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Amazon uses artificial intelligence to improve its business operation in nearly every area and has done so for many years. And now, Amazon is jumping feet-first into the world of generative AI chatbots with Rufus, its first AI chatbot designed to boost the shopping experience.
What Is Amazon’s Rufus Chatbot?
Amazon classifies Rufus as an expert shopping assistant designed to simplify purchase decisions for customers. Trained on Amazon’s extensive product database, customer feedback, and community Q&A, itsAI chatbotassists users by answering product inquiries, comparing items, and guiding them toward informed purchasing decisions.
Rufus’s training also includes data from the web that enables it to respond to a wide range of customer queries related to general shopping needs and products. Thanks to that, customers can ask general questions without exiting the Amazon platform to perform separate web searches. But how exactly would it benefit the company?
One of the major challenges for e-commerce platforms like Amazon is the high cart abandonment rate, which refers to the percentage of online shoppers who add items to their virtual shopping carts but ultimately abandon them before completing the purchase. Surveys indicate that indecision is a key factor contributing to this problem.
Rufus has the potential to address this issue by assisting users in finding the right products within their desired budget. It could reduce the cart abandonment rate, helping Amazon prevent the loss of potential customers due to indecision. By increasing its sales, the chatbot could prove to be a key driver for the company’s growth in years to come.
How Amazon’s Rufus AI Chatbot Will Improve Your Shopping Experience
It’s not just about what Rufus can do for Amazon (though it’s absolutely no small part of it). Amazon’s Rufus AI chatbot is trained to assist customers at any stage of their shopping journey while they navigate the Amazon marketplace.
If someone wants to begin painting as a hobby but is uncertain about the differences between oil and acrylic painting, they can ask questions such as “Which type of paint is more durable?” or “Which is more resistant to environmental impact?” and Rufus will provide answers directly in the app.
Once you’ve settled on a specific type, inform the chatbot of your intentions, such as, “I’d like to begin oil painting in my spare time. What essentials do I need?” In response, the chatbot will present you with shoppable product categories tailored to your query, such as oil paint, paint solvent, linseed oil, paint brushes, palette knives, canvas, and more.
When purchasing any product, like a canvas, you can inquire about specific categories of canvases suitable for oil painting. For instance, ask, “Which type of canvas is better for oil painting?” or “Between cotton and linen, which canvas type is more cost-effective?” The chatbot will then provide comparisons to assist you in finding the right category.
While on a product’s detail page, you may ask Rufus specific questions about that product. To answer, Rufus will analyze information from the product listing, customer reviews, and community Q&As. For instance, when looking at the turpentine product page, you can ask, “Does this solvent have a strong smell?” Rufus will respond based on the available information.
In essence, Rufus' generative AI features streamline product search and address any queries you may have before making a purchase, ensuring a smooth shopping experience.
How to Activate and Use Amazon’s Rufus Chatbot
At the time of writing, the chatbot is only accessible to a small group of customers in the US through Amazon’s mobile app. The company is progressively rolling out access to all users in the United States. If you’re among the fortunate customers with access to Rufus, using it is a breeze.
Just type or speak your questions into the search bar in Amazon’s mobile app, and a chat dialog box will appear at the bottom of your screen. you may then expand the chat dialog box from the bottom of the screen to view the chatbot’s response. If you’re unsatisfied with the response or have additional questions, you can ask follow-up questions directly from the same dialog box.
After querying the chatbot to your satisfaction, swipe the dialog box towards the bottom of the screen to conceal it. That’ll take you directly to the product page you were previously viewing. If you need to ask anything else later during your shopping journey, swipe up the dialog box again and resume the chatbot conversation.
If you cannot access the chatbot within the app, check for updates for the Amazon app and ensure it’s updated to the latest version. If you’ve already updated the app but can’t access the chatbot, you’ll have to wait for its gradual release. Meanwhile, use othertools to find items to buy on Amazon.
Don’t Expect Rufus to Be Accurate Every Time
Despite its massive hype, generative AI is still in its early stages. Just asChatGPT can provide incorrect responses, don’t expect Rufus to always provide accurate answers.Amazon acknowledgesthat Rufus may occasionally fail to give accurate information. However, it is committed to optimizing Rufus’s responses over time.
To aid Amazon, you’re able to assess Rufus' responses and offer feedback by rating them with a thumbs up or down. In cases where Rufus makes a notable mistake, you can also provide detailed feedback, helping refine Rufus’s responses.
Rufus could become a valuable companion for Amazon shoppers. If you currently have access to the bot, give it a try. For those awaiting its gradual release, it’s a matter of waiting a few weeks until it becomes accessible.
