/01/19/1149993013/amazon-amazonsmile-charity-donation-program) *NPR.*

Yet small organizations say it helped:

- The SquirrelWood Equine Sanctuary [tweeted](https://twitter.com/m_crouton/status/1615894642863575042) that the $9.3k+ it’d received made a “huge difference.”
- The Cat’s Meow tweeted that the [~$4k](https://twitter.com/TheCatsMeowInc/status/1615952356969177088) it’d received covered expenses when donations fell short.

#### **Meanwhile…**

… others argue Amazon could have done more.

In 2017, journalist Marc Gunther [pointed out](https://nonprofitchronicles.com/2017/03/28/why-amazon-smile-doesnt-make-me-smile/#:~:text=the%20same%20products%2C%20prices%2C%20and,charitable%20organization%20of%20your%20choice.) AmazonSmile only gave 0.5% — so a dime for a $20 purchase — and only when shoppers remembered to use the right URL.

- **Case in point: **In 2015, the AmazonSmile Foundation donated ~$12.8m — 0.00012% of Amazon’s ~$99.1B in retail sales that year.

#### **What now?**

Customers can still donate to their favorite charities until the program ends, buy items from their wish lists, or, obviously, donate without Amazon.

Meanwhile, Amazon [says](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-closing-amazonsmile-to-focus-its-philanthropic-giving-to-programs-with-greater-impact) it will continue to invest in areas “where it can make meaningful change,” including local nonprofits and — perhaps conveniently for Amazon — its own charitable efforts, like Amazon Future Engineer, which funds computer science education.

**BTW: **We know you’re dying to see the farm animals at SquirrelWood Equine Sanctuary, so [here ya go](https://twitter.com/m_crouton/status/1612092676756701185).

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/01202023-amazon-smile)

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