Alexa for Shopping now takes orders by text message in the US
Amazon said on Friday, November 6, that a small group of invited US customers can now text Alexa for Shopping, its AI shopping agent, to search for products, fill a cart and place orders. The option will reach millions more customers in the coming weeks, putting Amazon's agent in your phone's messages app just before the holiday shopping season.
How texting Alexa for Shopping works
Alexa for Shopping already sits in the Amazon Shopping app and on Amazon.com. The new option moves it into your phone's messages. Invited customers get a text from Amazon, accept the terms and link their phone number. After that, a contact named "Alexa Shopping" appears on the phone, and you message it the way you'd message a friend.
Amazon's examples include starting a weekly grocery order, asking for a birthday gift that arrives by Saturday and texting that you're out of dog food. You can also send a photo, such as an outfit you spotted online or a recipe, and Alexa for Shopping looks for similar products or adds the ingredients to your cart. It replies with suggestions, and when you're ready it can add items to your cart and complete the purchase for you.
Price alerts, reorders and order tracking
The texting option uses the same agent as the app, so most of the existing features carry over. According to Amazon, you can:
- reorder something you bought before, such as last month's laundry detergent, with your approval;
- ask for an alert when an item goes on sale or hits a target price;
- check up to a full year of price history for a product;
- compare products using details, reviews and pricing;
- manage shopping and gift lists;
- ask where a package is without opening the app.
Amazon says the agent remembers preferences you share, such as wanting only vegan or organic products, and uses them in later suggestions. It can also suggest products from other stores through Amazon's Shop Direct program.
Amazon is also rolling out the ability to carry a conversation between text, the Amazon Shopping app, Amazon.com and Alexa-enabled devices. You could start looking at gifts over text and finish checking out in the app. Over time, Amazon says the Alexa Shopping thread will also include order updates, delivery notifications and deals.
Availability and context
For now, texting is invitation only and limited to the US. Customers who haven't received an invite can sign up on Amazon's landing page to hear when more invites go out. Amazon says more than 400 million customers have used Alexa for Shopping in the last 12 months.
The launch follows Amazon's decision in September to block Meta's Muse AI agent from querying its site, according to TechCrunch. With texting, Amazon is offering its own agent in the messaging format that rivals such as Muse use.
What it means for you
If you already shop on Amazon, texting removes a step: you don't need the app open or a smart speaker nearby. If you get an invitation, check the order before you tell it to buy. Amazon's own example shows it preparing a checkout that you confirm, and settings such as adding items to your cart automatically are optional.
Keep in mind that the agent learns from your shopping history and what you tell it. If you'd rather not hand that over in another place, you can ignore the invitation and keep shopping the usual way.