If Amazon’s test of sharing price history through Rufus grows and survives, it could be a compelling reason for users to try the chatbot. Trishul Chilimbi, Amazon’s vice president of research, wrote last week that its teams have trained Rufus on all products, reviews and Q&As on the company’s website, as well as some public information elsewhere on the Internet. In other words, Rufus provides easier access to information that the user could delete themselves.
However, subtle or behind-the-scenes data, such as price changes, is more challenging to obtain. In the case of the LifeStraw filter, popular price trackers CamelCamelCamel and Glass It had no data when WIRED tried them. Another service, To holdaccording to data dating back to 2017, the record low price in 2022 was $8.
Keepa and Glass It executives tell WIRED they are not concerned about competition from Rufus. They claim their data is more comprehensive and supports a variety of tools, including price alerts. “Amazon taking action to directly provide users with price history data is good for all of us as consumers who want to make informed purchasing decisions,” says Amor Avhad, founder of Glass It.
Amazon has been slammed for its lack of transparency in some areas of its business. In two ongoing lawsuits, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has separately charged Amazon deceptive and anti-competitive practices that keep buyers and sellers in the dim about subscription renewals and sales algorithms. But when it comes to product pricing, Amazon has, in some ways, been sincere with buyers.
Users who leave an item marinating in their cart for a period of time will be notified by Amazon if the item’s price has changed in either direction by even a penny since it was first added. If Amazon determines that the price of a particular item is not competitive with other stores, it may hide the Buy button and require users to click on additional screens to complete the purchase.
Time will tell how access to price history may impact the merchants on the inside. Tristan Månsson-Perrone of Radius Outfitters, an Amazon seller whose tool roll was among this week’s featured deals, says he rarely adjusts prices. So customers may not be able to learn much by asking Rufus questions, he says.
Overall, Amazon has emphasized that it wants Rufus – named after him corgi that decorated the company’s first office– be a trusted companion. Ask him to summarize the review and he will highlight the pros and cons. It suggests non-Amazon products and doesn’t feel too commercial.
But WIRED couldn’t get Rufus to support with so-called ethical shopping questions, including which brands support which parties in wars or elections. There also remains uncertainty about whether tools like Rufus will reduce the revenues of the professional review industry, including WIRED. These limitations and concerns were cast aside when Rufus felt like an unpopular follower. With exclusive pricing data, it can become a buyer’s best friend.