Amazon to Offer Discounted Prime Memberships to People On Government Assistance
Amazon will now offer its Prime membership at a discounted price to those who receive government benefits like food stamps or who are on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The discounted memberships will only cost $5.99 per month, and those receiving the discount have access to all the perks of a Prime membership such as free shipping and unlimited streaming of TV shows and movies via Amazon Video.
The regular yearly membership rate for Amazon Prime is $99, but those who don't have that much to pay up front can pay $10.99 each month.
According to CBS News, those wanting the discount will have to prove they receive welfare benefits:
The online retailer said customers will need to qualify for the discount by having a valid EBT card, which are typically used to disburse funds for food stamps and other government aid programs, such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF.)
The move marks a departure for Amazon Prime, which is popular with upper-income households. The fastest-growing customers are those earning more than $112,000 in annual income, with more than 7 out of 10 of those families paying for an Amazon Prime subscription, investment firm Piper Jaffray said last year.
According to Fortune, the move is aimed at Walmart, which currently is the biggest beneficiary of SNAP.