This free device has been designed to encourage shoppers to purchase a lot more than they otherwise would.
Amazon has just launched its latest mobile gadget in the form of the Dash, a handheld device that is meant to make it a great deal easier for consumers to be able to add items to their shopping lists.
This device is currently available only by invitation, but it is being handed out for free.
According to the website, Every member of the family can use Dash to easily add items to your AmazonFresh shopping list.” The mobile gadget simply needs to be directed at the barcode on an item in the kitchen that is running low – perhaps the bottle of ketchup, the jar of peanut butter, or a box of cereal, for example – and press the scan button. The device retrieves the information about that product from its barcode and sends it to the cloud. Then, the next time an AmazonFresh order is made, the scanned items will already be on the shopping list.
Even without the barcode, this mobile gadget can receive voice instructions.
If the item isn’t handy, if the package has already been tossed, or if you’d just like to add it and you didn’t previously have it in your kitchen, the user simply needs to press the microphone button and tell the device what is wanted. Voice recognition software will allow the device to be able to interpret what is being said so that it can be added to the shopping list.
The Dash gadget is meant to work alongside AmazonFresh, which is the grocery delivery service from Amazon. It is currently available in Southern California, San Francisco, and Seattle, only. The device works by connecting to the WiFi network within the home in order to add the various desired items directly onto the shopping list for that service. Then, later on, a computer, tablet, or smartphone can be used to review the order, edit it, and complete it so that the items can be shipped to the home.
At the moment, the only way to obtain this mobile gadget is by receiving an invitation that includes a code that must be entered in order to request it – for free – online.
Amazon continues to work on its mobile presence
Amazon is beginning to gain momentum when it comes to mobile commerce. The company has already established a strong presence in the mobile space. As of June 2013, approximately 57% of the retailer’s user accessed Amazon with a mobile device. With the launch of Amazon’s Login and Pay service in October of 2013, the company has seen more mobile activity. Amazon is expected to find even more momentum in the mobile field as it continues to develop various mobile-centric initiatives.
Company may seek to bring a point-of-sale solution to physical retailers
As Amazon’s mobile interests continue to gain traction, the company may have plans to bring a point-of-sale solution to physical retailers during the summer of this year. This solution would leverage the Kindle device as a checkout platform. The device would be equipped with a card reader that is similar to platforms offered by PayPal and Square. This would allow consumers to make purchases in a more efficient manner than if they used traditional checkout methods. This solution would also accommodate mobile commerce.
Amazon may opt to birth its own mobile commerce platform in the future
Amazon boasts of over 224 million credit cards that are linked to consumer mobile devices that use the Amazon application. These people have been accessing Amazon to purchase products directly from their mobile devices fairly regularly and this may serve as encouragement for Amazon to develop its own mobile commerce platform. The company’s Login and Pay system is meant to make it easier for consumers with Amazon accounts to pay for products, but this service may also be a precursor to a future mobile commerce platform.
Amazon remains dubious concerning its plans for the mobile space
The company is somewhat notorious for being secretive with its future endeavors. Amazon has expressed strong interest in mobile payments, but has been elusive when it comes to the matter of how it will tackle mobile commerce in the future. Currently, a significant portion of mobile shoppers make use of Amazon on a daily basis, giving the company a strategic advantage if it does decide to break into the mobile commerce space more aggressively.
