How Amazon’s Buy for Me Works: Purchases from External Sites

Amazon has announced the beta launch of Buy for Me, a new feature integrated into the Amazon Shopping app that allows users to purchase products even from external websites, if the items are not available on Amazon.

The service is currently being tested in the United States, for a limited number of customers, brands, and products. However, the final goal is clear: gradually expand the availability of products listed on Amazon based on the feedback received and, in doing so, hope to attract new brands.

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How Amazon Buy for Me works

Thanks to the initial tests carried out in the U.S., we can get a full picture of how Amazon Buy for Me works. And, as expected, the process is quite straightforward.

When a customer searches for a branded product in the Amazon Shopping app, in addition to the traditional results from the marketplace and sellers already present on the platform, they will see results in a special section called Shop brand sites directly, where products available exclusively on external websites are shown.

>>> Read our article and learn to Understand all Amazon sales fees.  <<<

In these cases, the Buy for Me option may appear. If the customer selects this option, a product description page will appear, similar to Amazon’s traditional ones, with a detailed product sheet that allows for a more informed evaluation of whether to make the purchase.

If the customer is satisfied with the information and decides to proceed, then the purchasing process involves authorizing Amazon to complete the order. Everything is managed within the app, through the traditional checkout process:

• Shipping address
• Payment method
• Any applicable taxes
• Shipping costs

The integration of this feature with artificial intelligence then allows Amazon to securely retrieve and transmit all the necessary data on the brand’s website, thus completing the purchase with minimal effort and time for the customer.

Up to this point, of course, Amazon’s role ends. This means that delivery management, returns, exchanges, and customer service are handled by the external website. Once the order is placed, the user will receive a confirmation email from the site. They will then be able to track the shipment in the Buy for Me Orders section of the Amazon Shopping app. If needed, it will be possible to contact the external site’s customer service directly via a specially generated email address.

>>> Also read our guide Amazon Inventory Management: Warehouse Optimization Guide.  <<<

The new Amazon Bedrock application

The new function is based on the Amazon Bedrock AI infrastructure, which we’ve also talked about recently. As known, it uses advanced models (notably Amazon Nova and Claude by Anthropic) to complete purchases while minimizing manual intervention by the user.

As for privacy, when the user is redirected to an external site without using Buy for Me, Amazon will not share any personal information with the external site. In case of using the new service, Amazon will transmit only the strictly necessary data to complete the purchase, and in encrypted form.

>>> Also read our article How to Sell on Amazon USA: The Complete Guide for European Sellers. <<<

Finally, we note that the prices shown in the app are those updated through the external websites. However, they may change over time, and it may therefore be wise to verify the conditions more carefully. At the time of the order, Amazon will display an estimated total – including taxes and shipping. It will then request authorization from the user to proceed with the purchase even if there’s a price difference. The tolerance threshold is currently $10.

If the amount exceeds this threshold, then Amazon will ask for confirmation before proceeding. It is not currently possible to apply promotional codes, and each order can only contain one item.