Alexa For Shopping

What Is It, In Plain Words?

Alexa for Shopping is the AI helper built into the Amazon Shopping app and the Amazon website. You ask a question in your own words, like "Which kettle is quietest?" or "Where is my order?", and it answers in plain sentences, with products to look at.

Until May 2026 it was called Rufus. On 13 May 2026 Amazon renamed it Alexa for Shopping in the USA and joined it up with Alexa+, so it can remember what you've told Alexa on an Echo. Amazon launched Rufus for all UK customers in August 2025, so in the UK you may still see the Rufus name. It's free with any Amazon account. You don't need Prime or an Echo.

What You Can Use It For

• Comparing before you buy. "What's the difference between these two vacuum cleaners?" Or tick a few products in your search results and ask it to compare them side by side.
• Checking a price is fair. Tap Price History on a product page, or ask for it, to see how the price has changed over the past year. Handy before the holiday sales.
• Orders and reordering. "When did I last order AA batteries?", "Where is my order?" or "Add my usual coffee to my cart."

Getting Started Step By Step

On A Phone Or Tablet

1. Open the App Store (iPhone and iPad) or Google Play (Android). Search for Amazon Shopping and check it's made by Amazon. If you already have it, update it.
2. Open the app and sign in to your Amazon account.
3. In the USA, tap the Alexa icon in the bar along the bottom of the screen. In the UK, look for the Rufus or Alexa icon.
4. Type your question, or tap the microphone and speak. You can also type a question straight into the normal Amazon search bar.
5. Read the answer, then open the product page to check the details, the seller and the reviews before you buy.

On A Computer

1. Open your web browser and go to amazon.com. Check the address carefully, because look-alike sites exist.
2. Sign in. In the UK, use amazon.co.uk.
3. In the USA, click the Alexa icon at the top of the screen, or type a question in the search bar.
4. Use the thumbs up or thumbs down under an answer to tell Amazon if it got it wrong.

Things To Try Typing

Type or say any of these in the Amazon app:

What It Costs

It's free. There's no paid version to buy. You only pay for the things you buy.

If anyone asks you to pay to use it, or to "unlock" it, that's a scam.

Checked 29 October 2026 on Amazon's announcement: all Amazon customers can use Alexa for Shopping free when signed in, with no Prime membership, Echo or Alexa app needed.

Privacy And Safety

• What it keeps. Alexa for Shopping remembers your conversations across the Amazon app and website and Alexa on Echo devices, and uses your shopping history to tailor answers.
• You can see and delete your shopping chats on Amazon's Review Alexa History page, along with your other Alexa conversations.
• Amazon says that if you don't want it to use sensitive personal details, you shouldn't share them with Alexa. Keep health and money details out of your questions.
• Buy for Me and automatic buying can place orders for you using your saved address and card. Leave them off until you're comfortable, and check your orders page regularly.
• Never type passwords, PINs, bank or card numbers, your National Insurance number (UK) or Social Security number (USA).

Good Points And Watch-Outs

Good Points

• Free, and built into an app many people already use.
• Price History helps you spot a "deal" that isn't really one.
• You can type or speak. On a computer, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on a Mac) and press + to make the words bigger. On a phone, it follows your text size setting.

Watch-Outs

• It's Amazon's own helper, so it points you to Amazon products first. Check other shops too.
• It can get facts wrong. Amazon says it may not always get things right, so check the product page.
• Features such as automatic buying can spend money. Read what it's about to do before you confirm.

Similar Tools

• Alexa+: Amazon's chattier voice assistant for Echo speakers.
• Google AI Mode: longer questions answered inside Google Search.
• ChatGPT: the best-known chatbot, with a simple app and voice mode.

Common Questions

Is Alexa for Shopping the same as Rufus?

Yes. Amazon renamed Rufus to Alexa for Shopping on 13 May 2026 in the USA. In the UK, where Rufus launched in August 2025, you may still see the old name.

Do I need Prime or an Echo?

No. Amazon says any customer signed in to an Amazon account can use it free, without Prime, an Echo or the Alexa app.

Can it tell me if a price is good?

It can show you the price history for up to a year on many products, which helps you see if a sale price is really lower. It won't check other shops' prices for you every time, so compare yourself for big buys.

Can I delete what I've asked it?

Yes. Your shopping chats appear with your other Alexa conversations on Amazon's Review Alexa History page, where you can delete them.