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popularCobalt_Blue_FF posted Today 01:50 PM
popularCobalt_Blue_FF posted Today 01:50 PM

Amazon: Auto Buy Feature (Automatic Purchase at Target Price) + App-only (Via Rufus)

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Amazon Auto Buy lets you set a target price for an item and automatically places the order when the price drops to or below that amount.

How to Use Auto Buy:
  1. Open the Amazon app.
  2. Browse to the item you want.
  3. Launch Rufus.
  4. Say or type: "Buy this item if it hits $XX."
  5. Confirm the target price when prompted.
  6. When the item reaches your price, Amazon automatically places the order.

Sample Commands:
  • "Buy this item if it hits $25."
  • "Set a price alert at $40 for this item."
  • "Buy it when the price drops below $100." (Alexa+)
  • "Buy it when the price drops by 20%." (Alexa+)
  • "Manage my Auto Buy requests."
  • "Cancel my Auto Buy request."

Notes:
  • Auto Buy is currently available to Prime members only.
  • Only works on items Fulfilled by Amazon.
  • Default alert window is 6 months.
  • You can only have 1 active Auto Buy request per item and only 1 unit per item.
  • Up to 200 active Auto Buy requests total.
  • Coupons and promotional discounts do not apply to Auto Buy purchases.
  • If you are not viewing an item, you must be specific about which product you mean.
  • Rufus on the website allows typed commands, but will ultimately show a message that Auto Buy can only be finalized in the app.
  • You can also set up and manage Auto Buy using Alexa+.
  • You can cancel the Auto Buy order within 24 hours in Your Orders.
  • This is one of the first widely useful, practical features released under the Rufus assistant.
Community Notes
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Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Amazon Auto Buy lets you set a target price for an item and automatically places the order when the price drops to or below that amount.

How to Use Auto Buy:
  1. Open the Amazon app.
  2. Browse to the item you want.
  3. Launch Rufus.
  4. Say or type: "Buy this item if it hits $XX."
  5. Confirm the target price when prompted.
  6. When the item reaches your price, Amazon automatically places the order.

Sample Commands:
  • "Buy this item if it hits $25."
  • "Set a price alert at $40 for this item."
  • "Buy it when the price drops below $100." (Alexa+)
  • "Buy it when the price drops by 20%." (Alexa+)
  • "Manage my Auto Buy requests."
  • "Cancel my Auto Buy request."

Notes:
  • Auto Buy is currently available to Prime members only.
  • Only works on items Fulfilled by Amazon.
  • Default alert window is 6 months.
  • You can only have 1 active Auto Buy request per item and only 1 unit per item.
  • Up to 200 active Auto Buy requests total.
  • Coupons and promotional discounts do not apply to Auto Buy purchases.
  • If you are not viewing an item, you must be specific about which product you mean.
  • Rufus on the website allows typed commands, but will ultimately show a message that Auto Buy can only be finalized in the app.
  • You can also set up and manage Auto Buy using Alexa+.
  • You can cancel the Auto Buy order within 24 hours in Your Orders.
  • This is one of the first widely useful, practical features released under the Rufus assistant.

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10 Comments

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Today 04:43 PM
2,749 Posts
Joined Aug 2003
HellyeaToday 04:43 PM
2,749 Posts
Sounds like an auction. If Amazon likes your offer they will lower the price for an instant, sell that item to you, then raise it. Watch ...
1
Today 05:02 PM
43 Posts
Joined Aug 2016
Hawkeye3636Today 05:02 PM
43 Posts
Dynamic pricing type of play?
Today 05:12 PM
383 Posts
Joined Oct 2013
RikiIToday 05:12 PM
383 Posts
Yea I have mixed feelings about this. Sounds convenient BUT too convenient at the same time
Today 05:33 PM
931 Posts
Joined Jan 2011
nurrburtToday 05:33 PM
931 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank nurrburt

Quote from Hellyea :
Sounds like an auction. If Amazon likes your offer they will lower the price for an instant, sell that item to you, then raise it. Watch ...
Yep, or like a massdrop system. Amazon gets x amount of customers to agree to y price. Amazon essentially has "cash on hand" to go to a manufacturer and say I'll take this many units for this price, payable immediately.

Additionally they are using their garbage AI to gather valuable data about people are willing to pay for things, they're also going to measure how long the average person will wait for their low ball offer before giving up and buying something for a higher price. Interestingly, we just saw this type of thing happen with the Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro pricing mistake deal from over a month ago - seller pledged to fulfill orders but claimed they were backordered. They are keeping customers in the dark about progress, essentially to shake people out who didn't feel like having their money held for an unknown time. After about a month, people started to give in and ask for refunds - now the seller doesn't have to lose money on those orders, but they get to keep the "good will" of telling people they would fulfill.

I'm not saying this won't be useful for people in the short term maybe, but like all things these companies are doing, it's going to be used to study your behavior and manipulate you. So they want you to use AI to manage this, why? Let's say you are holding out for that lowball $5 order for a $20 bottle of Tide laundry soap. Rufus, cancel my autobuy order. Hello valued cattle, I'm sorry I can't offer you this item at $5, I would be happy to cancel that for you - but good news! I see that you're running low on laundry detergent, so what I can do is offer you this tide for $18, still a good deal, right? Would you like me to place an order for this Tide at $18? They are pushing to use AI to be a salesman to drive up sales. The scary thing is they'll know your shopping behavior and "buy points" better than you do.

That's just my 2c on where I think they're going with this. I'd be interested to see what other people come up with.
5
Today 05:55 PM
77 Posts
Joined Sep 2023
SlickRickDealsMCToday 05:55 PM
77 Posts
Not the worst idea... I'm intrigued
Today 06:02 PM
12 Posts
Joined Jan 2026
PurpleTank1325Today 06:02 PM
12 Posts
Interesting
Today 06:03 PM
869 Posts
Joined May 2012
luddite_cyborgToday 06:03 PM
869 Posts
Quote from RikiI :
Yea I have mixed feelings about this. Sounds convenient BUT too convenient at the same time
Yeah, amazon didn't do this to make less money. The fatal flaw here for consumers is that amazon has full control-- this needs to be a 3rd party service that doesn't share data with amazon (other than placing orders).

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Today 06:14 PM
4,228 Posts
Joined Jul 2012
desynergyToday 06:14 PM
4,228 Posts
Alexa used to do this. Then it went to Alexa+. And now it's going to Rufus. *smh*
Today 07:00 PM
1,081 Posts
Joined Jun 2008
supersizedkidToday 07:00 PM
1,081 Posts
A few thoughts:

This is one of those obnoxious uses of AI where functional UIs are being replaced by tedious chatbot conversations

Since coupons/promotions are excluded, this isn't really helpful for getting the best prices

SD can't be happy about this either cause it steals their affiliate commission
Today 07:17 PM
2,041 Posts
Joined Jun 2011
consumeralertToday 07:17 PM
2,041 Posts
Will it purchase it every time it drops? They be changing prices all the day to make you buy products multiple times a day. 😏🥷😒

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