Amazon Dash buttons are tiny buttons that you can use around the home to order refills on things you order regularly, like laundry detergent, trash bags, or snacks. Amazon has been selling Dash buttons to customer for $5 since 2015.
But now you don’t need to buy a physical Dash button to use the one-click ordering system anymore.
Dash buttons have gone virtual. Now you can visit the Amazon website or open the Amazon app on a mobile device and click a button to re-order items without even actively searching for them first.
First spotted by Recode, Amazon started rolling out the virtual Dash buttons last night.
By default, Amazon will suggest buttons based on products you’ve purchased in the past. But you can also add buttons, organize their arrangement… or, you know, just ignore them.
The system could actually be pretty convenient if you regularly buy products that are cheaper from Amazon than in stores. But convenience might come at a cost. Literally.
I usually buy allergy medicine through Amazon, for instance. But every time I do, I usually search for the best price first — because sometimes the Amazon seller I purchased from last time has raised its prices, or another seller will have a lower price this time.
Using a physical or virtual Dash button to buy refills of Flonase (or the generic fluticasone) may save some time. But I won’t be guaranteed I’m getting the best price.
You also can’t hack a virtual Dash button the same way you can with the physical versions.