Ing. Pietro Maiorana
Amazon has announced that Alexa for Shopping, its AI agent for buying, can now also be used by writing a text message. The rollout starts today for a small group of US customers, by invitation only. It is not a simple chatbot, because it searches for products, prepares the cart and can complete the order. For those running an online store, it is a signal of where part of the purchases will move.
A few terms before we get into the facts. AI agent is software that does not just answer but acts on your behalf. RCS is the standard for advanced messaging, the successor to SMS, and according to Punto Informatico it must be active on the phone. Rollout is the gradual distribution of a feature to groups of users. Shop Direct is the mechanism by which Alexa for Shopping shows products from stores outside Amazon.
What is Alexa for Shopping and what does it do via message?
According to Amazon, Alexa for Shopping is available in the Amazon Shopping app, on the website and now also by text. The stated goal is to act on the customer's behalf, not just answer questions.
Punto Informatico describes it as the agent born from the merger of Rufus and Alexa+. HDblog recalls that the technology had been introduced in May in the United States.
The customer writes what they need, even in a disorganized way, and the agent replies with suggestions as it finds products.
How do you use it and how do you get an invitation?
Access is by invitation. Amazon indicates a sign-up page to be notified when new invitations start, and says the option will extend to other customers in the coming weeks.
According to Punto Informatico, those who receive the invitation by SMS must accept the terms of use and link their phone number. The contact appears as "Alexa Shopping".
The purchase happens after the user's authorization. In the example of repurchasing laundry detergent, Amazon writes that the agent finds it and buys it with the customer's approval.
What requests can you make?
Amazon's list is long. You can set a weekly grocery budget, send a photo of a recipe to add the ingredients to the cart, or ask for breakfast delivery within 30 minutes. You can manage lists, check orders and request price history, going back up to a year.
Prices and news
The agent can monitor a product and alert you when the price drops or when a new item comes out, on Amazon and on the wider web. It can also compare the most highly rated models, with details, reviews and prices.
Preferences
The system remembers how you like to shop. You can tell it to show only organic products or to add items to the cart automatically.
Why is Amazon launching it now?
Punto Informatico links the launch to an earlier episode. At the end of September Amazon reportedly blocked Meta Muse because it allowed purchases in violation of the service's terms of use, while now it offers a similar feature with its own agent. This is the outlet's reconstruction, not a statement from Amazon.
HDblog observes that it arrives a few days after the presentation of over 100 new shopping-related features. For those selling online, conversational buying is a channel where your site is no longer the starting point. We explore this in e-commerce italiano con AI.
Limits to know
The service is for now limited to the United States and to a restricted group by invitation. Italian sources talk about arrival in other countries, but Amazon gives no dates and no mention of Italy, so we cannot say if and when it will arrive here. No usage data or error rates for automated purchases are known. Punto Informatico speculates about which Alexa devices support the feature, but Amazon does not specify it.
What changes for those working in digital
If you sell online, your products may be chosen by an agent before the customer ever sees your page. Clear listings, complete data and consistent prices matter more, as we explain in ottimizzare SEO di categorie e schede prodotto. The feed is also decisive, see Google Shopping e feed prodotti.
With purchases outside your site, tracking becomes harder. Well-done tracking e-commerce in GA4 helps you understand what remains measurable.
Our take
The idea is convenient for repeat purchases, where the risk is low. More delicate is leaving an agent to choose between similar products, because the preferences it remembers decide what you see and what you don't. Amazon states that approval is required, which is the right thing, but it remains to be seen how much customers will use it without reading. For small sellers the risk is losing visibility, if the agent favors its own catalogs. For now these are hypotheses, but they must be watched.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alexa for Shopping available in Italy?
No, not at the moment. The rollout starts with a small group of US customers by invitation. The sources give no date for Italy.
Does Alexa for Shopping buy without asking?
According to the sources, no, customer approval is required. Amazon does also describe a setting to add items to the cart automatically, if you choose it yourself.
How do I access the feature via message?
You need an invitation from Amazon, which arrives by SMS. You can leave your contact on a dedicated page to be notified. You must accept the terms of use and link your phone number.
Can it search for products outside Amazon?
Yes, partly. Amazon states that through Shop Direct it can show options from web stores, and that it can monitor new items beyond Amazon as well.
What are Rufus and Alexa+?
They are the two Amazon assistants from which, according to Punto Informatico, Alexa for Shopping originates. The new agent combines them into a single shopping tool.
What to watch before it arrives in Italy
The launch is small, but it points the direction. It is worth understanding now what is needed to be found by an agent.
- Check whether Amazon announces dates and countries in the coming weeks.
- Verify how well your products are described with complete, machine-readable data.
- Follow whether rules emerge for third-party sellers on visibility and order data.
