AI shopping assistants like Alexa for Shopping are changing which brands get found.
Shoppers are asking AI assistants what to buy instead of scrolling through search results. On Amazon that assistant now sits in the main search bar. The answer is a shortlist of a few products, and being on it is becoming business critical. Here is what we're seeing across our clients and what we're doing about it.
What's happening now
At Freak we have seen material changes to ecommerce numbers, including revenue, as large language models such as ChatGPT and Amazon's own assistant begin to replace search and paid clicks. They have already taken a real slice of the two biggest digital channels most brands have, across Amazon, Google and brand sites.
The way shoppers find products is changing. A shopper asks a question in plain language, and instead of pages of listings the assistant offers a handful of highly relevant products, with comparisons and a summary of what reviewers say.
Many brands still haven't connected this to what they're seeing in their numbers. That's why we wrote this.
From Rufus to Alexa for Shopping
Amazon launched its first shopping assistant, Rufus, in 2024. On 13th May 2026 it replaced Rufus with Alexa for Shopping, starting in the US. The new assistant brings together Rufus's product knowledge and Amazon shopping history with the personal context of Alexa+, and Amazon says Rufus had already helped more than 300 million customers in 2025.
The biggest change is where it lives. Shoppers can now ask their question in the main Amazon search bar, on the app and the website, so the assistant sits exactly where most shopping journeys begin. It compares products, shows up to a year of price history and can build a basket. A beta has since launched in the UAE, and we expect more marketplaces to follow.
The name has changed. Everything we learned from Rufus about how these assistants choose products still applies, and moving the assistant into the search bar makes it matter more.
The good news
Our data shows that brands with a strong foundation are better placed to be favoured by Amazon's assistant. That means complete product information, a body of positive reviews and clear brand messaging, because the assistant learns from exactly that data.
It makes sense. A language model takes a huge amount of information and refines it down to an answer for one question. Bigger brands simply contribute more data for the model to learn from, and that gives them an advantage. These models are designed not to give the same answer every time, but in our user journey testing on Amazon, the range of products bought through the assistant has narrowed sharply.
The bad news
AI curation means fewer products make the shortlist, and being one of the few the assistant picks is becoming critical. A brand that ranks first for a key search term can now be fifth in the assistant's answer, because of the randomness built into these models.
For bigger brands there is another consequence. Some of our clients hold 80% of the top ten listings for key search terms. In an assistant's answer they might get one of five places, which is 20% of that digital storefront. And where they used to hold the top spot, they can now be anywhere from first to fifth.
Let's be clear. If every Amazon sale went through the assistant today, it would be a volcanic reshaping of the market. With the assistant now in the search bar, that's no longer a hypothetical.
What brands should do now
AI shopping assistants call for a shift in how brands approach Amazon. These are the five things we focus on with our clients.
1. Write for conversation, not just keywords
Product pages need to speak the language of conversational AI. That means answering the questions shoppers actually ask, in the bullets and the A+ content, and weaving the brand story and unique selling points in a way the assistant can understand. If your yoga mat is made from recycled rubber, say so in words that match a question like "eco friendly yoga mats".
2. Treat reviews as inputs
Positive, detailed reviews feed straight into the AI. Encourage genuine reviews and make sure reviews that break Amazon's guidelines are reported, because the assistant uses that data to judge whether a product suits a shopper and can be trusted.
3. Give the AI complete data
AI thrives on complete, accurate information. Fill in every backend attribute and use A+ content for both the brand story and the detailed specifications an assistant needs to recommend you with confidence.
4. Keep the foundations strong
Organic rank and a positive sales history still matter. They build the authority that makes a product more likely to be recognised and recommended, and well planned advertising helps hold that visibility while assistants mature.
5. Keep testing and adapting
Amazon's assistant has already changed its name and its place on the page in two years, and it will keep changing. We monitor how it behaves in each category and market, test content and strategy and adapt quickly so our clients stay visible and favoured.
- Alexa for Shopping replaced Rufus in May 2026 and sits in the search bar
- AI assistants answer with a few products, not pages of results
- Strong, complete, well reviewed listings are favoured
- Write for questions, complete every attribute and look after reviews
The brands that will win
AI shopping assistants are transforming ecommerce. They promise shoppers a more personal, efficient way to buy, and they ask more of brands. Those that adapt their content and strategy to how these systems find and rank products will be the ones that are not just discoverable but recommended.
The era of simply listing products is ending. If you want to know how your listings look to an assistant, our Amazon team can audit them, and our Freak Lab tools can rewrite copy for conversational search at scale.
Sources
Questions clients ask us.
What is Alexa for Shopping?
Alexa for Shopping is Amazon's AI shopping assistant. Shoppers ask questions in plain language in the main Amazon search bar, on the app or the website, and it answers with a small number of recommended products, comparisons and summaries. It draws on Amazon's catalogue, reviews, information from across the web and the shopper's own order history.
What happened to Amazon Rufus?
Amazon replaced Rufus with Alexa for Shopping on 13th May 2026, starting in the US. The new assistant brings together Rufus's product knowledge and shopping history with Alexa+. A beta has since launched in the UAE.
Is Alexa for Shopping affecting Amazon sales?
Yes. We are seeing material changes to ecommerce numbers, including revenue, as AI assistants take a share of the clicks that used to come from search and ads. Because the assistant recommends only a few products, brands that used to hold several top positions can now appear once, or not at all.
How do I optimise an Amazon listing for Alexa for Shopping?
Write for the questions shoppers ask, not only for keywords. Answer likely questions in your bullets and A+ content, complete every backend attribute, build genuine detailed reviews and keep strong foundations like organic rank and sales history.
Do reviews matter to AI shopping assistants?
Very much. Reviews are direct inputs for assistants like Alexa for Shopping. A healthy rating and detailed, genuine reviews make a product more likely to be recommended, which is why we also run review moderation for clients.
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