Amazon has launched Amazon Lens in South Africa, bringing its visual shopping tool to customers seeking a faster, easier way to shop online.
Amazon puts it this way: “Ever spotted a perfect piece of décor in a friend’s home but couldn’t find the right words to search for it? Or tried to replace a specific part without knowing its exact name? Amazon Lens offers a solution by letting customers shop using images, screenshots, scanning a barcode, or the live camera in the app. Tens of millions of customers globally are using Amazon Lens each month to find what they’re looking for.”
The following is Amazon’s guide to using the new functionality:
- Snap & Search – Use photos of items you love to find similar products
Have a screenshot or picture in your camera roll of something you want to buy? You don’t need to describe the product, colour, or shape. Simply tap the Lens icon in the search bar, select the image you want to use, and Amazon Lens shows you similar items to shop on Amazon.
- Circle to Search – Available exclusively when uploading images from your device, this feature lets customers draw a circle around specific items when an image contains multiple products, allowing for more precise searching within a busy image.
- Spot It, Shop It – Turn what you see into what you buy
Camera Search allows you to take a photo while you’re out and about, watching TV, or reading a magazine. Amazon Lens will find matching or similar products available to purchase.
- Quick Scan Shopping – Find products instantly with barcode scanning
With Barcode Scan, you can compare prices, delivery options, or restock products you’ve already purchased. When you click the Lens icon in the search bar, you’ll find a barcode option that allows you to easily scan any barcode to pull up a product — all without having to type and scroll to find your exact match.
“We continue to innovate to help customers quickly find products without becoming experts in product terminology,” says Robert Koen, managing director of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa. “At Amazon, our AI applications are designed to make customers’ lives better and easier. This practical approach extends across our store, from deep learning algorithms that analyse sizing relationships between brands to tools that make goods easier to find. We’re using AI to solve everyday problems, making shopping more intuitive, personalised, and friction-free.”
When Amazon Lens brings back visually similar search results, customers can then sort results by price, customer ratings, and delivery options across Amazon’s wide selection. South African customers can shop from thousands of items eligible for free standard same-day and next-day delivery on items shipped by Amazon.
For customers who prefer to pick up their packages when it’s convenient for them, Amazon has over 4,300 pickup points strategically located around the country, offering customers a safe and secure way to receive Amazon packages near them.
Amazon Lens is now available in the Amazon Shopping app. Customers can access it by tapping the camera icon in the search bar.