Consumer Intelligence Research: Amazon Prime membership hits record high in the U.S. at 180 million

Amazon's (AMZN) Prime subscription service hit a new high of 180 million U.S. shoppers in March, up 8% from a year ago, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, which has been tracking Amazon memberships since 2014.

The growth shows that Amazon's promise of fast delivery on a wide range of goods remains a strong appeal for shoppers battling inflation, despite rising online competition from Walmart and companies such as TikTok Shop, Shein and Temu.

U.S. consumers pay Amazon $140 a year, or $15 a month, for Prime subscriptions, which include shipping discounts and the ad-supported Prime Video streaming service.

Prime membership growth has flattened in the wake of the pandemic, with Consumer Intelligence Research predicting last year that the online retailer would plateau. The latest data shows that 75% of U.S. shoppers have a Prime membership, a clear sign that Amazon is still attracting new users.

The growth suggests that U.S. consumers believe "their shopping habits on Amazon justify their investment in Prime memberships," the research firm said in a report on Tuesday.

The company measures the number of Prime memberships, which are often shared among family members, and all family members are counted by the agency, which is more than the actual number of subscriptions Amazon sells.

Amazon announced in 2021 that it had 200 million Prime members worldwide, the last time the company released subscription numbers. Amazon reports subscription service revenue every quarter, most of which comes from Prime services. Data shows that analysts expect Amazon's subscription service revenue to grow 12% to $10.8 billion as of March 31.

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