Amazon Rolls Out ‘Dash Smart Shelf’ SMB Inventory Solution

Amazon is officially taking the wraps off its new, automated inventory ordering system for small businesses, known as Dash Smart Shelf.

Amazon on Thursday said the new, $19.99 auto-replenishment scale is now available for sale to Amazon Business customers and to consumers as well, who can use to automatically reorder everything from paper towels to pet food.

The launch comes roughly a year after Amazon rolled out a pilot program to test the new inventory restocking solution with a select group of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

“Today, we’re excited to announce that Dash Smart Shelf — a new solution for those who want to spend less time managing inventory and supplies, and more time focusing on what matters most — is now available to purchase for Amazon Business customers and consumers,” Amazon announced in a post on its website.

Dash Smart Shelf is described by Amazon as a “weight-sensing, Wi-Fi-enabled auto-replenishment scale.”

Placed on a flat surface, the wireless scale is designed to track inventory levels for commonly used products and then automatically recorder them through a customer’s Amazon business or personal account.

The device can work on wire and warehouse racks, as well as in storage bins and containers, and runs on four AAA batteries.

Roughly an inch tall, Dash Smart Shelf comes in three sizes, small (7 inches by 7 inches), medium (12 inches by 10 inches), and large (18 inches by 13 inches), according to Amazon.

Amazon said it developed the product to fill a void in the market for an inventory-tracking and reordering device designed for small businesses, as opposed larger-scale and more expensive machines intended for industrial use.

Small businesses have also complained that reordering through vendors is not always optimal either, with minimum order and service area restrictions, Amazon stated.

In its online product launch announcement, Amazon included testimonials from two small businesses that used the automated inventory tracking and reordering device, one a machine tool shop owner, the other a family medical practice.

“We have been using Dash Smart Shelf for a few months now and love its ease of use,” said Chris Schneider, General Manager, McCay Tool + Engineering Co., Inc. “This is a set-it-and-forget-it solution for buying repeat products from Amazon.”