Today we’re excited to announce general availability of in-skill purchasing (ISP) for Alexa skills in the US. Now, you can make money by selling premium digital content to enrich your Alexa skill experience. Examples include game products, interactive stories, new features or content, and more. ISP supports both one-time purchases for entitlements that unlock access to features or content in your skill and subscriptions that offer access to premium features or content for a period of time. At this time, consumables are not supported.

Skills will continue to provide a free experience for customers. This enables customers to assess the quality of the skill and understand the product for sale prior to purchasing via voice. You can now expand on the experience customers get for free by offering them premium content. Learn more about how to create great premium content.

How It Works

When developers build delightful skills with compelling content, customers win. If you offer premium content, a customer can now ask to shop, buy, or agree to purchase suggestions made by your skill. Customers pay using Amazon’s simple voice purchasing flow using the payment options associated with their Amazon account. You define your premium offering and price, and we handle the voice-first purchasing flow. We also provide self-service tools to manage your in-skill products and optimize their sales performance over time.

Amazon is ensuring that every in-skill purchase brings added value to Amazon Prime members, such as discounted price, exclusive content, or early access. Developers set the list price for their in-skill product and will be paid 70 percent of list price, before any discount offered by Amazon.

To add one-time purchases and subscriptions, you’ll create and manage in-skill products using the ASK Command-Line Interface (CLI). Then you add code to check inventory, pass purchase requests to Amazon, and determine what’s already been purchased. Additionally, don’t forget to create a tax profile for payment purposes and test your skill before you submit it for certification. Over time, you can monitor sales and payments using the analytics dashboard.

How Companies Are Using In-Skill Purchasing

Sony (Jeopardy!, Teen Jeopardy!, Sports Jeopardy!), The Ellen Show (Heads Up), Fremantle (Match Game), HISTORY (Ultimate HISTORY Quiz), and TuneIn (TuneIn Live) have already created Alexa skills leveraging these new capabilities. In addition, today we’re announcing three more skills that will offer premium content:

• SYFY WIRE by NBCUniversal (Available Today) – Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fans can subscribe and get three additional podcasts exclusive to Amazon Alexa: Geeksplain, Debate Club, and Untold Story. Each podcast offers a new episode every week.
• Yes Sire by Volley Inc. (Available Today) – In this popular game, you play a medieval lord presented with an ever-expanding array of difficult choices, and must make good decisions to stay in power. Now you can buy the Wicked Witch Expansion pack, with new characters, new courtly drama, and new spooky scenarios.
• Word of the Day by Volley Inc. (Coming Soon) – Every member of the family can benefit from learning useful new vocabulary.

Other Ways to Make Money with Alexa Skills

Many developers already make money on Alexa by participating in the Alexa Developer Rewards, selling connected devices, or connecting skills to existing business models using account linking (for example, booking a ride or ordering food).

• Make Money through Alexa Developer Rewards: With Alexa Developer Rewards, you can make money for eligible skills that drive some of the highest customer engagement. Skills in eligible categories are automatically considered for the program each month. We will notify you if your skill qualifies. Today, you can make money through both ISP and Alexa Developer Rewards at the same time. Learn more.
• Make Money by Selling Physical Goods and Services through Alexa Skills: Alexa offers a new sales channel for brands and merchants who want to sell their products and services through their Alexa skills. With Amazon Pay for Alexa Skills, you can use Amazon’s simple voice purchasing flow to sell physical goods or services (like event tickets, transportation, flower delivery, and more). Learn more.

Get Started Today

Attend a webinar or download our getting started guide to learn how to make money with Alexa skills. For more information, visit developer.amazon.com/alexa/make-money.