Consumerism at its finest: Shopping via SMS comes to Amazon

Mobile text messaging as a form of order placement has seen early adoption in the fast food industry, and now it comes to the Internet's largest retailer.

Late yesterday, Amazon launched TextBuyIt, a system that enables shoppers to text Amazon a keyword or a product's UPC/ISBN to compare prices and buy items.

Users may send a product's name or UPC code to 262966 ("AMAZON" on the keypad), and Amazon replies with two options. The user then may text reply "1" or "2" if either of those choices are the item they'd like to buy, or text "M" for more options. When an item is chosen, Amazon then calls to detail and confirm the transaction.

When BetaNews tested the service, we sent the ISBN 0-684-87056-8, Amazon's reply came within 10 seconds:

Reply w/ 1 to buy, h for help, 1) Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture- BOOK $10.98

This message was immediately followed by a second one:

Reply with: 1: Buy Item1, 2: Buy item2, 1d: item1 details, 2d item2 details, m: more results, h for help.

A 1d reply was sent, and took much longer to get an Amazon response. The detailed reply included the full title, author, format of the book (paperback/hardcover,) release date, shipping options, stock status, overall user rating, price, and a Web link.

To buy the item, the user must then reply with his Amazon email and default zip code, and then Amazon calls and confirms all further information. The process can be simplified by registering for mobile payments on Amazonpayments.com. Registration there also avails TextPayMe, a service through Amazon that allows a user to send and receive money to anyone via text message.

Though not as simple as near field phone payment, opening Amazon to SMS payment undoubtedly puts the online retailer a step ahead of others in convenience.