When Amazon.com Inc. AMZN introduced the Dash Button on Mar 31, everyone thought it was an April Fools Day hoax. However, they soon realized that it was anything but a prank!
Amazon had actually launched a button that would place an order for a single, specific product whenever its owner pressed it.
The service was, however, initially available for free to Prime members, but only by invitation.
The e-Commerce giant had then said that it wouldn’t charge for the buttons, and the battery life would last for years. However, there was a limit of three Dash Buttons per customer.
This week the buttons were made available for all Prime members for $4.99.
Meet Dash, the Button!
Dash is a type of hardware that lets its Prime members order a product by simply pushing a button, and is connected with the Amazon app through Wi-Fi.
It is brand specific, and Amazon has secured partnerships with popular household names like Tide, Huggies and Gillette. As of now, the company has put forward 18 such buttons, although there are a multitude of product options within individual brands.
Dash can be placed anywhere, hung or stuck to any surface, at home.
Dashing to the Future
The Dash Button is a glimpse into the future, and shows the potential collision of e-Commerce and the “Internet of Things.”
In fact, according to an Amazon spokesperson Kinley Pearsall, the long-term goal is to be able to think less about ordering and buying household consumer items and instead have “smartly” built machines order and purchase the products for you.
Dash is a step in a popular — and “smart” — direction, as e-Commerce is quickly becoming part of our daily lives. Before long, “smart” appliances will be able to do anything, like knowing when to buy more razors or laundry detergent, without human involvement.
Amazon currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Investors can also consider other stocks in the same space that are performing well such as Expedia Inc EXPE, PetMed Express, Inc. PETS and Groupon Inc. GRPN. While Expedia and PetMed sport the same Zacks Rank as Amazon, Groupon holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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