Amazon Dash Button was a tiny piece of equipment that eased the process of repeatedly ordering certain products from Amazon.
Their small and compact size made them easy to be attached to the kitchen’s refrigerator, the bathroom shelf, or wherever it was helpful in reminding the user to reorder a product. Besides, all it needed was a Wifi connection.
Dash buttons were available only to Prime users and cost $5 a piece.
There are many reasons that led to the discontinuation of Amazon Dash Buttons.
First, the vice president of Amazon, Daniel Rausch, said that the “Dash button was an awesome stepping stone into the world of a connected home." But, while designing Dash Buttons, they did not realize that users would need over 500 buttons in their house for various items.
This was possibly the root cause of failure, as it made the whole solution less practical.
Second, the introduction of Virtual Dash buttons in the Amazon Prime app also contributed to the end of the physical Dash Buttons, as it served the same purpose in a more convenient manner. This, combined with the reliance on virtual assistants for ordering the items made the buttons obsolete.
Third, the introduction of the Dash Replenishment Service also backed the permanent halt of Dash Buttons. The service allowed the makers of devices, like washing machines and dishwashers, to integrate the replenishment systems into the appliances.
This way, the system in the appliances would know when they needed replenishment, like a detergent in the washing machine, and preorder them automatically. There was no need to press a virtual or a real button in this case.
Finally, Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program was likely the last nail in the coffin. It allowed users to receive their monthly required items without placing an order or searching for them repeatedly. Moreover, the program offered discounts.
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