Amazon is apparently pleased with its first six months and has added the following to the DRS stable: General Electric, Samsung, August, Gmate, Oster, Obe, Petnet, CleverPet, Sutro, Thync, and Sealed Air, leading to much excitement. And when they do, said devices-like a washing machine, for example-can sense when supplies are running low and automatically reorder them on a person’s behalf. With the DRS implementation, it can order laundry detergent when the supply is getting low.
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I might criticize the Amazon Dash Button, but it’s not because I think it’s a very bad idea.
Both solutions are arguably part of a broader effort by Amazon to keep consumers (Prime subs especially) habitually ordering from the company, by offering a level of convenience and value-added services smaller online retailers can’t provide. Those buttons are connected by Wi-Fi and let users reorder products like Tide detergent or Clorox wipes with the touch of a button that can be affixed around the house. For device makers, DRS makes it easy to add re-ordering functionality to their devices to deliver a helpful and differentiated experience for customers.
The next time you begin to run out of detergent or your printer starts to run low of ink, Amazon might know it before you do.
These connected devices take the Dash concept to the next level by being able to automatically reorder Amazon products without consumers even having to press a button.
For example, Obe’s Pro Bowl weighs the amount of food consumed by a pet and subtracts that amount from the in-home inventory balance.
Eleven device makers have signed up to use Dash. DRS is critical for device makers because they don’t have to build the back-end infrastructure to fulfill orders-Amazon does this work for them, leveraging its authentication and payment systems, customer service, and fulfillment network.
The August Smart Lock, which can lock and unlock doors from a smartphone app, can order new batteries. No devices that use the Dash Replenishment service are on the market yet. With Dash Replenishment Service, toner cartridges will be automatically ordered.
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Undoubtedly Amazon will soon offer more and more products through DSR, but right now it might not be possible to order your favorite type of coffee or specific brand of pet food.
