Voice Commerce: How Alexa brings you into the home of your customers

More and more people are using a language assistant in their homes, and Amazon’s Alexa is at the forefront. Alexa knows how the weather will be. Alexa also knows if there is traffic on the way to work, and when the cake in the oven is ready. The new roommate is not only helpful for enriching the lives of users, but also interesting for companies.

With Alexa, Amazon has created a new connection between companies and consumers and has thus thrown old marketing principles overboard. The newly created Voice Commerce channel plays by its own rules. Now it is a matter of developing good strategies to win the game.

Purchasing by Voice Command is still hard to imagine for many people. Nevertheless, a new sales channel is opening up here, which absolutely must be occupied. Those who recognize the potential early on will help shape the future of retail. Which products are actually suitable for purchasing via voice assistant? A general answer to this question is not easy. Nevertheless, following a few basic rules show a clear trend:

• Simple and self-explanatory products such as tissues are ideal for ordering via voice: the customer is already familiar with the nature of the product and the price is not too high. Additional questions are largely excluded.
• Digital services such as films, music or audio can be easily ordered via voice: The customer knows exactly what he is looking for. No risk of confusion means more security when buying via voice command.
• Repeated purchases such as reordering household goods or hygiene products are perfectly suited for Alexa. Here, not only the customer knows exactly what he wants, but also Alexa. Smart devices in the kitchen motivate customers to order directly and make everyday life easier.

Some people consider the development of voice shopping to be sluggish. However, this does not apply to Alexa Skills. The number of speech-based apps for Amazon’s lovely assistant is growing rapidly. In Germany alone, the number of available Skills rose by 152% in 2018. Those who focus on Alexa Skills first will further up the sales funnel. This is how you strengthen your own brand and create the perfect basis for success in Voice Commerce.

The challenge? To offer customers a skill with real added value.

As you know, there are many roads that lead to Rome. However, the following points should be considered when developing your own skills.

• Added value: The skill must offer customers added value. This can be, for example, an extension of their own products via additional services or the digitalization of the product.
• Uniqueness: An exchangeable skill is of no value. The skill should offer the user a unique experience because a unique experience is what will motivate the user to use the skill.
• Reason to come back: Many skills come and go. To prevent this from happening to one’s own skill, the skill should always give users a reason to return. For example, through daily updates, news or the creation of a daily routine.
• User-friendliness: A user-friendly speech/Skill design is an absolute must-have for an Alexa skill. Design it the way it would be spoken – this is the essential principle. An unnatural voice design is frustrating for users, and they will quickly lose interest in the skill.

The example of Fitbit shows how a relevant added value can be generated for users. The verbal request of their own fitness data and goals or the setting of a timer makes everyday life easier. Because all data can be retrieved while doing important things like ginger shots, yoga and Instagram. With daily and weekly goals, the Fitbit Skill creates the ultimate “reason to come back” – because no progress is regression. And who would want to expose their own laziness, even before Alexa?

Even if there is still some catching up to do in terms of user-friendliness and uniqueness, it is a clear win-win for Fitbit: satisfied users + integration into their everyday life.