Amazon wants to end dodgy knockoffs with its own AI-generated custom merch printing

• Merch on Demand taps into Alexa for Shopping for new AI-generated designs
• Consumer-targeted upgrade works on the app or website, available with Prime shipping
• Only US customers will get it for now – Etsy and others could suffer

Amazon has launched a new feature within Alexa for Shopping that enables customers to generate their own merch designs from AI prompts, which they can then have printed on physical products like hoodies and T-shirts.

Senior Editor Jacquelyn Smith said in an announcement that users may wish to print "a group chat's funniest inside joke... shirts for an upcoming family reunion... [or] a beloved pet reimagined as a cartoon," implying the new feature is designed primarily for consumer markets.

The new AI upgrade will be powered by the company's existing Merch on Demand platform, which means Amazon is behind the manufacturing, fulfillment, shipping and customer service.

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Alexa for Shopping and Merch on Demand deliver custom merch via Prime

Available on the app, customers can tap the Alexa icon or search for 'customize' to describe an idea, refine with follow-up prompts and order the merch immediately. It's also available on the website for PC users.

With the new tool, Amazon directly targets other on-demand print platforms like Printful, Shutterfly, Etsy and more, and democratizes access to custom merch with all the benefits of Amazon, like fast Prime shipping.

This comes shortly after the company rolled out Alexa for Shopping, which upgrades the previous Rufus assistant with newer Alexa+ capabilities for an overall slicker experience.

Smith noted that the current product range, which is mostly apparel-dominated, includes T-shirts, V-necks, long-sleeve shirts, polo shirts, quarter zips, jerseys, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops and raglans. Tumblers and water bottles are also available.

And as with any new feature, US customers will be the first to benefit. Amazon did not mention any plans to expand to other geographies at this point.

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