Home / Technology / Alexa Auto-Buys Your Deals: Set and Forget Shopping
Alexa Auto-Buys Your Deals: Set and Forget Shopping
9 Dec
Summary
- Alexa+ can now auto-buy Amazon items at set prices.
- Users set price thresholds for desired products.
- Purchases use default payment; cancellations possible within 24 hours.
Amazon's AI-enhanced Alexa now offers an 'auto-buy' feature, enabling it to purchase items directly from Amazon based on user-set price thresholds. Users can instruct Alexa+ to monitor specific products and automatically buy them if the price falls to a predetermined level, utilizing the default payment method and shipping address. For instance, a user can ask Alexa+ to buy a Sonos Era 100 speaker if it drops to $100.
Once an auto-buy is executed, customers receive a notification and have a 24-hour period to cancel the transaction. Items remain on the auto-buy list for 30 days before needing to be re-added. This new functionality aims to capitalize on deal hunting, offering a set-and-forget approach to online shopping while incorporating safeguards against unintended purchases. The system is designed to avoid the unprompted spending incidents that occurred with earlier versions of Alexa.
Complementing the auto-buy, Alexa+ is also launching automated deal tracking, such as alerting users when a Dyson cordless vacuum falls below $300. Additionally, it can provide personalized shopping suggestions for friends and family. The Echo Show 15 and 21 devices are receiving an 'Shopping Essentials' tool for real-time order tracking, enhancing the overall smart shopping experience.
