Why You Can Trust CNET Amazon will let customers vote on 3 new Echo Dot concept designs
The next wave of Amazon's Build It crowdsourced design program features concepts from fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg.
The three new Echo Dot design concepts are called, from left, Twigs, Ikat and Midnight Kiss.
If you've ever dreamed of becoming a designer for Amazon, you might get your shot, starting today -- well, sort of. Amazon on Wednesday announced the launch of its next wave of Build It concepts -- a program that uses customer preorder tallies to help the company decide which products to bring to market next.
At the center of the new Build It initiative are three limited-edition Echo Dot concepts created in collaboration with fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg. Starting today, customers can preorder one or more designs for $60 apiece. Whichever of the three reach their preorder goal in the next 30 days, Amazon will put them into production and ship the completed products to customers when finished.
To discuss the her Echo Dot concept designs, von Furstenberg will appear with fashion model Sophie Sumner today at noon ET on Amazon Live, the retail giant's online shopping program. One concept, called Midnight Kiss, features a pattern of lipstick marks. Another, featuring an animal print pattern, is dubbed Ikat. A third design, reminiscent of tree branches, is called Twigs.
Neither the design dubbed Ikat or either of the other two designs will be produced unless its preorder goal is met.
Customers have until Aug. 13 to place their vote-casting preorders, but won't be charged until their order ships. Customers won't pay anything if their preorders don't reach goal and are never produced. Amazon said it will donate a portion of proceeds to Vital Voices, a women's leadership nonprofit.
Amazon first introduced Day 1 Editions back in September 2019, when the company unveiled the Alexa-powered smart glasses called Echo Frames, which currently retail for $210, as well as the now-defunct Echo Loop, a smart ring that put Alexa on your finger.
Earlier this year, Amazon introduced three potential products as part of the Build It program. One concept that reached its goal to become a Day 1 Editions product was a smart sticky note printer, which is set to ship sometime before September.
A smart kitchen scale and a smart cuckoo clock were also proposed, but neither reached their preorder goal and won't be made.