Amazon expands Dash Buttons beyond the U.S. and into the U.K., Germany, and Austria

Amazon has finally launched its consumer goods-ordering Dash Buttons program outside the U.S., with the news that it’s now available in the U.K., Germany, and Austria.

The internet giant first introduced the Wi-Fi-connected buttons in the U.S. in March last year, letting consumers reorder items such as coffee, paper towels, or detergent by hitting a physical button that has been pre-programmed with their Amazon account credentials. In the 18 months since, Amazon has added dozens more brands to the Dash program.

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Removing friction from the online buying process is something Amazon — along with other ecommerce companies — has been pushing for quite some time, and a physical button that doesn’t require immediate access to a computer or smartphone is one way to make consumers’ lives easier.

You probably wouldn’t want a Dash button for every single item in your house, but it might be handy for parents who go through a lot of diapers, or night owls who consume coffee like it’s going out of fashion. The Dash Buttons cost $4.99 (£4.99 / €4.99) to buy, but are effectively free because users receive five bucks off their first order.

It’s also worth noting here that Dash Buttons are only available to Prime members — those who subscribe to the $99 (£79 / €49) annual service that comes with a bunch of other perks, such as an on-demand video service and free deliveries within the hour.

In addition to Dash Buttons, Amazon also announced that it’s launching its Dash Replenishment Service (DRS) (in the aforementioned markets) — a cloud-based service that lets device-makers configure their connected contraptions to reorder physical goods automatically from Amazon. This could be a printer that reorders ink or a dish washer that reorders tablets.

Again, this is all about Amazon removing friction from the reordering process, making customers’ lives easier, and lining its own coffers.