Amazon adds text-based purchasing feature to Alexa shopping assistant

Amazon is expanding its Alexa shopping interface to support text-based communication. Customers can now send product descriptions or photographs to an automated assistant, which then provides recommendations and processes orders through the Amazon platform.

This functionality integrates with the existing Alexa for Shopping system, which was introduced in May. By moving beyond voice commands and app-based interactions, the company aims to capture transactions during scenarios where users may prefer messaging over traditional browsing.

The service functions by identifying items via the provided text or images and returning matching Amazon product listings directly to the user’s phone. This update reflects the broader industry trend of integrating conversational commerce into mobile messaging platforms to reduce friction in the purchasing process.