Amazon is continuing to expand the role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in its shopper experiences, enabling new customization features through Alexa for Shopping.
Consumers will be able to create custom designs for merch — including T-shirts, sweatshirts and water bottles — by describing an idea to Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant. Amazon said it plans to add more customizable products over time. It also said customers can share designs with family and friends to order the same merch.
Amazon released Alexa for Shopping in mid-May 2026. It serves as an artificial intelligence (AI) agent that combines Amazon’s Rufus and Alexa+ offerings.
Rufus is an AI assistant that Amazon released in 2024, later updating it with new features ahead of the 2025 holiday season. Meanwhile, Alexa+ is an upgraded version of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, incorporating generative AI, that the company launched in February 2025.
Amazon ranks No. 1 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 2000 Database. The database is how Digital Commerce 360 tracks the largest North American online retailers by their annual ecommerce sales.
Amazon is also No. 3 in Digital Commerce 360’s Global Online Marketplaces Database. That database ranks the 100 largest such marketplaces by third-party gross merchandise value (GMV).
How does Alexa for Shopping customization work?
Consumers can access the customization tool within Alexa for Shopping via the Amazon ecommerce website or app, the retailer said.
“The feature provides inspiration throughout the design process, and Amazon handles the rest — from production through Merch on Demand to Prime-eligible delivery,” according to the retailer’s statement announcing the functionality.
Consumers give the Alexa for Shopping assistant a prompt that creates custom designs “in seconds,” according to Amazon. In announcing the feature, the retailer gave a sample prompt of “make a design of a golden retriever as a 90s corporate lawyer at a disco.” Amazon said the AI feature will then generate a design. Consumers can then edit the design by selecting Alexa for Shopping’s suggested actions or by typing in changes.
Then, Amazon uses products from its Merch on Demand service to complete the order, which includes both production and delivery.
Amazon said designing customized merchandise through Alexa for Shopping is free. Consumers only pay for the products they order, according to Amazon. It added that it makes all custom products on demand and ships with Prime eligibility.
The feature is available to all U.S. customers, Amazon said in its June 8 announcement.
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