Parks PointsAmazon Discontinues the Dash Button
by
Patrice Samuels |
Amazon recently announced plans to disconnect Dash buttons from the internet. Initially launched in 2015, Dash buttons are small buttons associated with specific products. They allow Amazon Prime members holders to reorder more of the associated product by simply pressing the button when supplies are running low. Products commonly associated with Dash buttons include laundry detergent, paper towels, and coffee. The Dash button became obsolete with the emergence of suitable alternatives. These alternatives include Dash Replenishment, a service that incorporates the Dash solution into smart appliances and facilitates automated reordering of supplies such as dishwashing and laundry detergent when the appliance indicates that supplies are running low. Alexa Shopping has also likely had an impact on the Dash button. This service allows consumers to reorder products by sending simple voice commands to the Alexa voice assistant. Part of the smart home evolution has been the evolution of its user interface (UI). Button, voice, gesture, and robot control are all alternative UI strategies being evaluated by smart home device manufacturers and service providers. The introduction of voice controlled smart speakers offered consumers a convenient alternative to traditional touch-screen navigation of smart home products. The benefits of voice control include the following:
The demise of the Dash button may paint a bleak outlook for button control in the smart home, but it also highlights the potential for automated replenishment services. As smart home brands seek to create value-added services using their smart products, replenishment services have emerged as a key opportunity. Nearly 60% of smart lighting owners or purchase intenders find a service that detects when bulbs are out and automatically orders replacements appealing.
Parks Associates’ Evaluating Service Opportunities in the Smart Home and Connected Home Services: Updating Modern Lifestyles reports will examine the opportunity to provide revenue generating smart home device services to the home. Further Reading:
Patrice SamuelsSr. Manager, Market Research INDUSTRY EXPERTISE: Smart home products and services, technical support services, consumer experience Patrice covers smart home products and services and leads Parks Associates Smart Home Tracker product, keeping clients informed of industry developments and competitive shifts across more than 10 smart home product markets. She also leads digital home technical support services with a focus on market trends, business models, and provider strategies. Patrice manages custom research projects and strategy workshops that help companies understand the consumer experience in the connected home.
Patrice earned her MBA from Texas A&M University at College Station and BSc in Psychology from the University of the West Indies. |