What Is Amazon Assistant & How Does It Help Shoppers?
Amazon Assistant is a free browser extension and mobile app created by Amazon that allows you to quickly compare prices, check reviews, get personalized recommendations and manage your Amazon account – all without leaving the website you‘re currently browsing.
When you visit any online store, Amazon Assistant will automatically check if the product is available on Amazon and display a small widget showing Amazon‘s price, rating, availability and more. With one click, you can add the item to your Amazon cart, wish list or shopping list for later purchase.
I‘ve been selling on Amazon successfully for over 10 years. In this detailed guide, I‘ll share my insights into everything you need to know about Amazon Assistant based on my extensive experience.
We‘ll cover:
- What Amazon Assistant is and how it works
- The main features and benefits of using Amazon Assistant
- Compatible browsers and devices
- Is it really free or are there hidden costs?
- Is it safe and secure to use?
- Step-by-step instructions for installing and setup
- How to use Amazon Assistant for easy price comparisons
- Troubleshooting common problems and issues
- Privacy concerns around Amazon Assistant
- Top alternatives you should also consider
Let‘s get started!
What Is Amazon Assistant & How Does It Work?
Amazon Assistant is a browser extension (and mobile app for Android) officially offered by Amazon to enhance your online shopping experience.
Here‘s an overview of how it works:
When you visit any online store and browse a product page, Amazon Assistant will automatically check if that exact product is available on Amazon.com.
If it finds a matching listing, Amazon Assistant will display a small popup widget showing Amazon‘s price, average rating, shipping info, and more.
Without leaving the page, you can click to view the full Amazon listing, add to cart, add to wish list, get notified if the price drops, and other handy shortcuts.
Amazon Assistant provides quick access to your recent searches, recommendations, wish lists, and order history across any site – not just Amazon.
So in a nutshell, Amazon Assistant brings Amazon‘s extensive product catalog and shopping features with you to any online store for easy price comparisons and account management.
As an experienced ecommerce seller, I find it extremely useful to quickly check if products are cheaper on Amazon before making purchases elsewhere. But more on that later.
First, let‘s look at some of the main features and benefits of Amazon Assistant as a shopper.
Main Features & Benefits of Amazon Assistant
Here are some of the most useful features and perks of using Amazon Assistant for online shopping:
Price Comparison – Instantly see if a product is cheaper on Amazon vs. other online stores. This alone can save you money with each purchase.
Price Drop Notifications – Get an alert if the Amazon price drops after you add the item to your wish list. No more missing out on savings!
Price History Charts – View price trends over time to determine if you‘re getting the best deal right now or should wait.
Customer Reviews – Read ratings, reviews and feedback left by other Amazon shoppers before you buy. No more guessing about product quality.
One-Click Add to Cart – Seamlessly add any item to your Amazon cart without leaving the page you‘re browsing. Super convenient!
Add to Wish List – Save products you want to buy later to your Amazon Wish List with one click for easy retrieval anytime.
Add to Shopping List – Quickly add items to your Amazon Fresh or other Amazon shopping list to purchase later.
Recently Viewed Items – See your recently viewed products across any website and easily add them to your Amazon account. Makes re-finding products a breeze.
Recommendations – Get suggested products personalized based on your Amazon browsing and purchase history. Helps discover new items you‘ll love!
Order Tracking – Check the status of your existing Amazon orders from any website. No need to flip between tabs.
Based on my experience, those are the most useful and money-saving capabilities of Amazon Assistant. But there are even more features we‘ll explore later when I walk through how to use it.
First, let‘s look at which browsers and devices are supported.
Browser & Device Compatibility
Amazon Assistant works on most major desktop and mobile platforms:
Desktop:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
- Opera
- Internet Explorer
Mobile:
- Android app from Google Play Store
- iOS not supported currently
The only notable exception is that Amazon Assistant is not available for the Safari browser on Mac desktop or iOS.
My recommendation is to install it on Chrome or Firefox since those are the most widely compatible. I use it daily in Chrome for easy Amazon price checks while browsing any online retailer.
If you primarily use an iPhone, you won‘t be able to take advantage of Amazon Assistant. But for Android users, definitely grab the free app.
Next, let‘s clear up whether Amazon Assistant will cost you anything…
Is Amazon Assistant Really Free To Use?
