In what year did Amazon launch Amazon Prime?

Amazon launched Amazon Prime in 2005. The membership program began in the United States with free two-day shipping on eligible purchases for an annual fee of $79, plus discounted one-day shipping.

Prime was created to make frequent Amazon shopping more attractive: members paid one annual fee instead of separate shipping charges on every order. Its promise of faster delivery also encouraged customers to consolidate more of their purchases on Amazon.

The program expanded internationally in 2007, launching in Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Over time, Prime became a broader subscription bundle that included services such as Prime Video, Prime Music, Kindle-related benefits, gaming perks, and selected grocery services.

A frequent error is confusing the 2005 launch of Amazon Prime with later services inside the membership. Prime Video, for example, developed from Amazon’s video-on-demand products and was not the original Prime offering. Amazon Prime Air is a separate name associated with cargo and drone delivery.