Packages move along a conveyor belt at an Amazon Fulfillment center on Cyber Monday in Robbinsville, New Jersey, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Amazon he said It plans to end its charitable giving program on Wednesday, the latest example of the company’s broader cost-cutting efforts.
Through the program, the so-called AmazonSmileThe e-retailer donates a percentage of eligible purchases on the site to a charity of the shoppers’ choice. Amazon said since the program began in 2013, it has donated more than $377 million to charities worldwide.
Amazon now plans to shut down AmazonSmile by February 20, the company said in a notice to customers posted on its website.
“After nearly a decade, the program has not grown to create the impact we originally hoped for,” the company said. “With so many eligible organizations – more than 1 million worldwide – our ability to make an impact was often too weak.”
Amazon will continue to invest in areas where it can “make a meaningful difference,” such as natural disaster relief, affordable housing initiatives and community outreach programs, the company said.
The move to close AmazonSmile comes as CEO Andy Jassy boarded to a major overhaul of the company’s costs amid a worsening economic outlook and slowing growth in its retail division.
Amazon was started the largest layoffs in its history and imposed a hiring freeze across its corporate workforce. As Jassy worked to cut costs, the company suspended warehouse expansion and shut down some experimental projects, such as a telehealth service and a quirky video calling device for children.
— CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed reporting to this article.
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