What changed this week
Amazon said on 13 November that the option to text Alexa for Shopping was now broadly available to customers of the service. It first announced the feature a week earlier. The change is in how shoppers reach the assistant: they can start a request from a text thread instead of opening Amazon’s app or website.
Amazon directs shoppers to a sign-up page. Its examples include asking for product suggestions, sending a photo to look for similar items and putting ingredients from a recipe into a cart. The company also says shoppers can check the status of an order by text.
Putting something in a cart is not buying it
A text asking for suggestions starts a search. Asking the assistant to add an item changes the cart. Neither is the same as placing an order. In its example of reordering something the shopper bought before, Amazon says the assistant completes the purchase with the shopper’s approval.
Amazon also describes a separate auto-buy feature for eligible purchases at a set price. If you use automated shopping, it is worth checking whether the request sets an alert, adds an item to the cart or gives permission to place an order. Before approving a purchase, check the item, quantity and final price.
What the rollout notice does not establish
Amazon says it is rolling out the ability to continue a text conversation in other places, including its shopping app and website. That is distinct from being able to start a text. The announcement doesn’t say that every account can already pick up a conversation across devices.
Amazon separately lists 13 countries where Alexa for Shopping is fully available. Its texting announcement does not break out SMS access by country, so the broader list is not a guide to where texting works.
Sources
- Amazon: Alexa for Shopping by textNovember 6 launch and November 13 availability update, sign-up, reorder example and cross-channel rollout.
- Amazon: Alexa for Shopping overviewBroader availability, app and website access, cart changes and auto-buy capabilities.
