Amazon Dash button enters digital realm

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - 10:36 by Graham Miller

In the two years since Amazon originally unveiled its Dash button tech, there has been a slow but steady uptake of this one-click ordering device. Now the need to actually invest in physical Dash buttons has been removed thanks to the launch of digital equivalents available via the firm’s e-commerce site and shopping app, according to Reuters.

Dash buttons are tied into a specific product, such as laundry detergent or other household consumables, so that customers can press one when their supplies have been depleted and an order will instantly be placed for a replacement to be delivered.

Now Prime subscribers can make use of the ‘virtual’ Dash buttons to achieve the same thing, all without having to splash out on the dinky devices which would otherwise be dotted around their home.

This move certainly makes sense from a practical perspective, since there is little reason that the Dash button needs to be limited by the constraints of the physical world. By creating the same experience via its digital services, Amazon should be able to offer the same convenience but with less expense and setup time involved for customers.

More good news comes as a result of the fact that people who shop online with Amazon and have a Prime account can create their own virtual Dash buttons for whichever products they use most frequently. And with millions of items available to choose, there is a great deal of flexibility.

Whether the physical Dash buttons will continue to be made and distributed in the long term is up for debate, but the digitisation of this instant ordering solution should help Amazon to boost its presence in the home, while also helping its partner brands to gain increased customer loyalty.