Amazon Unveils AI-Powered 'Buy for Me' Feature for Cross-Platform Shopping

Amazon's new AI agent will shop third-party sites for you | TechCrunch

Amazon is starting to test a new AI shopping agent, a feature it calls "Buy for Me," with a subset users, the company announced in a blog post Thursday. If Amazon doesn't sell something that users are searching for, the Buy for Me feature will display products to users that other websites are selling. Then, users can select and request to purchase one of these products without ever leaving the Amazon Shopping app. Amazon is the latest company to unveil an AI shopping agent, joining firms such as OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, which have all showcased similar agents that can visit websites and help users make purchases. Amazon is already most people's go-to platform for anything they'd want to purchase on the internet, but Buy for Me could allow Amazon to capture even more e-commerce business than it does today. Behind the scenes, Amazon's AI shopping agent will visit an external website, select a product that a user requested, and fill out the user's name, shipping address, and payment details in order to purchase it, according to Amazon. Amazon says the new agentic shopping feature is powered by its Amazon Nova AI models, in addition to Anthropic's Claude. One of those models could be Nova Act, an AI agent Amazon unveiled earlier this week that can use websites autonomously. Amazon said in the aforementioned blog post that Buy for Me uses encryption to "securely" insert your billing information on third-party sites, such that Amazon can't see what you're ordering from outside its platform. This is a unique approach compared to OpenAI and Google's agents, which require humans to fill out credit card information themselves, as well as Perplexity's AI agent, which has a prepaid debit card to make purchases. Handing your credit card information over to AI, which is prone to hallucinations and mistakes, may give some users serious pause. In TechCrunch's experience, AI shopping agents often take a long time to process requests, and often get stuck somewhere along the line. Amazon is basically asking users to trust that its agent won't accidentally purchase 1,000 pairs of socks instead of 10, for example. It's also asking that they accept less control over the shopping experience. If a customer needs to return or exchange an order, Buy for Me will direct them to the digital storefront from which the AI agent made the purchase. We'll soon see how many people are willing to take the plunge.

Amazon can now buy products from other websites for you

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Amazon is testing a new "Buy for Me" button that will let you purchase products from third-party websites without leaving the e-commerce giant's mobile app. The feature is powered by agentic AI, allowing the company to purchase items on your behalf. Last month, Amazon rolled out a test that directs you to other brands' websites for products it doesn't sell. But now, instead of directing you to the website to fill out your payment details and shipping address, "Buy for Me" is supposed to do all the work for you. The feature runs on Amazon's Nova AI system, which now includes a new model capable of performing actions within your browser, along with Anthropic's Claude. When you tap on an item that supports the feature, you'll see all the product details directly within the Amazon app. Pressing the "Buy for Me" button will bring up an Amazon checkout page, where you can verify your payment information. Amazon will then use AI to "securely" provide your "encrypted name, address, and payment details to complete the checkout process on the brand's website." The company says it can't view previous or separate orders from third-party sites. Even though you'll be able to track your orders directly on Amazon, you'll have to visit the other brand's site for customer service and returns. Amazon doesn't say whether it will get a cut of a "Buy for Me" purchase but notes that third-party companies can opt out. "Buy for Me" is currently available to a "subset" of users in the US on iOS and Android devices. Amazon is also testing it with a limited number of brands and products for now, but it plans to expand it in the future.

