Shopping with Amazon's Alexa – how it works

March 27, 2020

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These are the prerequisites for shopping with Alexa

  • Membership in Amazon Prime (alternatively, a 30-day trial version can also be used)

  • A delivery address in Germany

  • A German bank account as a payment method including a German billing address

  • An Amazon Echo device (it doesn't matter whether Amazon Echo, Echo 2, Echo Dot, Echo Show or Echo Plus)

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With these voice commands, a shopping cart can be created via Alexa

All products that can be delivered with Amazon Prime shipping can be ordered with Alexa. Offers from third-party retailers without a prime option, on the other hand, cannot yet be bought with Alexa.

With the following Alexa voice commands, all household products for daily needs can be bought. The ones mentioned here are of course only examples and can be replaced as required.

  • "Alexa, order Ariel washing powder." – All Prime-compatible products are searched for the desired.

  • "Alexa, order Landliebe milk again." – Your order history is searched

  • "Alexa, add a black Echo Dot to my shopping cart." – the item is added to the shopping cart.

Need new styling? Alexa orders all the products you want quickly and easily

(Africa Studio / Adobe Stock) 

If no brand is mentioned, Alexa suggests a product from the 'Amazons Choice' section. That means: We are offered exactly the brand that Amazon currently favors and that is not always the cheapest – so convenience has its price. It is therefore worthwhile to provide precise information about the desired product.Amazon justifies the limitation to 'Amazon's Choice' by the fact that a list of all available brands for language shopping would be too complex and therefore not possible.

Wrong product? So the cancellation takes place via Alexa

If a wrong purchase occurs, the order can be canceled with the command: "Cancel my order" immediately after placing the order. If the cancellation by voice command is too late and is no longer possible, you can try again directly via your Amazon account.

Does Alexa order the products you want directly?

No, Alexa doesn't just order any goods, but usually asks again. As soon as an item has been selected by voice purchase, it will provide the details (name, price and, if applicable, the estimated delivery time) and you can confirm your choice with "Yes". If it is not the product you are looking for, you can end the process with the answer "No".

Amazon Echo Show, black 

Videos, summaries, weather reports, lyrics – Echo Show can also show content.

In some cases, Alexa may fail to score or not complete the purchase process. In this case, there are other options to choose from, such as adding the item to your shopping list.

What is the legal situation when buying online via Alexa?

When Alexa is asked to order online, she usually asks again: "Do you want to buy the item now?" Only after the confirmation of this question does she initiate the ordering process. Even so, no binding contract is concluded – the order is only valid if the provider has confirmed the order in writing by email. Amazon probably chose this form of contract conclusion because nobody wants to listen to Alexa for hours reading out terms and conditions.

If unauthorized persons shop secretly with their own echo, they make themselves liable for the act of "acting under a different name" and can be prosecuted for this. However, the legal guardians are liable for children who use an Amazon Echo with their parents' knowledge and who (accidentally) make language purchases.

Basically, Amazon wants to boost its online trading by ordering via Alexa and therefore tries to avoid any kind of litigation. As a result, those who have only filled their shopping cart by accident with Alexa may hope for goodwill.

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Deactivate voice shopping via Alexa

Children, in particular, like to speak completely freely with smart loudspeakers and, under certain circumstances, verbally confirm an accidentally placed order, so that it is processed and sent immediately by Amazon. To prevent this, the shopping function can also be (temporarily) switched off.

  1. To do this, start the Alexa app on your smartphone.

  2. Then navigate to "Settings" using the menu on the left.

  3. Then click on the "Language Purchase" tab. Here you can deactivate it (it is activated by default)

  4. If you like, you can also enter a security code. Our article explains how to set up PIN exactly, how to set up parental controls via PIN.

Children freely involve Alexa in their game and sometimes place orders

(very_ulissa / Adobe Stock) 

Voice shopping via Alexa doesn't work – what to do?

If nothing can be ordered via Alexa, there are several possible causes:

  • the voice shopping function was accidentally deactivated

  • Alexa understood the product name incorrectly or not at all

  • no prime account was linked to Alexa

  • the requested product is not available as a prime version

  • the microphone of the Echo speaker is deactivated

Solutions if the Alexa does not respond to voice purchases

  • To solve the problem, first check whether the link between the Echo speaker and your own Prime account worked.

  • Then check whether the microphone symbol flashes red on the top of the echo and, if necessary, tap again.

  • Then Alexa still doesn't listen, rewrite the desired product or speak slowly, loudly and clearly again.

More FAQs about Alexa

Manage appointments and tasks with Alexa

Amazon Alexa: set and manage timersSet Alexa reminders – how it worksSet alarm clock with Alexa – how it worksLink calendar to AlexaCreate and move appointments with Alexa – how it worksListen to a daily summary via Alexa – Here's howAlexa: create routines – how it works

Shopping with Alexa

Create and edit shopping lists with Alexa – how it worksCancel orders through Alexa

Adjust Alexa settings

Turn off Alexa skill notificationsActivate letter mode for Alexa – how it worksFollow-up: activate Alexa follow-up questions – how it worksChange Alexa language – how it worksChange Alexa activation word – how it worksCreate a new search engine for Amazon Echo in 5 stepsChange Alexa user account of the Echo speaker

Further guides and how-tos for Alexa

Check the traffic situation with Alexa – how it worksReceive Alexa sports news about your favorite teamListen to Bundesliga with Alexa and Amazon Music – Here's howControl Fire TV with Alexa – Here's howUse Alexa on the Windows PC – how it worksAlexa as the standard assistant on Android phones – how it worksUse Alexa on vacation – you canAlexa Blueprints: So everyone can create Alexa skills themselvesConnect and use Amazon Echo with multiple people

Alexa FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the use of Amazon Echo and Alexa

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