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Amazon Dash Button

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Re: Amazon Dash Button

#311

Post by ZanyProgrammer »

mathattack wrote: post #247
run4yourlives2 wrote: post #232

Linking yourself to a brand in this way completely removes any power you have as a consumer. I don't understand why people do it. And to be honest it seems more prevalent the younger you are. If you like a brand, you should really be doing a quick c/b analysis prior to making any purchase. Why? Because it changes often. A seller's entire goal in life is to extract maximum profit, so they tinker endlessly, with formul…

Here's why people do it... If you have something you like, it's frequently easier not to have to rethink the purchase decision every time. We have finite attention spans. We can spend it on price shopping staples, or programming, or being with our families. For many people, the $10/order of rethinking prices isn't worth the hassle of 15 minutes and uncertainty in a less important decision. They'd rather invest the ti…

There are people (perhaps not the denizens of HN who make high 5/low 6 figure salaries) who are very sensitive to price. This really screws them.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#312

Post by na85 »

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…

Do you really think that ordering something online from the comfort of your couch, in your underwear, is so inconvenient that you need a magic button to press when you run out of laundry detergent? You buy the big jug of high-efficiency stuff that's good for something like 100 loads, that means you need new detergent what, 5 times a year?

Or are you just being hyperbolic?

I don't know about you, but I make a trip to the grocery store about 1.5x every week anyways. I definitely would never use an online food/grocery service; I prefer to see the lettuce I'm buying when I take it off the shelf.

So, given that I'm already at the grocery store something like 80 times a year, and assuming I need to buy more laundry detergent 5 times a year, that's 16 opportunities for me to not pay Amazon shipping and just pick up a jug of detergent when I'm going to be out shopping anyways.

Assuming this isn't an April 1 joke and I just got trolled, hard, this is definitely a solution in search of a problem.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#313

Post by mikeash »

scott_s wrote: post #291
mikeash wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

My point is that if you have your phone in your pocket, you can use it to place an order directly, rather than relying on a separate single-purpose widget.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#314

Post by IanCal »

jgrowl wrote: post #192
teddyuk wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

no, i don't want auto ordering I wat ordering when i say so a button that i can push is perfect

Well how about automatically compiling a grocery list of things you need for you... and a web interface that has a one click order for each item you need restocked?

You might like this: https://github.com/danslimmon/oscar

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#315

Post by kbenson »

I think what we may have here is Amazon using hardware to simulate interest and jump-start eventual software. While this seems really cool, it also seems so wasteful that I'm not sure I can bring myself to really use one of these. What I think would be good though is an Amazon quick-list of essentials that you can access in a very streamlined way through the Amazon phone app.

A quick list of purchasables through the phone app is something essentially have, or could have with very minimal work. Getting people to use what essentially doesn't sound like that interesting of a feature is the problem. A cool swizzy new hardware device fits that need, and once people are using that, the App just pre-fills the quick list with items they are using through hardware. People can then decide whether they want a new button for a new essential, or just to add it to the app, and eventually people are just using the app more because there don't exist certain buttons or waiting for them is a hassle.

Not the kind of thing just any company could pul off, but it is the kind of thing I think Amazon could.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#316

Post by pdiddy »

brainflake wrote: post #117

I think this is great! Some may complain about all of the branding in their house, but the branding is already there. You have packages of Tide, Bounty, Clorox, etc. You can just place these buttons where you store the products. I'd imagine a column of them stuck to the inside of a cabinet door.

I have started removing the labels from branded products as much as possible: shampoo, face wash, soap, bleach. I like the simplicity. I avoid wearing branded clothes as much as possible. The last thing I would do is put an advertisement for P&G in my home, but I am clearly in the minority.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#317

Post by jessaustin »

maratd wrote: post #145
teddyuk wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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!).

children loooove pressing buttons!

Haha as I read TFA I envisioned the UPS guy unloading boxes and boxes of toilet paper at the homes of my young nieces and nephews.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#318

Post by joezydeco »

flibble wrote: post #237

Anyone know where you can buy hardware like this (a wifi button) that you could then use for your own stuff? Eg. Using your own little web server: Press to order an uber etc.

It sure looks like Amazon's hardware team has optimized the package size, but for tinkering you could start with some of the products from Spark:

https://store.spark.io/

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#319

Post by Jun8 »

mikeash wrote: post #272
scott_s wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This button isn't about saving time, it's about preventing the instances of not having something when you need it. The moment when you realize you need more of something is typically when you're using it. If you can literally just hit a button to order more, that's a significant change from having to do something else to order more.

Apparently carrying one's phone in one's pocket is less common than I thought.

I, for one, don't have my phone handy when I'm doing laundry in my pajamas, or while shaving in my bathrobe.

Re: Amazon Dash Button

#320

Post by mrtron »

Aardwolf wrote: post #269

Is there also a button with which you can order the batteries to put in all the buttons? Do they also provide the service of replacing all the batteries for you?

Battery life is probably a few years, and it looks like the device is designed to be disposable then.
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