In a bid to offer a far more convenient shopping experience to users, Amazon has now launched Alexa voice shopping through Prime Now. Though shopping through Amazon has been a common day-to-day thing now, the fresh integration of Prime Now in the system enables availability of the product through its free two-hour delivery service. You simply have to ask the voice assistant — ‘Alexa, order Nyquil (or any other essential consumer product) from Prime Now’. And that’s it, you’re done!
The shoppers from more than 30 Prime Now eligible cities, including Seattle, Columbus and Cincinnati among others, can now use the latest feature. However, to shop with Alexa through Prime Now, customers must be Prime members with a default payment and shipping address already set up. Prime Now shopping can be encountered through various Alexa-supported Amazon devices such as the Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Fire Tablet, and Fire TV.
Speaking of the utility provided to customers, Assaf Ronen, Vice President of Voice Shopping said in a press release,
Bringing Prime Now to Alexa voice shopping combines two of the most innovative shopping technologies available for an experience that our customers are going to wonder how they ever lived without, We’re excited to offer the full Prime Now catalogue with Alexa, including tens of thousands of items, which allows you to refill everyday essentials you’ve just run out of.
The news is floated within a week of official announcement made by Amazon to add the Alexa voice assistant to its main shopping app, thus finally exposing the former, to a much larger audience. However, you won’t be able to order through Prime Now from the app itself using your voice.
Apart from the extension of Alexa capabilities, Amazon has also enlarged its shopping menu. Starting from today, customers in select cities can use Alexa to get alcohol delivered using the free two-hour delivery service. This addition has been justified citing the popular weekend party trend in cities such as Seattle, Washington, and Columbus. A customer will have to show his I.D proof upon delivery of these alcoholic items. To restock your party, you just need to say — ‘Alexa, order wine through Prime Now’ and within a couple hours, your party will be back on track.
Shedding some light on Amazon’s progress in-house, Amazon is now looking to introduce its music streaming service, Amazon Prime Music, as part of the existing subscription package early next year in India. It is looking to grapple the competitive music streaming market which is flooded with local, as well as international players like Saavn, Gaana, and Apple Music respectively. It is said to be involved in discussions with record labels, such as T-Series, to secure content right agreements.
