Amazon adds new shopping tools to Alexa+ to help you track deals, place orders and get gift ideas

Amazon is adding a new set of shopping features to Alexa+, the generative AI version of its voice assistant, and the goal is very clear. Alexa+ is now designed to help you buy things more easily, more quickly and sometimes even automatically. Shopping has always been part of Alexa, but the new features go a step further and make the assistant more proactive.

One of the most interesting additions is a price tracking feature. You can tell Alexa+ what product you want and how much you are willing to pay for it. If the price ever drops below that number, Alexa+ will place the order for you using your saved payment method and delivery address. This tool also monitors items you have left in your cart or added to your wishlists. Amazon is clearly imagining a future where people rely on Alexa+ to watch for deals so they do not have to check manually. Although, you may want to switch it off if you are going on a trip, unless you want surprise packages waiting at your door.

Another new feature rolling out today is called Shopping Essentials, available on the Echo Show 15 and the new Echo Show 21. This gives you a simple dashboard where you can see your active orders, recently delivered items, routine essentials that might need reordering, saved items and your shopping list. All of this appears on screen in one place. You can tap to see more details or buy something directly from the device. You can access it by saying “Open Shopping Essentials” or “Alexa, where is my stuff”. Amazon says a home screen widget for the Echo Show is also coming soon.

Alexa+ is also getting better at helping with gifting. If you tell it about the person you are shopping for or the occasion, it can suggest personalised product ideas. This could be helpful during festivals or holidays when most people scramble for last-minute gifts.