Why You Can Trust CNET Get ready for even more Amazon Dash buttons
Ping-pong balls, poop bags and Pop-Tarts are the latest things you can reorder using the commerce giant's Wi-Fi-connected gizmos.
Some of the jargony terms used to describe the new ways people shop these days include mobile commerce, social commerce and voice commerce. Perhaps another trend will be called "click commerce."
Amazon popularized this concept with its Dash buttons, which are small, Wi-Fi-connected gizmos that you can press to reorder snacks or Ziploc bags or condoms. Saying it's seen "exponential" growth with Dash, the e-retailer on Monday added 60 new Dash buttons to its US library, boosting the total number above 200.
The newest buttons include Joola ping-pong balls, Meow Mix, Airheads, Cheez-It, Folgers, PoopBags and Pop-Tarts.
"I'm interested in growing selection in every area we can," Daniel Rausch, director of Amazon Dash, said in an interview, adding that he'd like to grow the assortment both in the most popular Dash categories, including grocery and pets, as well as more oddball products like Nerf gun replacement darts (yes, those buttons already exist).
Dash is another program Amazon is developing to find new ways for its customers to shop, in hopes of removing even the smallest point of friction to get people to order more on its site. Along with these one-click buttons, the world's largest e-commerce company also allows ordering items by voice command through its Echo smart speakers.
Looking to convey the popularity of Dash, Amazon also provided a few new data points on the program. It said Dash orders have increased by more than five times in the last year. Also, over half of Amazon orders for popular items by Bounty, Hefty and Peet's Coffee now come through Dash buttons. Rausch added that the average Dash user now has over three buttons in his or her home.
As is typically the case with Amazon, the often secretive company avoided offering more specific statistics, such as overall sales using Dash. Rausch declined to say whether Dash has helped increase Amazon's revenue.
Dash buttons first became available in the US last year, and expanded in August to the UK, Austria and Germany. The last big increase to the Dash catalogue came in June, with the addition of Play-Doh, Campbell's Soup and D'Addario guitar strings.
Dash buttons are available to Amazon Prime members essentially for free. Customers have to pay $4.99 (or £4.99 or 4.99 euros) upfront for each one, but that payment is then reimbursed after the first purchase using the button.