This underlines how the impact of some technologies in retail are over-hyped to the point of silliness. The question is, why would people shop by voice? For many products there is no need as shopping online with the click of a mouse or the tap of a phone is already easy enough. In other categories, the ability to see the product — either physically or virtually — is important and voice does not deliver that.

That doesn’t mean voice doesn’t have a place in shopping: search, querying prices, checking on order status, etc. are all things voice can help with. But actually buying a product, not so much.

As I see it, there are two things holding back conversational commerce: the challenges of product discovery and (ironically) the complexity of the process. Until product discovery gets easier, Alexa will be limited to FMCG and replenishment orders. And in that time, Amazon will capture the lion’s share of the commerce, because ordering via voice today is pretty complex. All skills require very specific commands, and for infrequently-used skills, it can be hard to remember the exact syntax required to execute that skill. So both things need to improve before mass adoption can occur, in my opinion.

I have to agree with Neil. This may be another case of technology looking for a problem.

It’s déjà vu all over again. Anyone that can at least remember the Mosaic browser (there were earlier ones too) understands the tech adoption curve. I wasn’t there, but it was probably the same for the sewing machine, motorcar, and TV. I think radio had a very steep curve. It’s early days. I’ve been working with VUIs (Voice User Interfaces) and AAs (Artificial Assistants) for over six years, but I’m a tech guy and stay ahead of the curve. Most people on the street think that Apple or Amazon invented them and are still getting used to the idea. In time, this conversation will be as dated as discussing whether hydraulic brakes will ever be on all cars. At that point, voice-based shopping will be the norm (as is web browsing and mobile) including all the issues that it will bring such as: Unlike visual ads on a web page, aural ads slow down/interfere with efficiency; Paid placement and/or platform-owned brand suggestions will taint trust with AA’s or shopping assistants; Those brands without their own… Read more »

We have thrown a lot of new technology at the consumer in the last five years and we continue that trend. It takes time and a desire to try new things before they become generally adopted by the consuming public. Voice ordering will happen over time, with the upcoming younger generations eventually making it mundane.

There is a possibility, however, that if customers are not allowed to specify brand or re-order (the previously-ordered brand), external forces may decide what they want the consumer to buy. CPG brands may start paying online retailers for preferred placement on voice-ordering systems like they do on supermarket shelves.

I’m guessing this is generational. People over 40 might not embrace it quickly or fully, but I suspect that has nothing to do with how Millennials and younger generations will embrace voice commerce. Don’t want to be heard shopping in public spaces? I saw a gizmo the other day — a mouth mask if you will. It mutes your voice to the outside world when you’re on the phone. Office mates hear nothing. That may remove some of the reluctance to voice shop. It sounds nutty, but sometimes that’s the gears of evolution grinding away.

Sometimes I think companies look for too many options for technologies: “It can do this and this and this and … “ but that doesn’t necessarily translate to the consumer.

If most users use voice-activated assistants for simple tasks, maybe that’s all we want them to do. I’m with the rest of the BrainTrust here: Alexa et al. may have a place in my shopping research, but not as the final path to purchase piece.

Voice-assisted shopping has two big barriers to overcome: complexity and changing habits. Complexity involves making it easier to make sure the voice assistant gets exactly the right product that the customer wants. This is much easier for items consumers buy routinely, but first-time orders are challenging. Another element of complexity is that if it takes longer or is frustrating, consumers will give up.

From a habit perspective, consumers have their own buy habits and processes that work best for them. Trying something new requires additional effort and effort is time, and nobody has a lot of time to spare. To accelerate adoption, retailers will need to offer special discounts on first orders through voice assistants to get more consumers to try the technology and cross their fingers that some of them will adopt it.

It is a long road ahead for voice commerce and it is unclear when, or if, it will be a relevant part of shopping.

