Not a phenomenon but rather a hype nowadays, voice shopping – or in easier words ordering from Amazon via Alexa – this Black Friday season guarantees additional discounts of 25% on a large number of products.
Amazon has already launched it’s Countdown to Black Friday Deals Week and new deals are being released every five minutes. Such an early start of the holiday sale is not unusual. During the past few years, the online retailer experimented with various promotional strategies to keep consumers engaged and coming back for more shopping for as long as possible. Guess what! This year, the deals weeks will stretch until 22nd of December.
What’s new? Voice shopping discount is one of the perks not seen before during the holiday sales on Amazon. This is because Alexa – the virtual assistant built by Amazon and integrated in a number of its flagship devices – gained wider popularity during the past one year only although it was first introduced in the fourth quarter of 2014. Of course, the most popular speaker with Alexa remains the Amazon Echo, but the recently released smaller and cheaper Echo Dot is so much in demand that consumers are buying packs of 6 for the price of 5.
Here are the most frequent questions one may ask about voice shopping with Alexa:
What do I need to do to shop with Alexa?
To shop with your Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Fire TV, or Fire Tablet device, you must be a Prime member with 1-Click ordering enabled. If you are not using Prime yet, opt for a 30-day free trial here.
What is “Amazon’s Choice”?
For things you haven’t bought before, Alexa may recommend Amazon’s Choice products, which are highly-rated, well-priced products with Prime shipping.
How long is my cancellation window?
1-click orders can always be cancelled within 30 minutes, but you can also follow the steps available here.
How can I avoid unintended purchases?
Use the Alexa app to set up a 4-digit voice shopping code to prevent unintended purchases using instructions here.
How secure is my transaction when I voice shop with Alexa?
Amazon secures your shopping transaction using the same protocols as when you shop via PC or mobile phone.
What if I order something by mistake?
If you don’t realize the mistake in time to cancel, you will be able to return the item through our Online Returns Center. Physical goods ordered through Alexa are eligible for free returns.
Can I buy multiple items with Alexa?
Yes, you can buy multiple units of the same product, for example, “Alexa, order two Echo Dots.” However, you cannot add different items in the same transaction. Each unique item requires its own transaction.
During the Black Friday season this year, the extra 25% off offers only apply to products purchased from Amazon.com using Alexa voice shopping on an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Fire TV, or Fire Tablet device. The offers are good while supplies last. Shipping charges and taxes may apply to discounted and free promotional items. Each product discount is limited to one per customer and one per device. Offers only apply to selected items displayed on this promotional page. Offers available to Prime members only.
Offers are non-transferable and may not be resold. If any of the products related to these offers are returned, your refund will equal the amount you paid for the product(s), subject to applicable refund policies.
Happy voice shopping! It might take a few tries to get use to it.
