Amazon wants its Prime members ordering from its online store all the time, so it just cooked up a new device to help them do exactly just that — and Amazon is essentially giving it away for free.
Amazon just launched a new Dash Wand gadget, that lets you fill up your Amazon shopping cart by using voice commands or scanning bar codes on the packages of products you have sitting in your kitchen cupboards or around your home. The Dash Wand is essentially an updated version of the OG Amazon Dash wand which was debuted in 2015, but this new version now adds Amazon’s artificially intelligent assistant, Alexa. The digital assistant can sync your shopping list across Amazon devices, convert units of measurement for you, and search for recipes as well.
This is a huge upgrade for Amazon’s instant devices. The original Dash was significantly bigger, pretty expensive, nearly double the cost of the new Dash Want, and only worked with AmazonFresh orders. Although the Amazon Dash Wand is currently only available in the US. Amazon’s really pushing the Wand, offering a similar deal to previous promotions for its instant ordering Dash buttons. If you buy a Dash Wand for $20, you’ll qualify immediately for $20 credit for your next purchase after registering the device.
It literally pays for itself — and you can opt-in for a free 90-day AmazonFresh trial as well, which typically costs $15 per month. It’s actually a pretty great deal for anyone with a Prime membership. The Dash Wand is also magnetic, so it can stay on your fridge close to all of your most frequently ordered foods, and its access to Alexa makes it more useful than the previously released Dash buttons, which are restricted to one item instant ordering.
It might sound ridiculous that the company is essentially giving the Wands away with all the discounts and incentives, but it’s a savvy business move. Making the shopping experience easier and let’s face it, offering a new Alexa toy to play with will only boost orders and revenue as if Amazon needs any help to keep its business afloat.