Amazon's 'Buy for Me' AI will purchase stuff from third-party websites

It can purchase items for you from brands' websites within the Amazon app. Amazon has started testing another AI-powered feature called "Buy for Me," which allows the e-commerce company to make purchases for you from other websites. Specifically, from the actual website of a brand you're looking looking up. The experience is built into the Amazon app. When you search for an item from a particular brand, you may see a section of results labeled "Shop brand sites directly" separate from the results you'll get from Amazon and its third-party sellers. If you click on the "Buy for Me" button underneath an item in the separate results section, you'll be taken to a product detail page right inside the Amazon app. The company says the page will provide relevant product information similar to the product details in Amazon's own listings. Amazon will purchase the item for you from the brand's website if you decide to go through with the transaction. It uses agentic AI, a type of AI that doesn't need human intervention, to provide your name, address and payment details for the checkout process. Your details are encrypted, Amazon says, and it will not be able to see your previous and future orders from brands' websites. You'll receive a confirmation email from the brand store itself for your purchase, but you can track your order within the Amazon app through the new Buy for Me Orders tab in the Your Orders page. The company didn't say whether it's getting a commission from your purchases made through the experimental feature, but that's probably the end goal for it. For now, the feature is still in beta and will only be available to a subset of customers on the US on its iOS and Amazon apps. The test will also only feature a limited number of brand stores and products for now. Just a few days ago, Amazon also released an AI-powered feature called "Interests," which can process prompts in every day language related to your, well, interests. You can, for instance, type in "Brewing tools and gadgets for coffee lovers" to get relevant notifications for Amazon's deals and offerings.

Amazon can now shop other websites on your behalf

In a nutshell: Amazon already offers hundreds of millions of items to choose from yet even still, the e-commerce giant doesn't have everything. In the rare instance Amazon doesn't have what you're looking for, the company's latest feature might be able to help. Buy for Me, available to select US customers in the Amazon Shopping app on Android and iOS devices, leverages agentic AI to make purchases on users' behalf. When searching for a branded product in the Amazon app, shoppers will be shown relevant results from Amazon and third-party sellers and when applicable, results from stores not currently on Amazon. Clicking a product labeled Buy for Me takes shoppers to a product page similar to others in the Amazon app, complete with relevant information. Should the shopper want to move forward with the purchase, clicking the Buy for Me button will request Amazon to make the purchase from the brand's website on their behalf. Customers can complete the transaction on a checkout page similar to what they normally experience in the Amazon app without having to jump through hoops on a third-party page. Once complete, the customer will receive confirmation from the store via email and have access to tracking information in the Amazon app. Deliveries, returns, and customer service are managed by the brand store, not Amazon directly. Amazon said it does not have access to a users' previous / separate orders from a Buy for Me store. The feature is free to use from Prime and non-Prime members alike. Notably, you'll be unable to use a brand promo code during checkout. If you have a coupon that affords a significant discount, it might be best to purchase directly from the brand site. The new feature runs on Bedrock, and is supported by Amazon Nova and Anthropic's Claude models. It is being tested with a limited number of customers, stores, and products. The e-commerce giant expects to expand the feature to more users and retailers should everything go according to plan.

Amazon rolls out tool that buys items from other retail stores for you

Amazon has announced that it is testing a feature called "Buy for Me," which is rolling out in beta for select US customers who use the Amazon Shopping app. As the company explains, this tool is meant to help customers find and purchase products from other brands' sites if they aren't currently sold in the Amazon store. According to Shopping Director at Amazon Oliver Messenger, Buy for Me uses AI to make purchases on other retail websites for the consumer: If you're one of the people who has been selected to try out the beta, you'll be able to use it by searching for a product in the search results. When you see Buy for Me under the item, you can tap on the item to be taken to a product detail page within the Amazon Shopping app. This detail page will look similar to the detail pages for items sold on Amazon.

