We guess this had to happen eventually, Amazon is launching a device in the UK that allows customers to order food shopping from their kitchen by calling out ingredients or scanning a bar code.
The Amazon Dash is a small handheld stick that is designed to make it easier for people to order everything they’d normally get from their supermarket via AmazonFresh which is Amazon’s online food delivery service that is reported to be geared up to compete with the supermarkets.
A built-in microphone and an LED scanner allow the Dash to recognise what you want to order up and adds that item to your shopping basket.
Be aware though that completing the order must be done by logging onto Amazon’s website and. we’d guess cancelling is the same deal.
“We’re all used to trying to remember the contents of the fridge and kitchen cupboard and scribbling down reminders on pieces of paper,” said Ajay Kavan of AmazonFresh. “With Dash, at any given time, customers can keep track of products when they come to mind and scan to reorder groceries and household essentials as soon as they run out. At Amazon, we’re always looking to innovate based on feedback and Dash has been designed to continually learn as customers use it.”
Amazon is giving the device away for free to anyone that makes two AmazonFresh deliveries between now and 28th August.
After this or if you don’t have two deliveries you’ll get charged £35 for it.
In the States, Amazon has released a number of Dash “buttons” that can be placed onto things like washing machines and used to order specific items when they’re depleted.
When one’s slapped onto your washing machine for example, the Dash button would be pre-programmed to order washing powder or washing tablets when pushed.
Now we know that this might at first appear to be tempting, push button, scan or talk and get what you are looking for but there are some downsides to it as well. For a start, you don’t get to shop about and look at special offers that might be on so, it may actually end up costing you more using this kind of service.
The other thing that struck us when we first saw the Dash buttons launched Stateside was, all of them we’ve seen are brand specific so not only are you locked into whatever Amazon charge and, let’s face it, if you’re lazy enough to use this service then chances are you’re too lazy to be bothered checking prices but you’re also locked into a single brand.
The UK Dash seems different so far but we fully expect to see these things stuck on washing machines, dishwashers and fridges soon enough.
It’s just our take but, we can’t see that as a good thing.
Many people may well see it as being good but that’s their choice if they want locked into something like this.
