Amazon Makes Online Shopping Even Easier

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Next, we'll report on the latest effort to make impulse purchases easier. Our last word in business today is: Hashtag, Amazon Cart.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Let's say you see a tweet about reduced sugar Gummy Bears or a banana slicer and you think, if I don't put those in my shopping cart right now I will forget that I want to buy them, and that would be a disaster.

MONTAGNE: Well, there is a 21st century problem. In our distracted world, people's attention spans no longer lasts long enough to complete the purchase. Now, all you need to do is reply to that tweet and add hashtag, Amazon cart and the product will appear in your Amazon cart.

INSKEEP: So you can check out later and buy the thing and not forget it. But that has not stopped some wishful thinkers from pushing the envelope. In a tweet, our colleague Travis Larchuk tried to use the new service to order, quote, "44 bazillion salty Virginia hams," 44 bazillion salty Virginia hams. That is one full cart. We'll let you know how that works out. He definitely won't forget.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne.

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