Google Home enables voice orders – with some restrictions
Consumers can now use voice commands to order home goods via smart speaker Google Home – but only for one item with a value between $4 and $100 per order.
Consumers can now order products with voice commands on Google Home.
As of February 16, Google said Home users can order from participating Google Express retailers like Costco, Whole Foods Market, Walgreens, PetSmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. Google Express is a Google shopping service that says it connects shoppers with popular stores and arranges for delivery.
In a blog post, Google said consumers can say, “OK, Google, how do I shop?” or, “OK, Google, order paper towels,” to get started – after they set up a default credit card and delivery address, of course.
Per the Help section on the Google Express site, when consumers say, “Order paper towels,” or, “Buy water,” they will hear options for the products they can buy. When they hear a suggestion they like, they should say, “Yes,” to place the order. If they say, “No,” they will get another selection, Google Express said.
“If you say, ‘No,’ a second time, you’ll find the item on your shopping list in the Google Home app in case you want to order it later,” Google Express added.
Further, through April, consumers who shop via Google Home don’t have to worry about additional service or membership fees. It was not clear what those fees will be thereafter. A Google rep did not respond by deadline. However, Google Express noted consumers who place an order for a Costco item without a Costco membership won’t be hit with Costco access fees during this time period either.
“Today is just the beginning of what's possible for shopping with the Google Assistant,” the blog post said. “Over the coming months, we’ll continue to add new features and enable purchases for other apps and services.”
Google Home made its Super Bowl debut this year in a spot that netted about 950,000 views on YouTube and came in at #24 of 66 in USA Today’s Ad Meter. The ad also inadvertently triggered Google Home devices when it aired, much like Amazon Echo, which has also accidentally turned on consumer devices at home with voice commands in TV advertising.
Google Home launched in November.
Per a rep, Amazon launched Alexa re-order of items – meaning products consumers had previously ordered via Amazon.com – in May 2015. In June 2016, Amazon expanded that functionality to include millions of items available via Amazon Prime.