Amazon has rolled out a new feature which allows shoppers to seek opinion from friends and family before making a purchase.

Consult-a-Friend enables users to request, view and manage feedback on products when buying through the Amazon Shopping app.

Amazon said that the launch of the new feature comes as its own data shows that people are sharing items to seek a second opinion.

The company added that users had already shared products on the Amazon Shopping app billions of times via social media, messaging services and email.

Amazon started testing the feature with a limited number of users in October last year and Consult-a-Friend is now available to all customers in several countries including the US, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and the UK.

“Sometimes, it helps to get a little advice from your friends or family,“ Amazon wrote on its website. “But when it comes to online shopping, it can be hard to keep track of feedback from multiple people across messaging apps.

“Our early testing has shown that customers are particularly interested in getting feedback on apparel, shoes, electronics, and furniture.”

Amazon added that has also launched a feature called Create which allows users to connect with other shoppers by sharing photos and content. The feature is available though Inspire, an in-app shopping experience that enables shoppers to discover new products and pick up ideas from influencers.

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