Amazon have been introducing many new AI-powered technologies of late. Amazon Q was launched recently, an AI assistant that’s tailored to help individual businesses with their needs. Review highlights on product listings were added so it’s even easier for customers to make purchasing decisions. Amazon’s main focus has always been to make the customer journey effortless. So to assist with that, they’re now introducing a brand new AI companion. Say hello to Amazon Rufus!
What does Amazon Rufus do?
Who’s a good boy then!? Amazon Rufus is an expert shopping assistant that’s programmed with the entire Amazon catalogue, as well as information from across the web. Rufus is then able to answer any questions about customer needs, products, comparisons and more, and make recommendations to customers based on their input. It’ll help customers discover more products, in turn helping businesses get their products out there.
Rufus is designed to be a helpful, conversational companion. In theory, it will improve customer experiences by adding to the shopping journey they’re already on. So what can you do with Amazon Rufus?
You can:
- Conduct general research, such as, ‘What to consider when buying a television?‘ or ‘What are the differences between trail and running shoes?‘
- Shop by occasion or for specific purposes, for example, ‘What do I need to take for a wet weather camping trip?‘. It will then make suggestions for products such as camping equipment, wet weather clothing and even outdoor cooking equipment.
- Make comparisons between products, such as, ‘What’s the difference between powder blush and liquid blush?‘. Rufus can then help customers fine tune their search so they find the right product for their needs.
- Get recommendations for products, which is perfect for customers who aren’t sure where to start – ideal for buying gifts, no?
- Get answers on specific products, such as, ‘Is this product recyclable?‘ or ‘Is this bread machine easy to use?‘. Rufus will be able to collate information based on the reviews, listing details and Q&A’s to help answer questions.
I can’t see Amazon Rufus on my account – where is he?
Currently, Amazon Rufus has only been launched in beta to a small subset of customers in the Amazon mobile app. As with anything, testing is key before they launch a bigger roll out. They’ve said over the coming weeks, they’ll begin to make it available to other US based Amazon customers. Further down the line, as Amazon continue to work on the model, users are encouraged to rate their answers with a simple thumbs up or thumbs down.
How does this affect sellers?
For Rufus to do its job well, all the product’s attribute fields need to be filled in. This should be standard practice anyway. The product fields all contribute towards your SEO, which is very important for being discovered on the platform. To keep on top of it, we recommend periodically checking the product fields as a rule. They change quite often and can have a big impact on how your product shows up in the search.
Why Rufus?
We know – sounds like a four-legged friend, right? Or the perfect companion? Well, that’s actually exactly where it comes from! Rufus is the first dog who was allowed to roam the very first Amazon warehouse. He was a Welsh Corgi who loved being in the office, wondering into meetings and getting all the treats. He started the dog-friendly culture at Amazon and even has a building named after him. You can read more about Rufus here.
It sounds like it could be quite a handy tool for future shopping experiences. Although we do wonder, will it be solely used on the Amazon mobile app in the long run, or will they roll it out to website users too? Watch this space. The technology around the world at the moment is getting really quite exciting. Check our blog for more updates from Amazon.