Muse to shortlist a lightweight work tote
Debra Aho Williamson tested Muse with a shopping brief that was more specific than asking for a nice bag. Her work tote needed to weigh under two pounds, use leather or nylon, close with a zipper and cost no more than $400. It also had to fit a fifteen-inch laptop, an iPad and everyday items, with preferred colours and a modern appearance.
linkedin.com
Original prompt
Shared by the source author. See source notes for context.
Help me find a new work tote. It should be under 2 pounds, leather or nylon, zipper closure, $400 or less
Reach people exploring AI agents
See placements →What happened
Three named tote options; the agent-assisted checkout was not completed.
Reported by Debra Aho WilliamsonHow the agent did it
- Give Muse weight, material, closure, budget and capacity requirements.
- Inspect the three shortlisted bags on retailer sites.
- Decide separately whether to proceed through retailer account access.
Where a person stepped in
Williamson inspected the finalists and stopped the account-login step herself.
Debra Aho Williamson tested Muse with a shopping brief that was more specific than asking for a nice bag. Her work tote needed to weigh under two pounds, use leather or nylon, close with a zipper and cost no more than $400. It also had to fit a fifteen-inch laptop, an iPad and everyday items, with preferred colours and a modern appearance.
Muse browsed retailers including Calpak, Everlane, Nordstrom and Cuyana. A temporary unusual-activity block appeared during the search, but the browsing continued. After about fifteen minutes, the shortlist included Cuyana's Tall Easy Zipper Tote, the Briggs & Riley Rhapsody Expandable Tote and a Maison de Sabre leather laptop bag.
Williamson checked the brand websites herself and chose the Briggs & Riley option. She then tried Buy with Muse. The process reached Nordstrom's login, where she stopped because she was uncomfortable granting access. That was a human decision to end the test, rather than evidence that Muse completed a purchase or failed to find the bag.
Her later manual Nordstrom browsing became a separate shopping session with additional purchases. It does not establish a measured saving from Muse. The useful pattern is the constrained shortlist: give dimensions, weight, closure and budget upfront, inspect the finalists, and treat account access as a separate decision.
Prompt
Original prompt
Source: www.linkedin.com · Debra Aho Williamson
Frequently asked questions
Which constraints mattered?
Weight, zipper closure, material, a $400 ceiling and capacity for a fifteen-inch laptop and daily items.
Was the bag bought through Muse?
No. Williamson stopped when the process requested her Nordstrom login.
Did the later shopping prove a saving?
No. Her later manual purchases are a separate session, not a measured agent saving.
More details
About this account
Muse browsed retailers and produced a three-bag shortlist.
Firsthand source opened and read. Prompt is a verbatim excerpt of the published original instruction.
Credit: Debra Aho Williamson
Source published 11 Sept 2026
Source checked 14 Oct 2026
Tools and topics
Nordstrom · Cuyana · Calpak · Everlane
Work totes · Product constraints · Checkout handoff
Editorial completeness: 100/100. Measures documented fields, not agent performance or verified outcomes.