Amazon brings Alexa Plus to Amazon.com as new shopping assistant
Alexa replaces Rufus with auto-buying, price alerts, and cross-device continuity.
Amazon is integrating its AI assistant Alexa Plus directly into the Amazon.com shopping experience with a new feature called Alexa for Shopping. Replacing the earlier Rufus assistant, Alexa for Shopping is now the default AI in the Amazon search bar and app. Users can type natural language queries like “What’s a good skincare routine for men?” or “When did I last order AA batteries?” and get personalized, conversational responses. The assistant leverages multiple models and reasoning, pulling from Amazon’s catalog and the broader web, along with any context about the customer’s past interactions.
Key capabilities include setting price alerts, auto-reordering products when conditions are met (e.g., “Add this sunscreen to my cart if the price drops to $10 and I haven’t purchased it in the last 2 months”), and the controversial Buy for Me feature that shops on other websites. It also offers a full year of price history and scheduled actions to automatically find deals. Alexa for Shopping is accessible across all Amazon and Alexa devices, providing cross-device continuity—for example, a conversation started on an Echo Show can be continued on the Amazon app. The service rolls out to US customers over the coming weeks and does not require an Alexa account.
- Alexa for Shopping replaces Rufus and is integrated into Amazon search bar and app.
- Features include price alerts, auto-reordering, Buy for Me (shops other sites), and scheduled actions.
- Personalized via Echo devices with cross-device continuity; no Alexa account needed for basic use.
Why It Matters
Amazon embeds AI shopping agents directly into e-commerce, enabling automated purchasing and personalized cross-device experiences.