Amazon's Alexa for Shopping assistant now takes orders by text

Amazon is expanding its Alexa for Shopping assistant with a new option that lets customers buy products simply by sending a text message. Users can describe what they are looking for, or share a photograph of an item, and the AI assistant will search Amazon's listings, text back with recommendations and place the order on their behalf.

The texting capability builds on the Alexa for Shopping experience that Amazon introduced in May. It is designed for moments when firing off a message is more convenient than opening the company's app or website, and the contact appears on a user's phone as "Amazon Alexa."

According to Amazon, the assistant can handle a wide range of shopping requests, from ordering weekly groceries to suggesting gifts or finding products similar to something a customer has photographed. The company says Alexa remembers personal preferences over time, so a shopper who frequently asks for vegan options, for example, will see that reflected in future product recommendations.

The assistant can also monitor deals and prices, and it will send a text when an item a customer is watching drops in price or goes on sale.

Access will be limited at first. Amazon said the feature is rolling out to a small group of customers in the United States starting Friday, with those selected receiving a text message inviting them to try the experience. The company plans to extend it to millions more customers in the coming weeks.

"Customers often jot down what they need the moment they think of it in their notes, in their messages, in their group chats," said Rajiv Mehta, vice president of Conversational Shopping at Amazon. "Now with Alexa for Shopping, your personal shopping agent is just a text away." Mehta said the assistant then goes to work on the customer's behalf, searching, comparing and buying so the shopper can get on with the day.

Amazon is one of several companies turning text messages into a way to reach AI assistants. Last month, OpenAI introduced a feature that lets users exchange text messages with its personal AI agent, Dot. In September, DoorDash launched a text-based ordering option through its Ask DoorDash chatbot, which offers dish recommendations and takes food orders.