Honestly, Amazon makes this way harder than it should be. Unfortunately, there is no direct share cart button. I had the same issue with a group order and Smartphone Board had the best solution for it.

• Create an Amazon Wishlist instead
• Add all those items there
• Send them the shareable link It is not perfect, but it saves you from sending a dozen individual links. Hope that helps!

Jumping in here because I went through this exact same headache last year when I was trying to outfit my cousin's first dorm room. Before you go through all that effort, are you planning on them having the boxes delivered to their current address or the new place in Chicago? Be super careful with the address settings because Amazon defaults to your saved one, which is a nightmare to fix once it ships. Here is how I usually handle this chaos:

• The Gift Registry route: Super easy, keeps items organized, but sometimes people find them impersonal.
• The List approach: You create a private list, add everything there, and just toggle the share link. It keeps the order history cleaner on your end. Just watch out for those hidden shipping costs if they have Prime and you dont. Have you already checked if they have an account set up?

Ugh, I totally feel your pain. I remember trying to coordinate a birthday gift for my sister a few years back and ended up just buying everything myself because the share cart feature just... isnt there. Its honestly baffling for a company that big. Over the years, Ive found a few ways to hack around this, though none are perfect.

• The Gift Registry route: This is the cleanest way. If you start a registry, you can add all the items and then your friend just clicks a link to see everything. The pro is that it keeps the shipping address separate. The con is that it feels a little formal for just sending basic kitchen stuff.
• The Manual List: I used to just copy and paste the product titles into a note app and send that. It works, but honestly, it takes forever. Plus, if the price fluctuates or the item goes out of stock, your link might end up dead.
• Just shipping direct: Honestly? Most of the time I just check out and change the shipping address to their place. You can select it as a gift during checkout so Amazon hides the receipt price. It removes the need for the friend to see the cart entirely. I used to spend hours trying to get people to pick their own colors or styles, but eventually, I realized just picking for them and sending it directly saved me so much headache. Just make sure the address is set right before you hit the final button!

Late to the party, but honestly dont waste your time trying to hack the cart! Its way easier to just use the Save for Later feature or a shared List. Actually, the absolute best way to make sure you get the best deal while you are shopping for those essentials is to use PriceDropCatch. I use it all the time to track my own kitchen gear, it is amazing for making sure you arent overpaying for pans or toasters right before a move. Just drop your links in there and it keeps everything organized and budget-friendly. Seriously, it saves so much headache!

TL;DR: Change your default shipping address temporarily to your friend's Chicago address before touching the cart, then just buy everything directly yourself. In my experience, trying to share a cart or coordinate a delivery through a third party on Amazon always leads to headaches and delivery mix-ups. Over the years, I've found the most foolproof method is simply changing the destination zip code at the very top left of the Amazon homepage to your friend's new Chicago zip code first. Once the location is updated, your current cart items will automatically adjust for regional availability. Then, you can proceed straight to checkout using your own payment method, but manually select your friend's newly added address at the final payment screen. This ensures you control the budget, you don't overwhelm your non-tech-savvy friend with lists or links, and everything arrives at the correct apartment on day one without you paying double shipping.

Honestly, Amazon is super frustrating with this, but I totally get why you want to help your friend out! The best way to handle this without losing your mind is to just create a new custom list. You can title it something like Chicago Apartment Essentials and just move everything over from your cart. It creates a single link you can text or email, which is so much faster than individual links. Just be super careful when you eventually checkout! You have to manually change the shipping address to their Chicago location before you hit that final button. A huge mistake people make is not double-checking the default address in the payment screen, and then it ends up on their own doorstep in Ohio. I honestly prefer doing this over using a generic registry because it feels more personal. You're being an awesome friend!