I honestly thought Amazon had already taken the idea of streamlining online ordering as far as it could possibly go with their Express Checkout service. But it transpires I was wrong, as word recently emerged from the states that the online retail giants have been developing a literal one-touch ordering solution that doesn't even require direct access to a computer, tablet or smartphone. They've called this wondrous (and some might argue superfluous) contraption the “Dash Button,” and it not only takes online retail convenience to its logical conclusion, but does so with added marketing incentives for household brands.
Amazon's Dash Button is a literal one-touch ordering solution that doesn't even require direct access to a computer, tablet or smartphone
The button in question is a physical, surprisingly large button that can be attached to any number of household appliances and surfaces. A simple push of the button will automatically order your household a repeat run of supplies whenever you're running low, and Amazon Prime customers should expect their goods to arrive promptly on the next working day. The buttons are each branded with product logos relating top the item in question, and are designed to be kept in useful, convenient places like kitchen and bathroom cabinets so that items can be ordered directly through Amazon whenever a top-up it required. They are attached to a handy dongle with a reusable adhesive attachment and a hook so they can be hung, stuck or placed wherever they are required. It's currently being trialled with Prime customers in the US.
Introducing the Amazon Dash Button
Of course, the button isn't a complete stand-alone solution, as it requires a connection to a smartphone app and a Wi-Fi connection to work properly, but the marketing spiel says the system is incredibly simple to set up. “Use the Amazon app on your smartphone to easily connect to your home Wi-Fi network and select the product you want to reorder with Dash Button,” it states, with an accompanying image that confirms the button can be setup to reorder a variety of branded products. A single press of the Dash Button places an order and unless the customer chooses to change the setting it only responds to the first press until the order arrives. It might very well be the height of laziness, but it makes a lot of sense for brands, as it pretty much assures brand loyalty by default! Right now around 300 brands have signed up to the trial, including big name brands such as Bounty, Huggies and Gillette.
The original Dash device takes the form of a barcode scanner, which can be used to scan any household product stocked by Amazon and automatically add that item to your shopping list
The Amazon Dash service isn't just restricted to the Dash Buttons of course. Amazon Dash has been in operation in the US for almost a year now, yet the service has yet to arrive on these shores (but then, we always get everything last right?). The original Dash device takes the form of a barcode scanner, which can be used to scan any household product stocked by Amazon (you'd probably be hard pressed to find one that wasn't at this point) and automatically add that item to your shopping list. You can also talk into the wand-like device to order replacement products, which could really appeal to those amongst us who feel that voice activation is still the height of technological sophistication.
Introducing Amazon Dash
Amazon has also introduced the Dash Replenishment Service, which means that smart connected devices like coffee machines can order more supplies. Either a physical button can be built into the product or the device can be designed so that it records consumption and usage and places an order automatically when supplies are low. Whirlpool, Brita and Brother are already signed up to the service, with more expected to follow quit as smart appliances become more commonplace. It all adds up to Amazon building what is essentially the Kindle store for online grocery shopping, and whilst I personally struggle to see the appeal of the Dash Button, if the Dash scanner was released over here I'd be first in line!
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He is an incredibly lazy man, but even he considers the Dash Button to be perhaps a step too far!
