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Alexa+ has a new shopping feature that lets it “auto-buy” items on Amazon when they hit a certain price. I’m giving it a spin.
Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry
Ready to send Alexa+ bargain hunting with your credit card? That’s the idea behind the latest shopping feature for the revamped and AI-enhanced Alexa, who you can now snap up deals for you the moment she spots them.
Launching today, Alexa+’s new “auto-buy” feature does pretty much what it says: It gives Alexa+ permission to buy items from Amazon on its own, using your default payment method.
The way it works is simple: Just ask Alexa+ about an item available for sale on Amazon. Personally, I’m thinking about snagging a new Sonos Era 100 speaker for my new apartment, so I asked Alexa+ how much it costs. The current price: $219, quite a bit more than I’m willing to pay.
Now, if the Sonos Era 100 ever fell to $100, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. So I gave Alexa+ a little task: “Alexa, put the Sonos Era 100 on my auto-buy list for $100.” (I doubt the Sonos Era 100 would ever get a discount that steep, but you never know, right?)
“Perfect,” Alexa said, “Your auto buy has been set up successfully.”
Now, Alexa+ has permission to buy that Sonos speaker the moment its sale price drops to $100 or less, without any further input from me.
If Alexa+ goes ahead and buys something on your auto-buy list, it will use your default payment method and shipping address. Once Alexa notifies you that it’s made an auto-buy purchase, you’ll have 24 hours to cancel it. Items on your auto-buy list will stay active for 30 days; after that, you’ll need to re-add them if you want Alexa+ to keep watching for the deal.
It’s a clever feature, although it also reminds me of the old Alexa’s shopping misadventures from years past—remember the kids who convinced Alexa to spent more than $150 on a dollhouse and cookies? Hopefully the new AI-infused Alexa won’t go on any unauthorized shopping sprees like that.
Other related Alexa+ shopping features launching today include automated deal tracking (“Let me know if the Dyzon cordless vacuum drops below $300”), as well as the ability for Alexa+ to offer personalized shopping suggestions for a friend or loved one with an upcoming special event (like a birthday).
Also, the Echo Show 15 and 21 are both getting a “Shopping Essentials” tool that tracks orders in real time.
This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.
Recent stories by Ben Patterson:
Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry
Ready to send Alexa+ bargain hunting with your credit card? That’s the idea behind the latest shopping feature for the revamped and AI-enhanced Alexa, who you can now snap up deals for you the moment she spots them.
Launching today, Alexa+’s new “auto-buy” feature does pretty much what it says: It gives Alexa+ permission to buy items from Amazon on its own, using your default payment method.
The way it works is simple: Just ask Alexa+ about an item available for sale on Amazon. Personally, I’m thinking about snagging a new Sonos Era 100 speaker for my new apartment, so I asked Alexa+ how much it costs. The current price: $219, quite a bit more than I’m willing to pay.
Now, if the Sonos Era 100 ever fell to $100, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. So I gave Alexa+ a little task: “Alexa, put the Sonos Era 100 on my auto-buy list for $100.” (I doubt the Sonos Era 100 would ever get a discount that steep, but you never know, right?)
“Perfect,” Alexa said, “Your auto buy has been set up successfully.”
Now, Alexa+ has permission to buy that Sonos speaker the moment its sale price drops to $100 or less, without any further input from me.
If Alexa+ goes ahead and buys something on your auto-buy list, it will use your default payment method and shipping address. Once Alexa notifies you that it’s made an auto-buy purchase, you’ll have 24 hours to cancel it. Items on your auto-buy list will stay active for 30 days; after that, you’ll need to re-add them if you want Alexa+ to keep watching for the deal.
It’s a clever feature, although it also reminds me of the old Alexa’s shopping misadventures from years past—remember the kids who convinced Alexa to spent more than $150 on a dollhouse and cookies? Hopefully the new AI-infused Alexa won’t go on any unauthorized shopping sprees like that.
Other related Alexa+ shopping features launching today include automated deal tracking (“Let me know if the Dyzon cordless vacuum drops below $300”), as well as the ability for Alexa+ to offer personalized shopping suggestions for a friend or loved one with an upcoming special event (like a birthday).
Also, the Echo Show 15 and 21 are both getting a “Shopping Essentials” tool that tracks orders in real time.
This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.
Recent stories by Ben Patterson:
