The number of online shoppers is growing at a fast pace. In the US, over 60 percent of people have shopped online at least once. In the Netherlands, this number stands at 79 percent and in the UK at a whopping 87 percent, reports the portal ADVIESJAGERS.
The Amazon Dash Smart Shelf feeds into this trend. The concept behind the gadget is as simple as it is ingenious — or so it would seem. The scale can be placed under certain items in the kitchen — both edibles and non-edibles — and set up to determine when you are running out of the product.
Since the scale is connected to the internet, it automatically reorders the item in question so you never run out of supplies. If you do not want the smart shelf to reorder your items automatically, you can also set it to get notifications.
Pros
Convenience
Once you get set up, you are free to browse the products that are compatible with the gadget. And there are thousands, all organised into different categories, such as Food and Drinks, Personal Care and Office and IT Supplies.
David Jackson, the director of Amazon’s Dash program said that “most of the kinds of products that the Dash Smart Shelf is geared toward are the ones that customers don’t want to think about.
They’re not browsing to make a different choice each time. The most common use cases are things like toilet paper or pet food or coffee.”
One thing to watch here is the fact that once your order is placed by the Dash Shelf, you only have 24 hours to make any changes. This is when the shipment of the goods starts being processed.
Sizing and Affordability
The auto-replenishment scale comes in three different sizes so you can place it under both small items such as condiments or larger items such as toilet paper.
The small size measures 7 by 7 inches, medium 10 by 12 inches and large 13 by 18 inches. All smart shelves come at the same affordable price, no matter the size.
Simple to Operate
The smart shelves are super simple to operate. Plus, the scales run on four AAA batteries, which only need to be replaced every two years or so. The main signal the gadget uses to know when to reorder a product is weight.
Basically, once you work out what item you would like to place on the shelf, the device records the weight of the product and automatically reorders it or alerts you to the fact that the product is running out once the load lightens.
Cons
Forget About Getting the Best Bargains
While the shelves themselves are very affordable, they are likely to cost in the long run. Since the gadget is connected to Amazon’s Dash Replenishment Service to reorder set products automatically, it is not set to scan for bargains.
It will just reorder whatever it is you are running low on, no matter the price. And it will always default to the same product.
So What’s the Verdict
Amazon Dash Smart Shelf is not for everybody but it is likely to be the way of the future. As the number of regular online shoppers grows and competitors start entering the market, we are sure to see experiences offered by devices such as the Smart Shelf improve.
