Amazon dash buttons – what are the alternatives?

Amazon has stopped selling its dash buttons, and Brack, too, has phased out its “BOB” (Brack.ch Order Button). Does this mean IoT commerce is already finished, or are there still alternatives out there?

Like many other Amazon innovations, dash buttons gained a lot of attention from journalists, traders and manufacturers. The idea seemed very captivating, too. If there is a shortage of a certain consumable, a click of a button is all it takes for a customer to be sent a new one automatically. This is convenient and it saves time.

The only entities for whom these little order buttons were always a thorn in the side were consumer protection bodies, mainly in Germany. This is because, once programmed, no details were displayed to the consumer about their order. Amazon has now stopped selling dash buttons. They do, however, live on virtually for customers in the online shop.

There are alternatives to Amazon dash buttons

Experience has shown us how hard it is to stand up to the marketing and advertising might of Amazon. This is why those offering alternatives do not have an easy time making a name for themselves. Traders, who want to offer their customers something similar, should keep an eye on this development.

• An IoT order button was in fact presented at Logimat 2018, which was developed by the Frauenhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) in collaboration with Deutsche Telekom.
• Swiss Post is behind the development of the Home Button. It works using a combination of scanners and order buttons. The customer scans the trader’s code to order products at the touch of a button. The pilot project has already gained some reputable partners. Migros Aare, the animal feed supplier Qualipet and the pizza delivery service Domino’s are taking part.
• The Israeli start-up company Kwik also specializes in IoT commerce and offers a smart order button. The technology it uses is also behind the OK button developed by the convenience service provider, Valora. A whole host of other start-ups have also had a go at IoT commerce, though their ideas have never made it past the conception phase.

Do we still need dash buttons at all?

Amazon deserves to take credit for dissipating customer reservations about ordering at the touch of a button. But retailers should not lose sight of the latest developments. In light of the growth of smart speakers in private households, it may be worthwhile to develop skills for this order option.

In the harsh and often loud world of production, however, language recognition systems hit a brick wall. Retailers focusing on the B2B sector should at the very least look into the use of IoT order systems. After all, purchasers within the company will have since become accustomed to the convenience of e-commerce options. An order button in this segment can intensify the bond between customer and retailer. For example, it can be used to order consumables more quickly or arrange for pallets and other components to be replaced.

The end of dash buttons does not mean IoT commerce is over; it is just shifting to other devices.