Amazon has introduced a text-based shopping feature that allows customers to interact with its Alexa AI assistant through SMS messages to search for products, compare items, and complete purchases. The feature, announced on November 6, 2026, is initially available to selected customers in the United States, with a wider rollout planned in the coming weeks.
The service allows users to send natural language requests to Alexa without opening Amazon’s shopping application or website. Customers can ask the assistant to find products, add items to their carts, and complete orders through a text conversation.
Alexa Brings AI Shopping to Text Messages
Amazon said eligible customers will receive a text message inviting them to activate the new shopping feature. Those who do not receive an invitation can join the Alexa shopping waitlist to request access.
The assistant supports product searches, price comparisons, shopping list management, and order tracking. Customers can also ask Alexa to monitor prices, search for products across the web, and check their delivery status.
The feature includes image-based shopping, allowing users to send photographs of products or clothing and receive recommendations for similar items available on Amazon. The company said Alexa will gradually learn individual shopping preferences to provide more personalized product suggestions.
Amazon Expands Alexa’s Shopping Capabilities
The launch follows an October update that introduced additional shopping tools to Alexa, including subscription management, shopping list organization, and delivery instruction changes. The new SMS interface makes these capabilities accessible through a standard messaging conversation.
Amazon is introducing the feature ahead of the holiday shopping season, when consumers typically increase their online purchasing activity. The company has not disclosed how many customers will receive initial access or when the service will become available internationally.
The announcement also follows Amazon’s decision in September to block Meta’s Muse AI agent from accessing its shopping platform. The restriction came as technology companies began developing AI assistants capable of researching products and completing purchases on behalf of users.
Retailers Develop Their Own AI Shopping Agents
Amazon’s latest initiative reflects growing interest among e-commerce companies in providing shopping assistance through conversational AI interfaces. Rather than relying entirely on external AI agents, retailers are developing their own systems to manage product discovery and transactions.
DoorDash introduced a text-based AI ordering assistant in September and subsequently reported that third-party AI agents had generated only several hundred orders on its platform. The company said it would continue developing its own conversational ordering technology.
Amazon has not shared transaction volumes or customer engagement figures for the new Alexa shopping service. The company plans to expand access over the coming weeks as it introduces the text-based experience to additional U.S. customers.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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