Amazon wants to make it so that you order stuff without even knowing about it. Till you get your credit card statement, that is.
No, it doesn’t mean you’ll have random goods delivered to your door each day. It’ll all be stuff you need because your Dash Replenishment-enabled device put in an order for you when supplies ran low. Think printer ink, water filters, or laundry supplies.
Amazon on Tuesday turned on its first Dash Replenishment-compatible devices, among them select Brother printers and a washer from GE. Other companies working on offering devices with the same functionality include Samsung, Whirlpool, August, Oster, Petnet, Purell, Sutro, and Thync, with Amazon hoping to encourage more to join as the year goes on.
The e-commerce giant’s much-hyped Dash Replenishment Service is a variation of its quick-order Dash button, a small device that lets consumers order everyday items with a single press. Dash Replenishment pushes this convenience to the max by letting compatible smart devices monitor supplies and then automatically place an order when they run low. Manufacturers can incorporate the system’s functionality by simply adding a few lines of code to their smart device.
“Customers simply activate Dash Replenishment when they are setting up their connected device and then rely on Amazon to automatically deliver those everyday essentials,” Amazon Devices director Daniel Rausch said in a release. “Customers can start taking advantage of the service today and we’ll continue to launch and add new devices to the program this year.”
Would you be happy to let your smart devices order in supplies as and when necessary? Or would you rather keep an eye on alternative products that may be offering special deals where you can save a few bucks? Convenience is great but in the case of Amazon’s service, it may cost you.
