In Amazon's latest research paper, 'A Shopping Agent for Addressing Subjective Product Needs', Amazon outlines the science behind RUFUS, and how Sellers can Optimize.

What is Amazon RUFUS?

Rufus is a conversational AI shopping assistant that leverages Amazon's extensive product catalog and web-based information to guide customers through their shopping journey. It responds to product-related questions, provides personalized recommendations, compares different items, and helps users discover new products that match their needs.

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How can Sellers Optimize Product Listings for RUFUS?

This research paper gives us more cluses on how to optimize for Amazon's new shopping agent system, which experts expect could account for 40% of Amazon Searches by the end of 2025 (source). The latest strategic recommendations for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) on RUFUS in 2025 include:

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1. Focus on Subjective Product Needs (SPN)

The paper identifies 5 key facets that you should clearly address in your listing:

‍Subjective Properties: Explicitly describe subjective attributes of your product (e.g., "sturdy," "colorful," "spacious")

1. Event Relevance: Mention specific events your product is suitable for (e.g., "perfect for Christmas," "ideal for weddings")
2. Activity Suitability: Detail activities your product works well for (e.g., "great for gaming," "designed for travel")
3. Goal/Purpose: Clearly state what objectives your product helps achieve (e.g., "helps organize office space," "promotes better sleep")
4. Target Audience: Specify who the product is best for (e.g., "for teens," "perfect for new parents")

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2. Optimize Reviews Strategy

Since the RUFUS AI agent heavily weighs customer reviews:

• Encourage detailed reviews that address these SPN facets
• Ask customers to mention specific use cases and scenarios
• Request photos in reviews as the agent can fetch customer review images
• Focus on getting reviews that discuss subjective experiences rather than just technical specifications

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3.Question Response Strategy

Since the RUFUS AI agent analyzes review content:

• Respond to reviews with additional context about subjective features
• Address questions about specific use cases
• Provide clarification about product suitability for different scenarios
• Help build out the subjective information available to the agent

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4. Use Ecomtent

• Ecomtent's AI product listing generator is optimized for discoverability on RUFUS. It is the only AI native Amazon Listing Software focused on this use case.
• Not only does Ecomtent optimize the copy, but we also have the leading AI A+ Content Generator and AI image generator for Amazon listings.

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5. Content Structure

The paper shows the agent processes both catalog data and reviews, so structure your listing to support this:

• Use clear, descriptive titles that include key subjective attributes
• Include all relevant use cases and scenarios in bullet points
• Write detailed product descriptions that address multiple SPNs
• Provide rich content that helps the agent understand subjective qualities

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6. Technical Optimization

To help the agent's computational actions:

• Use consistent terminology for subjective attributes
• Include relevant keywords for events, activities, and audiences
• Maintain clear category classifications
• Provide complete and accurate product metadata

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Conclusion

Amazon RUFUS is in part designed to help customers with subjective needs and gifting scenarios. The more clearly you can communicate your product's subjective qualities and use cases, the better the agent will be able to match it with relevant customer queries. The goal is to make your listing rich in the kind of subjective information that helps the agent understand not just what your product is, but how it makes people feel, what it's best used for, and who would most appreciate it.

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