Amazon Smile Ending in February 2023
Just a few days ago when I began drafting a post to talk about Amazon Smile, it was a much different plan. Waking up to the email and news that Amazon was ending the Smile program sent me into an immediate tailspin. I consider myself pretty calm and collected most of the time. It’s my job to be cool, carry clients through the rough waters and navigate the path forward. When Google took away Organic keyword data? OK, pivot. The constantly moving goal posts in marketing? OK pivot. Never-ending unforeseen surprises? OK, pivot.
At first, I was mad. I got my coffee and grabbed my pitchfork.
I was so SAD. If I was a crier and weren’t completely dehydrated, I probably would have sobbed.
I was stressed and overwhelmed at the prospect of having to have this tough conversation with all of my nonprofits, clients and FRIENDS today.
We’ve always been huge proponents of the Amazon Smile program. Let’s face it, Amazon is leading the charge, taking over the world and changing the way retail is done. While we’re HUGE advocates for small business, we also at least saw the value in Amazon giving back. If everyone is going to use it AT LEAST they give back. It was just a matter of getting the word out and making sure individuals knew to sign up for Smile, and nonprofits knew to utilize it. Which we shouted from the rooftops and in many instances, literally helped folks set up.
Not only are we advocates for nonprofits, but we are also INVOLVED in non-profits. I personally have three local groups that I volunteer for and am in contact with near daily, all that utilize Amazon Smile and I can say with 100% certainty, “counted on” those funds in 2023. This sidelined my entire day, wrecked all my plans and I just HAD to focus on THIS.
The Letter
So let’s unpack this letter they sent, and all the feelings. Initially I was pretty angry. It read to me like a PR message, not a heart felt one. It also read a bit like gaslighting in the statements that said “The program just didn’t work”. I call bullshat. I KNOW it worked. I saw the dividends. I see what I contribute (don’t tell my husband). It works.
Those are just the few nonprofits I am privy to the backend details. Multiply that across our town, our county, our state, all the states, so on and so forth. THAT IS AN IMPACT. While Amazon clearly states they intend to continue with philanthropic ventures that are VERY worthy, I still felt their message was garbage. It should have been heart felt and honest. Times are tough. We are laying people off that very much need jobs, yet giving money away. (Nevermind their profits, but I digress).
As I re-heated my coffee 10 times lost in thought on all of this, my mom checked on me once she saw the news. (Thanks, Mom.) I started to calm down (#temper) and really think about this. Yes we (all nonprofits) that relied on Smile will have to pivot. 2023 is going to look different. That maybe few hundred or few thousand dollars the nonprofit was receiving will go away. We’ll need to figure out new ways to generate donations to replace it in the 2023 “budgets”. We need to dive into other programs that have similar philanthropic offerings and really start advocating for those.
Amazon Smile Ending an Era
As I processed, I realized MOST importantly, we need to be grateful. My rage subsided, and I really started to feel ALL the FEELS. Thinking about a decade of donations to not only the nonprofits I hold near and dear, but to ALL the nonprofits across the country. Every child that got a meal, every dog that got adopted, every person or animal that got help when they needed it because of a nonprofit organization that provided it. That is truly something to be grateful for, and appreciate Amazon Smile for. So while I would love to write letters and go on a social media tirade, instead I choose to look at the bright side.
So Dear Amazon, thank you. Thank you for Smile and a decade of donations. You truly sell yourself short when you say “it just didn’t work”. It worked.
In fact, even in Amazon Smile, it states the following;
- Your current charity has received $2,710 as of November 2022
- All US Charities have received $400,026,236.70 as of December 2022
- All worldwide charities have received $449,385,192.00 as of December 2022
So Yes Amazon, it definitely did work. Over $400 million dollars is an impressive feat that most certainly worked. And we thank you for it, deeply from the bottom of our hearts. If you can consider keeping the program, changing it, or bringing it back in the future, please do. Please see the gratitude and the impact, and please, please keep Smile alive.
Now What?
I am still a flustered mess thinking about how we’re going to replace those funds for “my” nonprofits, and for all the client strategies, and thinking about all of the organizations that are going to be impacted by this. I’ve referenced it before and I’ll say it until the end of time, from the great mind of Tony Robbins: We grow so that one day, we can give.
If you are at a place in life that you can give (money or time or both) please, please give this year. I know times are rough and it’s not possible for everyone – But if it is possible for you, please donate or volunteer. Find an organization that you are passionate about or that your family/friends/coworkers are passionate about. Reach OUT.
Give them grace and patience, because it will likely take a long time for them to respond to you. Be persistent and kind. Many organizations are completely volunteer based, and if you think there is a labor shortage for paid workers, you have no idea how short the “free staff” pool is.
We always joke “The pay sucks but the benefits are great” and that is the truth in nonprofit land.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Please share your resources, your patience and your grace. Please share the programs and philanthropic organizations that you have worked with or utilized. Good luck to all this year, this too shall pass.