One of the best aspects of Amazon Assistant is that it‘s provided 100% free by Amazon for all customers.
There is no cost whatsoever to install or use Amazon Assistant:
- No charge or fee to install from the official browser stores
- Works without an Amazon Prime account
- No limit on how many products you can price check or add to lists
- No paid "Pro" version or upgrades
- No additional fees added to Amazon purchases made through it
You don‘t even need to enter any credit card details. The only requirement is a free Amazon customer account.
Amazon provides Assistant at no cost as a win-win:
- It benefits you as a shopper by making Amazon‘s catalog easily accessible from any online store.
- It benefits Amazon by encouraging more usage of their platform and making it the default choice for online purchases.
The bottom line: Enjoy all the perks of Amazon Assistant at absolutely zero cost. But is it safe? Let‘s tackle that next.
Is It Safe & Secure To Install?
Whenever installing new software, it‘s reasonable to have some security concerns, especially as a seller who deals with sensitive information.
After thoroughly testing Amazon Assistant myself on Chrome for years, I can confirm it is 100% safe and secure when installed properly:
Amazon Assistant is offered officially by Amazon, so you can trust the authenticity of the software when installing from official stores.
No security vulnerabilities have ever been reported. It uses HTTPS encryption and the same security measures as Amazon.com.
Its access permissions are limited only to functionality required. It cannot access any sensitive browser data without explicit approval.
Independent AV testing by Norton, McAfee and others have verified Amazon Assistant poses no security risk.
Your Amazon account credentials are authenticated through Amazon itself, not the extension.
However, it‘s still smart to follow best practices:
Only install from official browser stores or Amazon.com. Never from third-party sites.
Check reviews and extension verification status in the browser web store.
Make sure you have updated antivirus software installed on your system.
Periodically clear browsing data to flush out any tracking.
As long as you install it properly from official sources, Amazon Assistant poses no malware or virus risk based on my experience as a seller.
Now, let‘s walk through how to get it installed and set up.
Step-By-Step Guide To Install Amazon Assistant
Installing Amazon Assistant takes just a few minutes. Follow these steps:
Install on Chrome
Open the Chrome Web Store and search for "Amazon Assistant". Confirm it‘s offered by Amazon.
Click "Add to Chrome" to install it.
In the popup dialog, click "Add Extension" to confirm installing.
The Amazon Assistant icon will now show in your Chrome toolbar. Click it to log into your Amazon account.
Allow any requested permissions to enable all features. And that‘s it!
Install on Firefox
Go to the Amazon Assistant page on Mozilla Add-ons site.
Click "Add to Firefox" to start the installation.
Confirm you want to add Amazon Assistant by clicking "Okay".
Log into your Amazon account through the icon in your toolbar to complete setup.
For other browsers like Edge or Opera, just search for "Amazon Assistant" in the respective add-on stores and click install.
On Internet Explorer, visit the IE Gallery and click "Download" to add the extension.
It takes less than 5 minutes to get up and running. Time to start enjoying the perks!
How To Use Amazon Assistant For Easy Price Comparisons
Here are some tips to use Amazon Assistant effectively for easy price checks while shopping online:
Automatic Popup Comparisons
The fastest way to compare prices is to simply browse product pages on any online retailer:
Amazon Assistant will automatically display a popup if it finds the exact product available on Amazon.
View the current Amazon price, average rating, availability, shipping costs – all without leaving the page.
Click "See Price on Amazon" to open the full product page if you want to learn more.
I love this automatic popup when browsing stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy etc. It acts like my personal assistant, saving me time from manually searching Amazon!
Manual Searches
You can also manually activate Amazon Assistant anytime:
Click the extension icon in your toolbar to open up the sidebar.
Search for any product and you‘ll see results right from Amazon to compare pricing and details.
Your recent searches, recommendations, and wish lists are also easily accessible here.
The combination of automatic popups plus manual searches gives you Amazon‘s catalog at your fingertips no matter what site you‘re browsing.
Adding Products to Your Amazon Account
Here are some of the shortcuts I use most to save products for later purchase on Amazon:
Click "Add to Cart" to quickly add the item to your Amazon cart without leaving the page.
Click "Add to Wish List" to save any product to your Amazon Wish List with one click.
