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New Service Automatically Replenishes Items for You

By February 18, 2016March 6th, 2023Blog, Technology News

new_service_automatically_117230_216380For many months, Amazon has been planning to take the retail game to the next level. Their ambitious plan first became visible with the inclusion of mysterious “Dash Buttons” on various classes of products. Mysterious, because at least until now, those buttons didn’t actually do anything. Clicking on them would get you absolutely nothing. Quietly, and behind the scenes, Amazon has been partnering with a number of vendors to put teeth into their plans.

Ultimately, what makes this plan possible is the emergence of “smart” appliances. Your smart refrigerator, for instance, can be programmed with its contents as groceries are loaded into it. As you use things from the fridge, it keeps track. Tying the refrigerator inventory to your Amazon account would allow an order to be automatically placed on your behalf, and replacements for the items you have used automatically show up on your doorstep.

The same is true of many other appliances. GE, for instance, now makes a dishwasher, where the detergent can be pre-loaded into it, with a portion being dispensed every time the machine is operated. Using Amazon’s new API, sensors in the unit’s fill tank can automatically re-order detergent, once a certain threshold has been reached, and your supply begins to run low. Again, the replacements you need simply show up at your door, exactly when you need them.

There are a whole range of products, spanning more than forty different manufacturers at last count, all beginning to make use of the new API, and the opportunities it represents. Everything from printers that can reorder their own ink supplies, to smart blood glucose monitors that can have lancets and testing strips shipped in, without any additional input from their human operators.

Ultimately what we’re talking about here is a retailer that is increasingly able to anticipate needs, and fulfill them, with no intervention or prompting by humans at all. It’s an extremely exciting prospect. Stay tuned, as there will be much more to say about this topic in the months ahead.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.