The Amazon App Isn't Just for Amazon Anymore

Summary Amazon is testing a "Buy for Me" feature to buy directly from brand websites. The AI goes to the brand's site, enters info, and purchases a product within Amazon. The "Buy for Me" feature is in beta, and it's only available to limited US customers on the mobile app. I buy most of my stuff on Amazon because of the convenience, but there's still a few scenarios where I still want to buy direct from a brand's store -- whether it's deals or simply availability. Now, Amazon also wants to buy off those shops for you. Amazon is currently testing a new, AI-driven feature within its mobile application called "Buy for Me," designed to facilitate purchases for users directly from external brand websites. The way it works is when a user searches for an item associated with a specific brand, they may find themselves looking at a distinct section labeled "Shop brand sites directly." This section appears separately from the standard listings offered by Amazon and its third-party sellers. Within this new section, certain products might display a "Buy for Me" button, which does exactly what you think it does -- it'll bring you to a product listing within Amazon, and when you hit buy there, Amazon will use agentic AI (AI that can perform tasks autonomously without requiring direct human intervention at each step) to go to that store's website, enter your payment details, your address, and purchase the product for you. This, of course, raises huge privacy concerns, but Amazon says that the user's personal and payment details are encrypted during this process. In theory, your payment details shouldn't mysteriously show up in someone else's purchase by doing this, but we'd have to wait and see. Furthermore, the company asserts that it will not have visibility into the customer's past or future order history directly with the brand's website accessed via this feature. Related Amazon is Killing Its Try-Before-You-Buy Program Good luck trying to fit your shoes with AI. Posts 1 While Amazon handles the purchase execution on the external site, the official order confirmation email will be sent directly from the brand whose website the purchase was made on. So functionally, it shouldn't be much different from buying something off that website yourself -- the whole schtick of this is that you can order products on those websites with a similar degree of convenience as doing it with Amazon's pre-saved details. However, users will retain the ability to monitor the shipment's progress within Amazon nonetheless. A new "Buy for Me Orders" tab is being added to the "Your Orders" section of the Amazon app specifically for tracking these external purchases. Amazon has not officially disclosed whether it receives a commission or fee from brands for sales facilitated through the "Buy for Me" feature. But honestly, I don't think Amazon is only doing this for the sake of being nice to people -- the company is probably getting something back from this. The feature probably involves partnerships with the actual websites the company is buying from, to curate the selections in search results and also to ensure the agentic AI knows its way around the website -- I can imagine it could get confused with customers that, for example, might have a billing address that's different from the shipping address. As we've seen with ChatGPT Pro's agentic feature, it's still an experimental feature that sometimes messes up, so it could very well mistype something while buying. Currently, "Buy for Me" is in a beta testing phase with very restricted availability. The feature is accessible only to a limited subset of Amazon customers located in the United States who are using the Amazon mobile app on iOS or Android devices. The initial test also involves a curated selection of participating brands and products. There is no definitive timeline for a wider rollout just yet, but if this goes well, we might see it arrive for everyone within a few months. Source: Amazon via Engadget

The Amazon app's new beta lets you buy products Amazon doesn't sell

Google's mandatory "upgrading" of Google Assistant to Gemini will drive me away from Pixel phones Summary Amazon's new Buy for Me feature lets you purchase products it doesn't sell directly right from the app. Additional products from non-Amazon stores appear in search results labeled 'Shop brand sites directly'. Buy for Me is currently live in the Amazon Shopping app for some US customers and will expand based on feedback. Amazon sells practically everything under the sun, but there are still products you can't buy directly from everyone's favorite online gigaretailer. Now, Amazon is working on a way for you to acquire even products it doesn't sell, right from the Amazon Shopping app. A new feature called Buy for Me, now being tested in beta, uses agentic AI to purchase products from non-Amazon storefronts while keeping shoppers on the Amazon platform. With Buy for Me, shoppers will see not only products available for purchase on Amazon, but also "additional relevant products from other stores in a separate section of search results labeled 'Shop brand sites directly.'" Tapping one of these results will take you to a product page similar to the ones Amazon shows for product it sells directly. Tapping a button labeled Buy for me will direct Amazon's AI to purchase the product for you, passing your payment and shipping information from Amazon to the external retailer. Buy for Me orders will be listed in your Amazon purchase history, but customer service and returns "are managed by the brand store." Buy it on Amazon, even if Amazon doesn't have it "Buy for Me is currently live in the Amazon Shopping app on both iOS and Android for a subset of U.S. customers," Amazon shared in a blog post. The post goes on to explain that while Buy for Me is limited now, Amazon intends to expand the feature: "We will begin testing with a limited number of brand stores and products, with plans to roll out to more customers and incorporate more brand stores and products based on feedback." Assuming the current Buy for Me trial works out the way Amazon expects, the feature should expand to more Amazon Shopping app users in the near future, and potentially the desktop Amazon interface, as well. For more info about Buy for Me, check out Amazon's FAQ.

