Amazon rolls out Alexa for Shopping by text to select U.S. users

By James Calloway

Amazon says millions more of its customers will gain access to text shopping within the coming weeks, after the company launched the Alexa for Shopping text option for selected U.S. customers on Friday. Amazon made the Friday announcement in a press release.

What does Amazon want from Alexa for Shopping?

CEO Andy Jassy said on an October earnings call: “Though we anticipate working with horizontal agents, we believe Alexa for Shopping is going to be the primary shopping agent customers use to shop Amazon,” according to Dive.

Dive reported that Amazon built out and rebranded the technology behind its AI agent within the past year. The company had also been bullish on steering customers toward its on-site agent rather than external options, Dive said.

Amazon also says it will eventually include shoppers, Amazon order updates and deals in the same space. The announcement did not set a date for those additions.

Amazon wants Alexa for Shopping to become the main way customers shop its store, while leaving room to work with outside agents.

What can shoppers do by text?

Amazon said customers can text Alexa for Shopping to add items to a cart and complete purchases on their behalf. A shopper can send a photo of a recipe, and the agent can add all the ingredients to the cart.

The text option also supports reorders, price tracking and deal tracking, Amazon said. Through Shop Direct, Amazon said customers can see products from across the web.

For now, only a selected group of U.S. customers can use it. Amazon's feature covers discovery, cart building and checkout in one text exchange.

Customers can go from a text message to a completed order as Amazon expands access.

Who tried text-based shopping first?

Dive noted that Amazon was not necessarily the first company to offer text-to-shop functionality. Walmart launched Text to Shop in 2022, and the feature let customers check out carts through messaging. An executive of No. 8 announced the launch; Dive described No. 8 as Walmart's retail startup incubator, which started in 2017.

Amazon's new effort differs because it relies on an AI agent built out and rebranded over the past year. Walmart's launch was messaging checkout; Amazon is positioning Alexa for Shopping as an AI shopping agent.

Text checkout predates the current AI-agent push, but Amazon is trying to make the agent central to the whole shopping trip.

Why is Amazon challenging outside AI agents?

In September, Amazon asked to be removed from Meta's new Muse AI agent experience. Amazon said it had not received advance notice that Muse users would be able to use Amazon's e-commerce site. The company also said it had not authorized such access.

Amazon sued AI company Perplexity in 2025 after its Comet AI agent accessed Amazon's e-commerce site to make purchases for users, Dive reported.

Amazon's September request and 2025 lawsuit make its position clear: its own agent can act for Amazon, but outside agents remain a contested route into the store.

Amazon wants more control over how AI agents reach its store as it pushes Alexa for Shopping to the center.

Will shoppers let AI complete purchases?

Dive reported that consumers have increasingly used AI tools in their shopping journeys. Their use has focused more on product inspiration and price comparisons than on finalizing purchases.

Industry experts cited by Dive said many shoppers remain reluctant to let AI complete purchases for them, partly because of security and trust concerns.

Amazon's new service lets the agent build the cart and complete the order, moving beyond the inspiration and comparison stages that dominate current use.

Amazon's next test is whether text-based convenience can win enough trust to move shoppers from comparison to checkout.