A colorful icon for Amazon’s AI shopping assistant is tucked away in the bottom-right corner; that’s Rufus, hiding away.
While Rufus shouldn’t oust Amazon’s search bar for your shopping questions yet, it adds some useful variety to your shopping research, and I think it’s worth using.
7Ask Specific Questions on Products
Rufus is Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant. It’s trained on product listings, reviews, and Q&As to give you the answers. Instead of generic shopping questions, make your questions about your shopping as detailed as possible. For instance, “Which noise-canceling headphones have the longest battery?”
This method is ideal when shopping for items with technical specifications or special requirements that might be buried in product details.
Unfortunately, like other AI chatbots, Rufus is known to hallucinate, especially regarding prices, so exercise your judgment.
6Make Better Choices Between Similar Products
Instead of a direct recommendation, you can ask, “How does this compare to X product?” to research via comparison. Rufus simplifies the process of finding the pros and cons of similar products.
Use the follow-up suggestions to break down key differences. This helps avoid decision fatigue.
Try comparing similar products across different categories. For instance, T-shirts can be used for athletic or casual wear.
5Learn Before You Buy
Product comparisons are easier to grasp if you know the basics. For instance, buying coffee can get confusing if you don’t know what makes Robusta different from Arabica.
Use Rufus as a learning aid within the Amazon app and get into the key ingredients of products. I have found this helpful for improving my cooking knowledge as I shop for a recipe.
Want instructions on how to use a gadget or install something? Prompt Rufus to generate a step-by-step tutorial.
4Use It as a Troubleshooter
You can also use Rufus to troubleshoot problems with Amazon products. For instance, ask, “How do I fix a slow-draining Instant Pot?” for step-by-step guides or replacement part links.
Remember to be specific about the problem your gadget has, as it helps narrow down the replacement recommendations.
3Curate for a New Hobby or Family Activity
Are you starting a new hobby or project? You may not have a complete idea of what you will need. Rather than searching multiple websites, ask Rufus, “What equipment do I need to start calligraphy?”
From here, you can pare it down to the bare essentials. You will also understand what to buy and why certain items are necessary.
2Find More Sustainable Alternatives
Sometimes, it can be challenging to distinguish sustainable products. If you’re looking for a greener choice, ask, “Is there a sustainable alternative to this?” as a follow-up question.
Rufus can bring up environmentally safe products and provide more details about them. The results can cut hours off your research and help you make informed choices.
Use phrases like “biodegradable,” “plastic-free,” “BPA-free,” or “recycled materials” in your search to refine results.
1Put It to a Few Quirky Uses
Rufus (so far) can also be used like other AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Claude. I experimented with a few off-the-wall uses, and Rufus has returned haikus, essays, and even simple Python code.
Rufus does have issues (it struggles with nuance), and I still use Amazon’s search bar to shop. However, it’s a great option if you want to understand if a particular product is for you rather than make it your sole shopping agent. Rufus is also useful for narrower research. For instance, it helps me learn more about the books I want to buy or hunt for unique products. Whether you like or hate it, Rufus can make your Amazon window shopping fun.