Amazon's new 'Buy for me' feature is a wild AI innovation - 9to5Mac

Back in February, Amazon announced an interesting new test that would show you products from other retailers' sites. Now, the company is taking things even further: Amazon's new "Buy for me" feature can use agentic AI to actually make purchases elsewhere on your behalf -- so you never have to leave Amazon. When you tap "Buy for me", you'll see an estimated total that includes item price, shipping, and taxes. We get product information including price, directly from brand sites to display in the Amazon Shopping app and refresh it regularly. Behind the scenes, Amazon is using agentic AI to navigate to the retailer in question and make the purchase using all of your default contact, payment, and shipping information. But from the user's standpoint, you're still operating entirely within the Amazon app and enjoying the convenience that provides. Amazon's explainer highlights how these purchases at other retailers are technically not Amazon transactions, even if the experience makes them feel like they are. As a result, Amazon's own policies regarding returns and other terms & conditions don't apply. Overall, this is a fascinating potential use of AI that could lead Amazon to become even more of a one-stop shopping app for users. What do you think of Amazon's new AI "Buy for me" feature? Let us know in the comments.

Amazon's AI shopper makes sure you don't leave without spending

Table of Contents Table of Contents Hello, Buy for Me! Some finer details The future of online shopping on Amazon is going to be heavily dependent on AI. Early in 2025, the company pushed its Rufus AI agent to spill product information and help users find the right items. A few weeks later, another AI tool called Interests made its way to the shopping site. The new Alexa+ AI assistant is also capable of placing orders semi-autonomously, handling everything from groceries to booking appointments. Now, the company has started to test yet another AI agent that will buy products from other websites if they're not available on Amazon -- without ever leaving the app. Recommended Videos Hello, Buy for Me! The feature in question is called "Buy for Me" and it is now available for a small batch of users in the US across the Android and iPhone apps. "We want to make it even easier for customers to find any product they want and need," says the company. Amazon notes that the whole system has been integrated seamlessly within the core shopping experience. To that end, users will see product listings from other websites, as well, under the new "Shop brand sites directly" banner. All you need to do is tap on the product and tap on the "Buy for Me" option. Once the purchase intent is clear, Amazon will link up with the target website and take customers directly to the checkout page where they can pay and confirm the order. "Using agentic AI capabilities, Amazon makes the purchase by securely providing the customer's encrypted name, address, and payment details to complete the checkout process on the brand's website," explains the company. The third-party brand will offer an order confirmation on the registered email address, while a new "Buy for Me Orders tab" in the Amazon app will let users keep an eye on the logistics status. There is no extra cost associated with Buy for Me, and it doesn't require a Prime subscription either. Some finer details There is a slight cost caveat, though, regarding the Buy For Me feature. "When you direct Amazon to make the purchase on your behalf, Amazon provides an estimated total, and you'll agree to pay an amount up to $10 more than the estimated total. You will only be charged by the brand, which calculates the final total," says Amazon on a support page. Notably, promo codes are not applicable for products purchased from other sites. Moreover, you can only purchase one item at a time using the experimental feature. Amazon also warns that its return and refund policies won't apply to these orders. This new agentic AI shopping feature is built atop Amazon Nova and Anthropic's Claude AI models. Amazon is already testing a tool called Nova Act that will take over web browsing duties and perform tasks on behalf of users, such as ordering food delivery.

You won't have to leave the Amazon app even when buying from other retailers thanks to the company's new 'Buy for Me' agentic AI bot

If you're an Amazon die-hard and want to see all your online shopping in one place, you will soon be able to buy even non-Amazon goods straight from the Amazon app. What a world we live in. Announced in a new press release, Amazon's "Buy for Me" function will let you search for specific items by specific brands, pick the item you want, and order it all from the Amazon app, even if Amazon itself doesn't stock it. If you have the Android or iOS version of the Amazon app and live in the US, there's a good chance you have the 'Buy for Me' function right now, as it has begun rolling out for US customers. It initially starts with testing the function on a "limited number of brand stores and products" but is due to see even more brands and users in the future based on early feedback. This new feature uses "agentic AI" which is a buzzword for a more advanced generative AI with, as Nvidia claims, "sophisticated reasoning and iterative planning to autonomously solve complex, multi-step problems." Amazon's new system is intended to be integrated into the broader shopping experience and, from shots shown off so far, looks indistinguishable from the usual shopping UI. That being said, you cannot currently apply promo codes to third-party items you buy so you're still a little bit better off shopping around first. It can also only buy one item at a time so no buying in bulk. Effectively, this new system is designed to make you feel like you are shopping on Amazon even when you're not, and the app can receive confirmation of purpose, give you up-to-date delivery tracking, and can even work as limited customer service. If you want to organize a return or refund, you do have to go through the shopfront you have bought from though. You pay through Amazon, but, if the price of items you buy from third-party sources changes between putting it in your basket and checking out, Amazon will authorize the payment if it's within $10 of the estimated amount. With this, Amazon could position itself as the middleman between shops and the customer. I'm rather torn on what I think about it. On one hand, the idea of seamlessly doing all of my online shopping through the same app does sound handy, even just for laying out orders and delivery windows together. On the other hand, the idea of Amazon further cementing its role as the Google of shopping makes me weary. We don't yet know if Amazon gets anything out of making sales to other shops, though the idea of it being the go-between means all Amazon has to do to stop customers shopping elsewhere is start actually stocking the items it currently doesn't. That's maybe valuable direct market research that would only further Amazon's tight hold over the big shopping events every year.

