Amazon to End Charity Donation Program AmazonSmile in February

Amazon is shutting down its charity donation program AmazonSmile by Feb. 20 after a series of other cost-cutting measures.

Through the initiative, which has been in operation since 2013, Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to a charity of the shopper's choice.

The program has donated over $400 million to US charities and more than $449 million globally, according to Amazon.

"With so many eligible organizations — more than one million globally — our ability to have an impact was often spread too thin," Amazon said in a letter to customers.

Last year, AmazonSmile's average donation per charity was $230 in the US. Nonetheless, some organizations — especially small ones — affirmed that the donations were incredibly helpful to them.

Amazon said it will help charities transition by "providing them with a one-time donation equivalent to three months of what they earned in 2022 through the program" and allowing them to continue receiving donations until the program's official end in February.