Amazon Pilots 'Buy for Me' AI Shopping Tool
Buy for Me uses agentic AI to allow shoppers to buy products from other brand websites directly within the Amazon Shopping app.
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Amazon continues to tap into artificial intelligence to help drive more ecommerce transactions, now piloting a new AI-powered feature called “Buy for Me.”
It allows shoppers to buy products from other brand websites directly within the Amazon Shopping app, the company said in a news 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,” said Oliver Messenger, director of Amazon Shopping, in the announcement.
As part of the test, Amazon said shoppers using its iOS or Android app may begin to see additional listings from participating third-party brands directly in search results. Rather than sending users to the third-party sites, Amazon’s AI can complete the purchase on the customer’s behalf, the company said.
The experience is powered by agentic AI — a type of generative artificial intelligence (AI) that can take action for a user with minimal input, according to Amazon.
Currently, the feature is in beta testing with a “subset of U.S. customers,” the company said. Amazon said it’s also working with a limited number of brand stores and products, with plans to expand Buy for Me over time.
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With the test, Amazon is signaling a broader push to support purchases of products it doesn’t sell directly.
The goal, according to Messenger, is to let customers shop from other brands within the familiar Amazon Shopping environment. At the same time, the feature gives those brands added exposure and conversion opportunities, he said.
Here’s how it works, according to Amazon.
When shoppers use the Amazon app, they may now see a section in search results labeled “Shop brand sites directly.” The area features products from select third-party brand websites. In some cases, a “Buy for Me” link will appear next to eligible items, according to Amazon’s news release.
When a customer taps on a product labeled Buy for Me, they’re directed to a product detail page within the Amazon app. That page includes familiar elements like images, pricing, and descriptions — similar to standard Amazon listings, the company said.
Customers who tap the Buy for Me button are then taken to a checkout page. There, they can confirm shipping details, taxes, and payment method, according to the release.
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At that point, Amazon’s agentic AI takes over. In this case, the AI completes the transaction using encrypted customer data, including name, address, and payment details, Amazon said. The company added that it cannot see unrelated or past orders made on the brand’s site.
“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,” the company stated in the release.
After completing a purchase, Amazon said, customers receive a confirmation email directly from the brand. Shoppers can track their orders within the Buy for Me Orders tab inside the Amazon app, according to the company.
All fulfillment, delivery, returns, and customer service are handled by the brand store — not Amazon itself, the company said. Amazon also confirmed that it does not currently take a cut of purchases made through the Buy for Me button.
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