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Amazon Dash Button

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Re: Amazon Dash Button

#291

Post by scott_s »

mikeash wrote: post #266
enraged_camel wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, but ordering stuff from Amazon on my iPhone takes way more than 10 seconds. I have to: 1. Find my iPhone (I don't carry it with me around the house) 2. Enter my PIN to unlock it 3. Open Safari 4. Navigate to Amazon.com 5. Type in their search bar and browse through the results 6. Click on the product I want 7. Add it to my cart 8. Go to check out and confirm settings (e.g. delivery speed) 9. Place order It's a…

If you use their app instead of their web site, and you order it often, it'll be way faster. Of course, if you don't carry your phone with you then that's not going to work, but it seems like putting your phone in your pocket is a better solution than a specialized single-purpose button widget.

From the description, it sounds like you don't need your phone with you. If it used bluetooth, then I think you would. But it uses wifi. So as long as your phone is on your wifi network, then it should work.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#293

Post by debaserab2 »

mikeash wrote: post #211
kristofferR wrote: post #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 fo…

I think it's ridiculous just because it clearly involved a lot of effort to solve a problem that doesn't really need solving. The choice isn't between a button and the massive hassle you describe. The choice is between a button and ordering the product on your smartphone in ten seconds, or picking up the product at the grocery store the next time you're there. How often do you need laundry detergent? Every two weeks?…

It's not the online ordering that I need to save time on, it's having to make a trip NOW because I forgot to order more ahead of time. That extra trip to Target takes a whole heck of a lot longer than 10 seconds, and when I consider how many extra Target runs I make every year it adds up fast.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#294

Post by mikeash »

gravity13 wrote: post #280
mikeash wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's ridiculous just because it clearly involved a lot of effort to solve a problem that doesn't really need solving. The choice isn't between a button and the massive hassle you describe. The choice is between a button and ordering the product on your smartphone in ten seconds, or picking up the product at the grocery store the next time you're there. How often do you need laundry detergent? Every two weeks?…

| but I can't help but scream "why??" Because it's a tangible reminder that you need to buy new X and it removes all the barriers entirely to that. It's wildly convenient. Might I remind you: - Locate mobile device - Swipe/Unlock mobile device - Locate Safari App/Amazon app - Tap and wait for Safari to load - Access amazon.com - Type in 'X' - Locate results and click on option - Press 'one click purchase' for irony v…

It's mildly convenient. There's nothing wrong with mild conveniences, of course. I love them! But I don't see the point in mild conveniences for something you do 20-30 times a year when it requires dedicated hardware.

If the use case was something like, push this button and dinner arrives, I'd say it's fantastic. If it was something like, push this button on your phone to re-order detergent, I'd say that's pretty sensible. But a physical button to order an infrequently ordered product makes no sense to me.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#295

Post by chrisper »

xyclos wrote: post #177
lkbm wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does your two-year-old also turn on your stove burners? That seems a lot more dangerous. Put them out-of-reach. Worst case: they press the buttons anyway and you have to open an app and cancel the orders.

I can easily go behind my two-year-old and switch the burners off. I can't as easily return 42 jugs of Tide and get refunds.

You can cancel the 42 jugs of Tide before it gets even shipped as you get a notification when someone presses the button.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#297

Post by gravity13 »

mikeash wrote: post #266
enraged_camel wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, but ordering stuff from Amazon on my iPhone takes way more than 10 seconds. I have to: 1. Find my iPhone (I don't carry it with me around the house) 2. Enter my PIN to unlock it 3. Open Safari 4. Navigate to Amazon.com 5. Type in their search bar and browse through the results 6. Click on the product I want 7. Add it to my cart 8. Go to check out and confirm settings (e.g. delivery speed) 9. Place order It's a…

If you use their app instead of their web site, and you order it often, it'll be way faster. Of course, if you don't carry your phone with you then that's not going to work, but it seems like putting your phone in your pocket is a better solution than a specialized single-purpose button widget.

Yes. This is truly great design thinking.

But wait, how do you handle nudists?

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#298

Post by dguaraglia »

thecodemonkey wrote: post #259

I can't help thinking about the internals of this thing. Does it communicate via WiFi or Bluetooth? What about battery life time and manufacturing cost per unit? The form factor looks pretty slim.

It says right there you have to setup your wi-fi password on the device, so that's (kinda) clear.

Manufacturing cost can be off-loaded to the product makers: the buttons look branded, so if you are Tide you are paying something like $20/40 bucks to get a constant Tide logo inside my cupboard and getting the path of least resistance for purchases... if you've ever dealt with marketing numbers, that's not bad at all!

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#299

Post by mikeash »

debaserab2 wrote: post #293
mikeash wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's ridiculous just because it clearly involved a lot of effort to solve a problem that doesn't really need solving. The choice isn't between a button and the massive hassle you describe. The choice is between a button and ordering the product on your smartphone in ten seconds, or picking up the product at the grocery store the next time you're there. How often do you need laundry detergent? Every two weeks?…

It's not the online ordering that I need to save time on, it's having to make a trip NOW because I forgot to order more ahead of time. That extra trip to Target takes a whole heck of a lot longer than 10 seconds, and when I consider how many extra Target runs I make every year it adds up fast.

This only applies if you're incapable of buying the stuff ahead of time without the button. I suppose some people might qualify for that, but is it really a common thing? Don't you have your phone right there already?

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#300

Post by ajanuary »

VonGuard wrote: post #209

I predict about 10 minutes before my asshole friends have ordered me 100 boxes of Tide by pushing this button about 100 times as a gag.

As others have said, the default configuration is to not order another if one is already ordered. In addition to that, you'll get a push notification from which you can quickly cancel the order. I don't know how the two combine though - friend presses, you cancel, friend presses, you cancel, friend presses, you cancel etc.
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