Don’t get bot hurt. Get bot even.

Bot Talk

A shopping assistant with spending money

Walmart wants your AI shopping assistant to have its own profile. And, if you choose, an allowance.

The retailer recently announced plans to introduce Agent Profiles, allowing customers to authorize AI agents, software that performs tasks on their behalf, to shop through their accounts.

The profiles would let customers track agent purchases separately, require approval for every order or permit purchases within a spending limit. Approval is required by default. Customers could revoke access at any time, and Walmart says its returns process would apply even when an agent doesn't act as intended.

Amazon offers another route through its own Alexa for Shopping assistant. It can show price histories and, with authorization, buy an item when it reaches a target price.

Back in August, we looked at shopping bots moving from recommendations to purchases. Now retailers are building more ways to manage that handoff.

Just in time for the season when “I'll think about it” meets a countdown clock.

Human x Bot

Under budget isn't the whole assignment

Holiday sales arrive with limited-time offers, countdown clocks and about 14 other things you need to do. Having a bot watch prices sounds appealing.

But a $100 limit doesn't help much if the bot spends $99 on something you never wanted.

The exact model, seller, condition, delivery date and return policy can matter just as much as the price. Before handing over the shopping cart, decide which choices the bot can make.

Buying the headphones you already picked when the price drops is one assignment. Choosing the headphones for you is another.

Choose a tool whose controls support those rules. Writing them in a chat doesn't guarantee the checkout system will enforce them.

You can also stop at research and price alerts. An assistant can save you time without having permission to spend.

The goal is fewer rushed decisions and less work. Preferably without adding a return label to the holiday to-do list.

Final Bot Thought

The store sets the countdown.

You set the rules.