The latest Alexa for shopping feature is initially available by invite in the US.
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Amazon’s latest Alexa for Shopping feature allows you to text the AI agent with your shopping requests. It’s available to select customers in the US now ahead of a wider rollout in the coming weeks.
You could already dump your grocery shopping list onto Alexa within the Alexa Shopping app or online, but Amazon says the new texting option is the most convenient solution yet. You can request a weekly grocery order, search for a gift or tell the AI that you need a quick re-order of something you’re running low on.
As well as text prompts, Alexa will also respond to photo attachments, scanning the store for matches. It will message back with suggestions and can add any approved items to your cart before completing the order for you. Amazon says that the AI will provide more useful recommendations over time, as it learns your various shopping habits and tastes.
You can also text Alexa about products you’d be interested in when they go on sale, setting up alerts for later on, as well as the pricing history of something for up to a full year. You can text to find out the status of an upcoming delivery, and any requests carry over to the Amazon Shopping app and the website, if you want to do more research.
To be among the first people to test the new feature, Amazon is inviting sign-ups here. You’ll need to link your phone number, and if accepted you’ll see “Alexa Shopping” in your contacts.