I believe voice could be the intermediary technology that drives the next massive change in commerce. As a metaphor, in computing and file storage there was the floppy disk (1.5MB) and then there was the CD-ROM (700MB), but many people forget the ZIP drive that was massively influential in bridging that gap in consumer need with capacity ranging from 100MB-750MB. This hardware eventually fell out of favor. I believe the same is true with voice assistants in their current form, as the technology could quickly evolve to in-ear, optical (applying the visual product element in multi-dimensions or via AR), or a wrist solution with holographic capacity. Sounds a little Star Trekky perhaps, but not far from reality.

On the scale of technology adoption described by Geoffrey Moore in his book “Crossing the Chasm”, voice ordering is at the early adopter stage. The early majority are waiting for the early adopters to spread the word that the technology is ready for prime time. I have no doubt that voice ordering via Alexa, Google or Siri will become widespread. The question is just when the tipping point comes. Given the rapid pace of technology adoption today, I would imagine that we will see voice ordering becoming prevalent within the next two years.

For packaged goods brand marketing, there will be more emphasis placed on marketing via these devices. There is also substantial risk, as noted in the article, that the technology providers may substitute their private label products whenever a brand is not designated by a customer.

“Voice commerce” is far from being the norm. The tipping point is not here, but it is getting closer even if the adoption is slower than anticipated. People just need to try it, have a good experience and have it become a habit. It takes time to form habits, and using the voice commands on Alexa, Siri, etc. will take time.

Clearly reports of “The Age of Voice Commerce” have been overstated. But if CPG companies (and others) wait for Amazon and other assistant manufacturers to completely figure things out, they will be left out of the story. Much of the shopper marketing industry was founded on “getting on the list.” This will never have been more critical if and when the future becomes auto-replenishment (via voice or other). Testing, learning and adapting is the order of the day now and forever more.

Missing in this article is the fact people/shoppers will still have individual preferences, whether for soup or toilet paper, let alone items like socks, which people actually wear on their bodies. Shopping is not a utility, like a browser or a floppy disk. Shopping is personal with outcomes, and if lousy, can ruin an otherwise good day. Turning one’s life over to Alexa as a shopping convenience has yet to work because people are not lemmings. Yes, Alexa is clunky, and yes, a new way of shopping takes time to adapt to, but it is more than that! Fundamentally for voice to work, technologists need to shift from linear, computer science decision trees, inferred behavior or collaborative filtering, etc. techniques and focus on the way humans cognitively make the decision to purchase; human emotion and individual sensory preferences. Imagine voice-activated, mobile shopping experiences “Alexa, I need a pair of black pants.” “Siri, I need a dress to wear to the Smith wedding.” This is the chasm Alexa, Siri and Google need to cross. Not “Alexa… Read more »

What seems lost in the discussion is that most people who shout loudly that voice shopping will succeed have significant incomes. Yet the success of voice shopping will depend on those with tight incomes — where there’s no disposable income to absorb mistakes.

The perspective we need to take is to consider ordering Scope but getting Soap instead. What would your response be if you earned minimum wage in a service job?

People take considerable care with their money — something that seems lost on the digerati that push many ridiculous shopping ideas.

The adoption of voice command will take time as consumers become comfortable with the process AND accept/trust the medium. There have already been many publicized cases of misuse and loss of privacy through this technology. Voice recognition and command will become part of our normal lives, but it will be a journey to get there. From a merchandising point of view, I suspect private label preferences will be common and large CPG brands will need to manage and demand accountability of their marketing and merchandising funds as these funds will certainly be used to promote and prioritize competitive products.

I speak with Alexa every morning, and I don’t have a doubt that voice commerce will be utilized, not as quickly as planned or desired, but it will come. Sometimes I think the general public feels like they are in a high tech tennis match, where seven balls are being served to them at the same time — I feel that way at times. When it comes to technology, be patient with consumers … it will come.

Voice assistants are solutions looking for a problem. There isn’t one. We are a visual society, and as such, we are visually driven. We can easily identify something by a picture, rather than its name. This is why the Internet is visually driven (instead of voice driven), TV is so successful, our shopping patterns are visually focused, etc. Voice plays a minor role in our shopping behaviors, interactions and preferences. To this end, voice assistants will continue to be a minor role player in our shopping lives.