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Well, Alexa will only actually buy something if you've already purchased it (EDIT: Seems this isn't true anymore!). The use-case of this is something lie "Alexa

Well, Alexa will only actually buy something if you've already purchased it (EDIT: Seems this isn't true anymore!). The use-case of this is something lie "Alexa, buy more toilet paper" or "Alexa, we're out of salt." Saying it from across the room while cooking is much easier than washing your hands, grabbing your phone, loading the app, searching for the product, and hitting "buy". It's definitely meant more as a replacement for a shopping list than it is a way to, say, do your Christmas shopping.

pranjalv123 10y ago
Really? For me it will order whatever I ask for (it'll report the first result of the search, tell me the price, and ask if I want it).
- TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
  How about a pony?
  - adventurer 10y ago
    No, a pony will take a nice trot up to you and politely ask if you know what you're ordering.
    - navs 10y ago
      Unless you've ordered a pony before in which case it'll be happy to have the company.
- shostack 10y ago
  And this is the reason I'll never use that feature. The quality of many top Amazon results is often not accurately portrayed with all the fake comments, swapped products, etc. plus, with the various seller and shipping options, I frankly don't trust Amazon to pick the best product and options for me.
  - pranjalv123 10y ago
    For some things, sure. But if I just want batteries or something? It's fine, and saves me some time.
    - shostack 10y ago
      Funny you use that example. There's actually a lot of issues depending on what batteries you buy as some sellers swap in expired batteries, or off-brand replacements. It was so hard to find a certain battery I needed once that was legit, that I just ended up going to my hardware store and getting whatever namebrand they had.
hiddencost 10y ago
Not true anymore
8draco8 10y ago
Christmas shopping would be possible if Amazon would allow for connecting amazon account with Facebook. You could then give commands like "Add to shopping cart , $50 items from my family members wish lists".
- mturmon 10y ago
  Does this really sound at all appealing? Buying things at random from automated lists?
  - givinguflac 10y ago
    How else could you possibly show you care? /s
    - Roritharr 10y ago
      Maybe you care, but can we please have this, as a "Christmas for the rest of us"-Solution? Every year it's a stressful and unhappy affair for our small family since so many relatives expect something.
      - mistermann 10y ago
        Good point, I realize I've come to somewhat dread Christmas as well. So many gifts for people that don't care because they have everything, yet you're socially obligated.
        sjclemmy 10y ago
        I've got a solution for this that I've practiced for the last couple of years: presents for children only. The annual pointless spendfest is the dark side of a consumerist economy. If you or your friends and family are offended because you haven't bought them a gift it's their problem, not yours.
        10y ago
linker3000 10y ago
> Saying it from across the room while cooking is much easier than washing your hands, grabbing your phone, loading the app, searching for the product, and hitting "buy". Is that a realistic scenario for the majority though? Aren't most people going to either make a mental note and add it to the shopping list later, or just wash/wipe hands and add a note to the list on the fridge blotter/whiteboard etc. It'll be a sad reflection on the evolution of cognitive thinking if the people believe that they have to drop everything, clean up and reorder cornflour the instant they run out. > grabbing your phone, loading the app, searching for the product, and hitting "buy". Considering that, as well as the other option of having a magical listening tube in the house, living in a small English village, I have the 'luxury' of grabbing my coat and walking about 400M to the local store, and apart from the minor health benefit, I could also stretch the operation into a dog walking session, bump into and talk to some friends on the way and get some fresh air. There's also the local pub (http://the-quaffer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/murrell-arms-barnham.html http://the-quaffer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/murrell-arms-barnh...). Alexa, pull me a pint of London Pride...
- cja 10y ago
  The majority needn't buy it for it to make billions for Amazon.
- Klathmon 10y ago
  Oh come on. When used this way it's a minor extension of a shopping list that gets automatically fulfilled. Are you really gonna argue that it's a "sad reflection on the evolution of cognitive thinking" to re-order something right when you realize you need it rather than making a mental note, possibly forgetting it next time you are at the store, the store maybe being out, and then having to lug this shit around yourself? It's a convince. I personally use it for cat litter all the time. I get it from Amazon anyway cause they have the best price for it, and when I realize it's running low I tell the Alexa to order more of it. And that sure as hell beats the alternative of driving 20 minutes to the grocery store that has this cat litter at some point in the future before I run out (not everyone lives 400m away from a store that sells everything) It's not the end of the world.
morganvachon 10y ago
This combined with Amazon's Prime Now service makes it almost possible to start a meal, realize you're low on an ingredient, yell at your Echo, and get the ingredient in time to finish dinner. Damn, we really are living in the future the 1950s imagined we would.

pranjalv123 10y ago

Really? For me it will order whatever I ask for (it'll report the first result of the search, tell me the price, and ask if I want it).

TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
How about a pony?
- adventurer 10y ago
  No, a pony will take a nice trot up to you and politely ask if you know what you're ordering.
  - navs 10y ago
    Unless you've ordered a pony before in which case it'll be happy to have the company.
shostack 10y ago
And this is the reason I'll never use that feature. The quality of many top Amazon results is often not accurately portrayed with all the fake comments, swapped products, etc. plus, with the various seller and shipping options, I frankly don't trust Amazon to pick the best product and options for me.
- pranjalv123 10y ago
  For some things, sure. But if I just want batteries or something? It's fine, and saves me some time.
  - shostack 10y ago
    Funny you use that example. There's actually a lot of issues depending on what batteries you buy as some sellers swap in expired batteries, or off-brand replacements. It was so hard to find a certain battery I needed once that was legit, that I just ended up going to my hardware store and getting whatever namebrand they had.

hiddencost 10y ago

Not true anymore

8draco8 10y ago

Christmas shopping would be possible if Amazon would allow for connecting amazon account with Facebook. You could then give commands like "Add to shopping cart , $50 items from my family members wish lists".

mturmon 10y ago
Does this really sound at all appealing? Buying things at random from automated lists?
- givinguflac 10y ago
  How else could you possibly show you care? /s
  - Roritharr 10y ago
    Maybe you care, but can we please have this, as a "Christmas for the rest of us"-Solution? Every year it's a stressful and unhappy affair for our small family since so many relatives expect something.
    - mistermann 10y ago
      Good point, I realize I've come to somewhat dread Christmas as well. So many gifts for people that don't care because they have everything, yet you're socially obligated.
      - sjclemmy 10y ago
        I've got a solution for this that I've practiced for the last couple of years: presents for children only. The annual pointless spendfest is the dark side of a consumerist economy. If you or your friends and family are offended because you haven't bought them a gift it's their problem, not yours.
        10y ago

linker3000 10y ago

> Saying it from across the room while cooking is much easier than washing your hands, grabbing your phone, loading the app, searching for the product, and hitting "buy". Is that a realistic scenario for the majority though? Aren't most people going to either make a mental note and add it to the shopping list later, or just wash/wipe hands and add a note to the list on the fridge blotter/whiteboard etc. It'll be a sad reflection on the evolution of cognitive thinking if the people believe that they have to drop everything, clean up and reorder cornflour the instant they run out. > grabbing your phone, loading the app, searching for the product, and hitting "buy". Considering that, as well as the other option of having a magical listening tube in the house, living in a small English village, I have the 'luxury' of grabbing my coat and walking about 400M to the local store, and apart from the minor health benefit, I could also stretch the operation into a dog walking session, bump into and talk to some friends on the way and get some fresh air. There's also the local pub (http://the-quaffer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/murrell-arms-barnham.html http://the-quaffer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/murrell-arms-barnh...). Alexa, pull me a pint of London Pride...

cja 10y ago
The majority needn't buy it for it to make billions for Amazon.
Klathmon 10y ago
Oh come on. When used this way it's a minor extension of a shopping list that gets automatically fulfilled. Are you really gonna argue that it's a "sad reflection on the evolution of cognitive thinking" to re-order something right when you realize you need it rather than making a mental note, possibly forgetting it next time you are at the store, the store maybe being out, and then having to lug this shit around yourself? It's a convince. I personally use it for cat litter all the time. I get it from Amazon anyway cause they have the best price for it, and when I realize it's running low I tell the Alexa to order more of it. And that sure as hell beats the alternative of driving 20 minutes to the grocery store that has this cat litter at some point in the future before I run out (not everyone lives 400m away from a store that sells everything) It's not the end of the world.

morganvachon 10y ago

This combined with Amazon's Prime Now service makes it almost possible to start a meal, realize you're low on an ingredient, yell at your Echo, and get the ingredient in time to finish dinner. Damn, we really are living in the future the 1950s imagined we would.