Technology
Amazon introduces Alexa shopping feature to alert users about upcoming releases
The new "Update Me When" tool notifies consumers about brand launches, concerts, and TV shows to help anticipate purchases.
The short version
- Amazon has launched "Update Me When," a new feature for its Alexa for Shopping AI assistant.
- The tool allows users to set up personalized alerts for upcoming product releases, book launches, concert tours, and TV seasons.
- The feature shifts Alexa's role from answering direct product questions to proactively anticipating consumer purchases.
Key facts
- Amazon launched the "Update Me When" feature on Tuesday as part of its Alexa for Shopping AI assistant.[TechCrunch]
- The feature sends personalized notifications for events that could prompt a purchase, such as book releases, tech product drops, or concert tour announcements.[TechCrunch]
- Users must initially configure these alerts directly to receive notifications.[TechCrunch]
- Other highlighted Alexa shopping tools include an existing price-tracking feature that can automatically purchase items when they reach a specified discount level.[TechCrunch]