Alexa will be able to answer questions with company ads

Amazon announced on Wednesday (14) that companies will be able to use Alexa to answer questions with ads for their products. The function is called “Customers Ask Alexa” and will be available in the United States in 2023.

The idea is that, when a user asks the virtual assistant about a certain topic, brands identified as experts in it will respond and redirect the user to their product page on Amazon.

For example, a user who asks about carpet hair removal will be answered by a cleaning product company.

“Answer frequently asked questions from customers that Alexa has identified as relevant to your store. If selected, your answers will appear at the top of Amazon’s search. This feature can increase discoverability of your products, drive conversion, and increase your reputation as a product specialist”, explains an image released by the company.

The feature was announced at the annual Accelerate event in Seattle, United States.

Brands registered in the Amazon Trademark Registry will be able to find and answer frequently asked questions from consumers on Seller Central. According to the retailer, all responses sent will go through Alexa content moderation.

“Amazon views brands as experts in their products. With this new feature, we’ve made it easier for brands to connect with customers to help answer common questions and better inform their purchasing decisions,” said Rajiv Mehta, director of Amazon’s Alexa Shopping, in note.

Customers Ask Alexa will be made available to a group of invited brands starting in October. Other eligible brands will be able to enter the program in 2023.

For consumers, it will be available via Amazon’s search bar later this year. On Echo devices, the function arrives in mid-2023. When contacted, Amazon did not say whether the function will be available in Brazil.