Amazon's AI now shops the whole internet for you

Amazon is testing "Buy for Me," a new AI shopping agent that finds products on third-party sites when they're not available on Amazon itself. The feature, announced in a blog post, allows users to request and purchase items without leaving the Amazon Shopping app. This move puts Amazon in competition with OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, all of which have launched similar AI shopping agents. By sourcing from across the web, Amazon aims to capture an even larger share of the e-commerce market. According to Amazon, the AI agent autonomously visits external websites, selects the user-requested product, and fills in personal, shipping, and payment details to complete the purchase. The agent is powered by Amazon Nova AI models and Anthropic's Claude, potentially including Nova Act, an AI agent unveiled earlier this week. Amazon emphasizes that Buy for Me uses encryption to "securely" input billing information on third-party sites, ensuring Amazon cannot view the specific purchases made outside its platform. This contrasts with OpenAI and Google's agents, which require manual credit card entry, and Perplexity's agent, which uses a prepaid debit card. The company acknowledges concerns regarding AI errors, and states that Buy for Me will direct customers to the original digital storefront for any returns or exchanges. It remains to be seen how many users will adopt this approach.

Amazon's "Buy For Me" Feature Will Do Your Shopping on Other Websites

I've Subscribed to Google One for Years, but Wish It Had These 6 Features While not every product makes its way to Amazon's online store, the retailer's new "Buy For Me" feature will let you buy from other brands without ever needing to leave Amazon. "Buy For Me" Uses AI to Keep You on Amazon Longer Say you're shopping for a pair of sneakers, but the brand isn't normally available on Amazon. Instead, it may now appear in an entirely new section under Shop brand sites directly. From there, you can find the sneakers you're looking for, tap the Buy For Me button, and Amazon will purchase those shoes directly from the brand's website. It'll use your payment details, name, address, and contact information to make the purchase. Right now, it's still in beta on Android and iPhone, as well as being limited to the US. However, there's no guarantee you'll have access to it, even if you are in the US. Amazon's "Buy For Me" works by utilizing AI, just like it does with its surprisingly useful AI chatbot Rufus. This more advanced artificial intelligence can solve more complex problems -- like buying products for you. "Buy For Me" Still Has Some Quirks "Buy For Me" is as straightforward as it gets, but it runs into a few snags. For starters, it doesn't activate any promo codes for you, even if you have one. You'll have to visit brand sites yourself to use those. That said, it still issues discounts. Related Amazon's AI-Powered Search Actually Sounds Like a Good Way to Shop The retailing giant wants to help you find more products to buy. Posts Secondly, the price you see during checkout may not reflect the actual price. It could be as much as $10 more, with Amazon stepping in for confirmation if it ends up being more than that. Lastly, refunds and returns are handled by the brand, not Amazon itself. That includes terms and policies, though you'll still be able to track the status of your order from Amazon. I'm Not Sold on Amazon's "Buy For Me" Feature Beyond the quirks, I still have many questions that go unanswered, and my initial reaction is to distrust something so automatic. Is convenience really worth the risk of paying more for a product? To me, $10 could be the difference between buying and not. It's trading control for convenience. Further, I'm not comfortable letting AI handle my credit card information -- whether the information is encrypted or not. That's only introducing one more point of failure. Amazon has suffered a data leak before, too. My biggest question is: what does Amazon stand to gain from this? There's no monetary value here, given that the "Buy For Me" feature doesn't cost anything to use. It's not even locked behind Amazon Prime. The likely gain is user data and traffic.

