A NEW WAY OF SHOPPING

When Mr. and Mrs. Neitzel bought Amazon’s latest virtual assistant they didn’t know that it would make their 6-year-old daughter so happy. They saw it on Internet and decided to buy it because it could play music, make to-do lists, set alarms, play audiobooks or even tell you how the weather will be. Alexa switches on with a wake-word, 1)... . It is voice activated so you don’t really need to type any buttons or do anything. All you have to do is to tell Alexa what to do. For example you can say, “Play a song by Frank Sinatra” or “read me the next chapter of Tom Sawyer”. The device’s digital assistant talks back to the user. It either follows the command or asks for further instructions. It is very useful for families as they can also connect the cameras they set up to watch the kids when they are away to the device. There was one thing that the Neitzels didn’t know Alexa. One morning when they woke up they saw that there was a package in front of their house. When they opened it they were very surprised as in it was a dollhouse, which their daughter wanted but they didn’t buy as it cost $160. Their daughter was very happy 2)... . Actually it wasn’t her parents who did that. It was Brook herself.

A few days before Brook was in the kitchen 3)... . She was playing with Alexa. The little girl said “Can you play dollhouse with me and get me a dollhouse?” to the tool. After confirming the order, Brooke told Alexa, “I love you so much!”. The dollhouse was at their house just after a few days.

Voice shopping is not difficult at all. You need to have Amazon or Google voice-shopping account. Then, you need to tell the smart speaker what you want to buy. The users don’t need to go online from their phones or computers. There is a confirmation feature, 4)... . When they add it, the device requires confirmation of the purchase and a passcode. It is preferred by many users to prevent unauthorized purchases like Brooke’s. Many companies are now offering easier ways for people to shop. Voice shopping is only one of them. Many people around the world use their phones and apps they have downloaded to do their shopping. It saves time and also money because the shoppers will have a chance to compare prices different websites and apps offer.