Amazon recently introduced a new service that automatically reorders and delivers products related to common household devices, such as clothes washers, coffee makers, and even dog food dispensers.
The Amazon Dash Replenishment Service (DRS) currently can be connected to a handful of devices that monitor usage of particular products then automatically reorders them through Amazon when supplies run low.
Washing Machines Order Their Own Detergent
For example, a new top-load washer and dryer being manufactured by Whirlpool can tell you when you are running low on detergent and automatically send you a text message asking if you want Amazon to deliver more to your door.
There’s also a “smart” electronic lock made by August Smart Lock that automatically reorders batteries when power is running down, as well as Brita water pitchers that keep track of how much water passes through its filter so DRS can reorder new filters at the proper intervals.
This type of “Internet of Things” technology is starting to seep its way into households, but will there eventually be industrial and commercial applications? You can be assured there will be.
Potential Uses for DRS
Amazon’s DRS — or integrated resupply and reordering systems like it from other companies — have many potential applications in the warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing facility setting.
Imagine having a system that could use photographic scanners or electronic scales to keep tabs on inventory and automatically reorder replacement parts and supplies when pre-determined milestones are reached.
Or having a cleaning supply closet or first aid kit that handles its own reordering and stocking so you don’t have to worry about it. These aren’t some sort of science fiction fantasy. They are coming. And soon.
The Future of DRS
Right now, Amazon is only beta testing out its Dash service with select partners such as Oster, General Electric, and Samsung. But the world’s largest online retailer plans to roll out the service globally by the end of this year.
Products participating in the beta testing include Sealed Air brand soap dispensers that automatically reorder soap and sanitizer when supplies run low, Brother printers that measure ink and toner levels, Gmate Blood Glucose Meters that can connect to any smartphone and automatically send testing supplies when you run low, and Sutro swimming pool chemical monitors that reorder pool chemicals.
Instant Online Connections
The company says DRS can be integrated into any device that can be connected to the Internet, either directly or through a proxy. Amazon plans on working with device makers of all sizes, from large corporations to hobbyists.
Even if Amazon doesn’t sell the replacement product or supplies that DRS tags for reordering, it can provide practically anything to anybody through its Fulfillment by Amazon program.
This type of interconnectivity is still in its infancy. But in the coming decades you can expect the “Internet of Things” to connect everything into one huge web of information.