In a bold step that redefines the boundaries of online shopping, Amazon has begun testing a powerful new AI-driven feature named “Buy for Me”, which enables customers to purchase products from third-party websites — all without leaving the Amazon app.
This marks a significant shift in Amazon’s digital strategy, signaling a future where the platform acts as not just a marketplace, but a universal shopping assistant, guiding users to products even beyond its own catalog.
🛍️ What Is “Buy for Me”?
The “Buy for Me” feature is Amazon’s latest move in agentic AI — a category of artificial intelligence designed to take actions on behalf of the user. The new tool steps in when a customer searches for an item not available directly on Amazon. Instead of simply displaying external links, the AI actively searches partner brand websites, finds the exact product, and can complete the purchase on behalf of the user.
Through this seamless integration, users can shop from a wider range of products — from niche fashion brands to specialty electronics — with Amazon’s interface doing the heavy lifting.
🤖 How It Works
Behind the scenes, Amazon’s proprietary AI — developed with the help of advanced models like Anthropic's Claude — powers the interaction. Once a user expresses interest in an item listed on an external site, the AI agent steps in to handle the entire checkout process:
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Navigating the third-party site
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Selecting the correct product variant
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Filling out shipping and payment details
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Placing the order in real time
Crucially, all of this takes place without the user leaving Amazon’s app interface.
🔐 Privacy and Security at the Core
While the idea of AI shopping on your behalf may raise privacy concerns, Amazon is addressing these proactively. The company states that all sensitive information — including payment details and addresses — is encrypted. Amazon does not retain or share these details with the external sites beyond what’s necessary for the transaction.
Users will also receive order confirmation and shipping updates directly from the third-party brand, with a new section in the app allowing them to manage and track these “Buy for Me” orders.
🌐 Why This Matters
This move has deep implications for the future of e-commerce:
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For users: it means fewer barriers to finding and purchasing items, and a more personalized, frictionless shopping experience.
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For Amazon: it positions the company not just as a retailer but as a shopping gateway, even for items it doesn’t sell.
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For brands: it opens up a potential new channel to reach consumers, without being constrained by Amazon’s traditional marketplace structure.
By connecting users to more merchants without losing them to other platforms, Amazon cleverly retains user engagement while expanding its reach.
📱 Where and When?
Currently, “Buy for Me” is being tested in the United States among a limited group of mobile app users on both Android and iOS. Amazon has not revealed a specific timeline for public rollout, but early feedback will likely guide a wider release in the coming months.
🛒 A Glimpse into the Future
Amazon’s move signals the rising role of agentic AI — tools that go beyond search and recommendation, and actually take action. As users grow accustomed to AI doing more on their behalf, we may soon see similar capabilities in other services — from booking flights to managing subscriptions.