Use "Add to Shopping List" to quickly send an item to your Amazon Fresh or other integrated shopping list.
Tap "See Price Drop Notification" to get an alert if the Amazon price decreases in the future.
I probably use the Wish List feature most often. It‘s perfect for collecting gift ideas or things I want to buy later when the price drops.
Clearing Your Activity
To protect your privacy, I recommend clearing your browsing data through Amazon Assistant periodically:
Right click the extension icon and select "Clear Browsing Data" to wipe your history.
You can also disable tracking of your non-Amazon webpage visits in Settings.
On mobile, go to App Settings and use the "Clear Cache" option.
While Amazon Assistant is very useful, it‘s reasonable to have privacy concerns given Amazon can see your browsing activity. Make sure to clear your data occasionally.
This covers the main functionality – it‘s really easy to pop open anytime you want to leverage Amazon‘s catalog and shopping tools.
Next, let‘s talk about troubleshooting issues.
Troubleshooting Common Amazon Assistant Problems
In general, I‘ve found Amazon Assistant to be very stable and problem-free during my years of usage as a seller.
But occasionally, you may run into technical glitches or issues. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Amazon Assistant not displaying automatically?
Make sure the extension icon is enabled and you‘re logged into your Amazon account.
Check that "Show Product Comparisons" is enabled in the Settings.
The product may not be carried on Amazon. Search directly to verify.
If it was working before, try reloading the browser page.
Prices not matching actual Amazon listings?
Amazon prices can change frequently. Make sure Amazon Assistant shows the live price.
Confirm you‘re viewing the identical product listing – same size, color, quantity etc. Shipping fees may also impact the price shown.
Having issues adding products to your Cart or Wish List?
Your Amazon cart may be full if you‘ve hit the max quantity for a certain product.
Make sure the item is in stock and eligible for cart addition on Amazon.
Try adding it directly from the Amazon product page if the extension button isn‘t working.
Amazon Assistant disabled automatically?
This can happen if your browser detects an extension issue.
Try uninstalling completely, restarting your browser, then reinstalling.
Check for any available updates to Amazon Assistant.
In most cases, these basic troubleshooting tips should resolve any problems. But you can contact Amazon customer support if needed.
Now let‘s dive into privacy concerns…
Understanding The Privacy Implications
While extremely convenient, it‘s reasonable for shoppers to have privacy concerns with Amazon Assistant. Here are a few important things to know:
For it to work, Amazon Assistant requires access to your browsing activity on external websites to analyze product pages.
Data collected is used by Amazon to provide personalized recommendations and targeted advertising. There is no way to fully disable this tracking.
Your browsing history is linked back to your Amazon account profile and purchasing data to better market products to you.
Amazon does not publicly share specifics on the exact data points collected through the extension.
It adds a potential privacy & security consideration beyond just directly using Amazon itself.
As an experienced ecommerce seller, I regularly clear my own Amazon Assistant data and disable it when making personal purchases to ensure privacy.
For casual shoppers, the huge convenience generally outweighs the minor privacy trade-off. But it‘s important to understand the implications before installing.
Top Alternatives To Consider
If you‘re looking for similar price comparison capabilities but have privacy concerns, here are some alternative browser extensions I recommend checking out:
CamelCamelCamel – Shows Amazon price history charts and tracks prices. No browsing tracking.
Keepa – Monitors Amazon product listings and alerts you to price drops.
PriceBlink – Automatically finds coupon codes and discounts as you shop.
ShopSavvy – Scan barcodes in stores to compare local and online prices.
Honey – Saves you money at checkout by testing coupon codes.
SlickDeals – Alerts you to deals and coupons for thousands of online stores.
The advantage of these alternatives is they don‘t directly share your full browsing activity with a retailer like Amazon.
However, I still use Amazon Assistant daily as I find the tighter integration with Amazon worth the minor privacy trade-off. But strive to clear your data occasionally and compare against competitors.
As an experienced ecommerce seller, I find Amazon Assistant to be an indispensable tool for easy price comparisons and managing my Amazon account while browsing any online store.
But it certainly warrants careful consideration of the privacy implications before use.
Hopefully this detailed guide provides sellers and shoppers with all the insights needed to make an informed decision!
