Amazon is rolling out a new artificial intelligence-powered shopping assistant to Canadian customers, combining information from its Alexa voice assistant with shopping histories and product expertise to offer personalized recommendations and purchasing assistance.
The service, called Alexa for Shopping, is available through the Amazon Shopping app and website, as well as Echo Show devices. The launch gives customers access to AI-powered shopping tools without requiring an Amazon Prime membership or an Echo device, with the service available free to anyone signed into an Amazon account.
The recent announcement marks an expansion of Amazon’s use of artificial intelligence in its retail operations, bringing together its Rufus shopping assistant technology and Alexa+ to create a more connected shopping experience across its platforms.
Amazon said more than 400 million customers worldwide have used AI-powered shopping assistance on its platform in the past 12 months.
Linking shopping history with personal preferences
Alexa for Shopping combines product information and expertise from Rufus with customers’ Amazon shopping histories and information gathered through their interactions with Alexa+. The system is designed to use conversations, browsing activity, purchases and preferences to tailor recommendations and assist with shopping decisions.
Information shared with Alexa through Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices can inform shopping recommendations on Amazon.ca. Similarly, customers’ conversations and purchasing activity on Amazon can help Alexa provide more relevant assistance across its services. The assistant can help customers find products, compare categories and individual items, receive recommendations, reorder household essentials and manage shopping carts.
Amazon says the system is designed to become more useful over time as it builds on customer preferences and interactions across devices. Customers can also edit their personalization preferences by chatting directly with Alexa for Shopping.
The company outlined examples involving customers discussing a school science project or an upcoming family birthday with Alexa before receiving related product recommendations through the Amazon Shopping app. In one example, a customer discussing a homemade volcano project with Alexa on an Echo device could later ask the shopping assistant for recommended supplies through the Amazon app. Another example involves using a previously shared birthday date to generate age-appropriate gift suggestions.
AI product insights and price history
The Canadian launch includes several shopping features intended to help customers research products and make purchasing decisions.
AI-generated overviews will appear at the top of search results in the Amazon Shopping app, providing summaries of product categories and considerations for shoppers. Similar overviews will be available on individual product detail pages. Customers will also be able to review price histories covering periods of 30, 60 or 365 days. The information will be available through a Price History option on product pages or by asking Alexa for Shopping.
Amazon said the feature will cover hundreds of millions of products in its store, allowing customers to examine how prices have changed before making a purchase. The assistant can also search previous orders and add previously purchased items to a shopping cart through conversational instructions. Customers can request familiar products, such as regular pet treats or preferred protein bars, before completing checkout with a tap.
Another feature allows customers to request customized shopping guides for larger purchases or unfamiliar product categories. The guides compare product features, prices and reviews from Amazon and across the web, using individual customer preferences to determine which information is most relevant. Customers can also view, update or remove information Alexa for Shopping has about them, including details about family members, pets, interests and dietary needs.
Full Amazon store coming to Echo Show
Amazon is also expanding shopping capabilities on its Echo Show devices, bringing the complete Amazon store experience to the screens for the first time. Customers will be able to browse products, search the store and make purchases using voice commands, touch controls or a combination of both, with Alexa providing assistance.
The shopping assistant will retain other existing Alexa capabilities, including package tracking and order-status inquiries. For requests involving other household services, such as controlling smart-home devices, playing music or managing household tasks, Alexa for Shopping will transfer the interaction to Alexa+ through the Alexa app or Alexa.com.
More features planned for Canadian customers
Amazon said additional capabilities are planned for the coming weeks and months, including price alerts that will allow customers to establish target prices for products and receive notifications when those prices are reached. The company also plans to improve how the assistant remembers customer preferences and conversations across devices, with the goal of making recommendations and interactions more personalized over time.
Alexa for Shopping is scheduled to roll out to all Canadian customers over the week following the Nov. 12 announcement. Customers can access the service by updating the Amazon Shopping app and selecting the Alexa icon in the bottom navigation bar. Desktop users can find the feature at the top of the screen.
The service is free for all Amazon customers signed into their accounts, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership, an Echo device or the separate Alexa app.
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