Amazon's New Feature Can Buy Products for You From Other Websites

Amazon recently began listing items that it does not sell on its platform Amazon is testing a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that can purchase products from other websites on the users' behalf. Announced on Thursday, the "Buy for Me" feature is currently available in beta to select users via its Android and iOS apps. The e-commerce giant says that it is an agentic feature which is powered by native and third-party AI models. Since Amazon is currently testing the feature, only some products from specific brand websites can be purchased using Buy for Me. In a newsroom post, the tech giant announced the release of the Buy for Me feature in beta. This feature arrives a month after Amazon began listing products from other websites on its platform in a new section dubbed "Shop brand sites directly." This addition, also in beta, allows buyers to see products that the e-commerce giant does not carry. If a user prefers to buy the product, they are redirected to the brand's website. Now, with Buy for Me, Amazon is reducing the friction of the shopping experience by deploying an AI agent that will automatically purchase the product so that the user does not have to leave the app. Notably, the feature is currently available to select users in the US on a limited number of products via the Android and iOS apps. To use the AI-powered feature, users will have to search for products that aren't available on Amazon and appear with the "Shop brand sites directly" label. Once a user taps on an item, they will be taken to a product detail page within the app where they can see relevant information to learn more about the product. If the user decides to buy the product, they can tap on the Buy for Me button on the page. It will redirect the user to an Amazon checkout page where they can confirm the delivery address, taxes and shipping fees, and payment method. The AI agent takes over after this and makes the purchase. The company says the agent securely provides the user's encrypted name, address, and payment details to the third-party website. Notably, the e-commerce giant cannot access previous or separate orders from other brands' websites. While Amazon will be making the purchase, delivery, returns, exchanges, and customer service are managed by the third-party website. Users will, however, be able to track their order via the Your Order page in the Buy for Me Orders tab in the app. The tech giant did not share details about the AI agent but revealed that it runs on Amazon Bedrock and is powered by the company's in-house Nova models and Anthropic's Claude models.

Amazon Tests Agentic AI That Helps Customers Buy From Other Sites | PYMNTS.com

Amazon is testing a feature in its Amazon Shopping app that uses agentic AI to help customers buy items from other brands while remaining within Amazon's app. The feature that's in beta is called Buy for Me. It is live in the Amazon Shopping app for a subset of the company's customers in the United States and with a limited number of brand stores and products, Amazon said in a Thursday (April 3) press release. "We're always working to invent new ways to make shopping even more convenient, and we've created Buy for Me to help customers quickly and easily find and buy products from other brand stores if we don't currently sell those items in our store," Oliver Messenger, shopping director at Amazon, said in the release. For the other brands from which the AI agent can buy, the feature offers "increased exposure and seamless conversion," Messenger said. Buy for Me is integrated into Amazon's shopping experience so that when customers search for branded items, they may see, along with results from Amazon and its third-party sellers, additional products from other stores in search results labeled "Shop brand sites directly," according to the release. Customers can link to those sites directly or, if they see a link to Buy for Me, select that option, learn about the product, and then ask Amazon to use its agentic AI capabilities to buy it for them, the release said. If they ask Buy for Me to make the purchase, customers will receive an order confirmation email from the brand store and will be able to track their orders in the Amazon Shopping app, per the release. "Earning trust is a cornerstone for the success of AI agents, and we've designed this experience to operate transparently in its interactions with customers and brand stores," the release said. "The customer is in control of the AI agent acting on their behalf, and brands have the choice if they want to participate and benefit from the increased brand visibility, customer engagement and sales." Amazon said in February that it was testing the "Shop brand sites directly" feature that enables users of the Amazon Shopping app to find select products from other sites and go there to purchase them. With that feature, when customers click on the link to one of those products, they receive a notification that they are leaving Amazon, go to the brand's website and can then make purchases directly from that brand.