Amazon is adding a new feature to Alexa for Shopping that allows customers to purchase items by texting the AI shopping assistant. Users can describe the products they’re looking to buy and/or provide a photograph of the item, and Alexa for Shopping will search for matching results in Amazon listings, text back with recommendations, and order the item on the users’ behalf.
This launch builds on the existing Alexa for Shopping experience that launched in May, allowing users to place orders during moments where texting is more convenient than using Amazon’s app or website. The contact will appear in your phone as “Amazon Alexa,” and can be used for a wide range of shopping requests, including ordering weekly groceries, asking for gift recommendations, finding similar products to something you’ve snapped a photo of, and more. Alexa says it remembers your personal preferences over time (so if you frequently ask for vegan options, it’ll bear that in mind for product recommendations), and can track deals and prices to text you when an item you’re watching has gone on sale.
The texting capability is rolling out to a small group of Amazon customers in the US starting today, who will receive a text message inviting them to try the experience. It will then roll out to “millions more customers” in the coming weeks, according to Amazon’s announcement.
“Customers often jot down what they need the moment they think of it in their notes, in their messages, in their group chats,” said Rajiv Mehta, vice president of Conversational Shopping at Amazon. “Now with Alexa for Shopping, your personal shopping agent is just a text away. Message it what you need and Alexa goes to work on your behalf — searching, comparing, and buying so you can get on with your day.”
Amazon is one of several companies that have introduced ways to text their chatbots. Last month saw OpenAI launching a feature that allows users to exchange text messages with its personal AI agent, Dot. DoorDash also introduced a text-based ordering feature in September that lets users get dish recommendations and order food by texting the Ask DoorDash AI chatbot.