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Amazon Dash Button

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141–150 of 703 posts

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#141
post #39

It's a intermediate step towards absolute frictionless purchasing. We went from physical in-store cash payments to online 1-click delivery. The purchasing experience has continuously been quickened, to close the gap between the intent and the action. Nowadays, running out of coffee capsules (for example) still requires some interaction, via your phone or your laptop. There's at least a dozen of seconds between the in…

I think the end game is delivery of a good by robotics in under an hour. I'm not sure what the next step in that is. But this doesn't solve the main problem Amazon faces that their traditional competition solves: I don't have a good, say laundry detergent, and I need it now. I'd wait an hour for a drone to deliver something to my apartment if it meant not having to go out to the store.

Like you said, and intermediate step.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except this is literally FOR consumables. Like, detergent and toilet paper and things that get used up quickly. If the physical button was free, I wouldn't mind having a few of these to just press when I need some more of something like that. Remembering to write it on a list and bring it with you to the store and pick it up is a bit of a hassle. This could be pretty handy to have.

I would feel guilty using a button like this. I mean, do I seriously lack the time and/or willpower to go to the store and pick up my own groceries? Thanks Amazon, but I got this.

> I mean, do I seriously lack the time and/or willpower to go to the store and pick up my own groceries?

I think it's more for refilling things you commonly use without needing to worry about them. I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten things like detergent when we were low or out but pressing a button when I notice it's out right after I use it? That's really low friction. It's not a half bad idea in my opinion.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#144
This makes me envious of you Americans.

Here in Norway online shopping involves finding an online store that sells what you need (there's no site that sells everything, like Amazon, here), going through a cumbersome sign-up/payment process, paying a lot of money for the shipping costs, waiting several days and having to go to the post office unless the package is really small (or if you're willing to pay even more for premium shipping).

I really don't get why so many people here dislike the idea behind Dash Button. Buying essential shit isn't fun, it's a burden that needs to be done. I can't understand why removing the hassle of purchasing stuff like toilet paper and detergent is "dystopian consumer hell". Dystopian consumer hell is what we have here in Norway, where we need to physically go to the store and buy the same stuff over and over and over again.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#145
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similarly, I can definitely see Brita ordering these prematurely, based on their (IMO) very aggressive refill recommendations.

which is why a button makes so much sense, auto ordering is bad, this seems much better

Sure, I would love to press a button that will order things for me without seeing the price I'm going to pay ... oh wait, no, Amazon would love that, I wouldn't.

This is for people who don't care what things cost and that don't have children (children loooove pressing buttons!).

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#146
post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I have to approve orders on my phone as the video suggests, I may as well create the order then and there. Something about that video (and much of my opinion is based on the video and look of the product) makes me uneasy. It's suggesting my life is a series of purchases and top-ups, and I will be happier when I can click my branded button. Like a junkie or something. When the woman runs out of coffee it looks like…

This a case of you seeing in the video what you want to see. Practically every advertisement ever created has happy people using a product. This is just a device meant to make life easier - stop overthinking it.

The difference is that while most advertisements show people happily using a product, this one shows people becoming happy merely from the act of purchasing. I also got a very uneasy "consumer junkie" vibe from it.

Of course, it's in Amazon's best economic interest to normalize and associate good feelings with the ideas of endless consumption and perpetually repeating purchasing.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#147

This makes me envious of you Americans. Here in Norway online shopping involves finding an online store that sells what you need (there's no site that sells everything, like Amazon, here), going through a cumbersome sign-up/payment process, paying a lot of money for the shipping costs, waiting several days and having to go to the post office unless the package is really small (or if you're willing to pay even more fo…

> I really don't get why so many people here dislike the idea behind Dash Button

Welcome to HN, where some people think they just have to dislike everything they see on top to show how "unique" they are.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#148
post #127
post #39

It's a intermediate step towards absolute frictionless purchasing. We went from physical in-store cash payments to online 1-click delivery. The purchasing experience has continuously been quickened, to close the gap between the intent and the action. Nowadays, running out of coffee capsules (for example) still requires some interaction, via your phone or your laptop. There's at least a dozen of seconds between the in…

I don't currently feel any "friction" to purchasing laundry detergent.

I have to buy it in the supermarket and carry it home. Or I have to order it online.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey Siri, order more tide.

Hey Google (through my Nest), am I low on anything? If so, go ahead and order it through (whomever is cheapest|whomever can get it here today).

Now that door-to-door supermarket deliveries are a thing (at least, they are here in the UK) it actually seems that a lot of items would just be more convenient to order on a subscription basis. For example, I'm pretty much always* going to need toilet paper, soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, tea bags, salt, pepper, etc. at about the same rate as I need them now. None of those things will spoil fast enough for it to be a problem if they're not delivered exactly when I need them. I would be delighted to just not have to think about the essentials and leave grocery shopping for the more interesting, impulsive decisions. These buttons seem to be just for the former, though. In other words, I'd rather not have the button OR the auto-running-out-sensing thing when a regular order would just be easier all round.
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