Amazon has taken a major leap in how Alexa manages purchases. The company has incorporated over 100 new capabilities into the voice assistant, just as the holiday shopping season begins, one of the busiest commercial periods of the year.
The news was reported by Ivan Mehta at TechCrunch and means that tasks that previously required opening the Amazon app or website can now be resolved with a simple spoken command, from creating a shopping list to changing a delivery address.
Shopping lists and subscriptions, all by voice
With this update, users can ask Alexa to create shopping lists, save them, check which products they contain, and modify or add items without touching their phone.
The most notable feature affects recurring subscriptions. If a user receives a product every month, they can tell Alexa to change that frequency, for example to a delivery every three months, without needing to go to the website or locate the order manually.
Address changes and delivery instructions
Alexa can also modify the address of an ongoing order or add instructions for the delivery driver, such as where to leave the package if no one is home.
It is a solution designed for everyday situations, such as moving house in the middle of the month with several shipments already on the way. Instead of tracking each order separately, you just need to tell the assistant.
Questions about Prime, Audible, and payment issues
The assistant can now also answer questions related to Prime and Audible subscriptions. Additionally, it can help with billing questions and payment issues, a type of management that is often particularly tedious when a card expires or a charge is not processed correctly.
The context: Amazon multiplies the use of autonomous features
This update adds to several AI-powered shopping features that Amazon has been launching throughout the year, including a shopping assistant and a system for alerts about products and offers.
According to data from the company itself, the use of its most autonomous features—those that perform tasks rather than just answering questions—has multiplied by 8 since the beginning of the year. Amazon also claims that, in the last 12 months, more than 400 million consumers have used Alexa to shop.
It is worth taking these figures with caution, as they come from Amazon's own announcement. The company has also not detailed the exact availability date for each feature or which countries they will be active in first, so not all users will find these options on their devices immediately.
What changes for those who already use Alexa
For those who already combine Alexa with their Amazon shopping, the update represents fewer manual steps: adjusting a subscription, correcting an address, or resolving a billing question can be done by speaking, without opening any app.
At the same time, this convenience raises a point of attention. Delegating purchases and money management to a voice assistant makes it easier for expenses or changes that previously required visual review to go unnoticed. It is advisable to review the history of voice-managed orders from time to time to maintain control of spending.
The underlying question is to what extent users are willing to trust a conversational assistant with decisions about money and deliveries, and how much confidence they place in the instruction being interpreted correctly the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new features has Amazon added to Alexa?
More than 100 capabilities related to shopping lists, changes to subscription frequency, address management and delivery instructions, and answers regarding Prime, Audible, and payment issues.
Can I change the address of an order by speaking to Alexa?
Yes, according to Amazon, Alexa allows you to modify the delivery address of an ongoing order and add instructions for the delivery driver.
Can Alexa help me with payment issues on Amazon?
Yes, the assistant can answer billing questions and help resolve issues related to charges or subscriptions.
When will these features be available?
Amazon has not specified an exact availability date for each feature or the countries where they will be active first, so the rollout may vary by market.
How many people use Alexa to shop on Amazon?
According to data from Amazon itself, more than 400 million consumers have used Alexa to make purchases in the last 12 months.
Is it safe to delegate purchases and subscription changes to Alexa?
Amazon has not detailed additional verification measures for these features, so it is recommended to periodically review the history of orders and subscriptions managed by voice.
