Amazon puts home staples on refill button

Amazon moved Tuesday to become an errand service for home staples, introducing a "dash button" to allow consumers to instantly order popular products for home and kitchen.

The move boosts Amazon's presence for everyday services and goods and comes a day after the online retail giant launched a wide-ranging services marketplace.

"When you're running low, simply press Dash Button, and Amazon quickly delivers household favorites so you can skip the last-minute trip to the store," says the online retailer's website promoting the service for its Amazon Prime members.

Those who sign up will get a physical button which can be installed in a kitchen or elsewhere and be connected through a smartphone or home Wi-Fi network for orders.

Available products include diapers, toiler paper, razors, trash bags, clearing supplies, baby formula and makeup.

"Use the Amazon app on your smartphone to easily connect to your home Wi-Fi network and select the product you want to reorder with Dash Button," the Web page says.

"Once connected, a single press automatically places your order. Amazon sends an order alert to your phone, so it's easy to cancel if you change your mind."

The service will debut on an invitation-basis for some Amazon Prime members based in the US, but customers can request an invitation.

Amazon did not reveal the terms of the new delivery service, but it has launched one-hour deliveries in major cities in the United States for Prime members.

Google offers a service for same-day deliveries in a number of cities in partnership with retailers such as Costco, Whole Foods and Barnes & Noble, and a large number of startups offers fast deliveries for online or smartphone orders.

Amazon Home Services, which is being launched in major cities across the United States, includes businesses in diverse areas such as gardening, computer repair, and math or yoga instruction.

The new listings will connect consumers to "handpicked pros offering upfront pricing on pre-packaged services with helpful reviews from customers that have made verified purchases."

Amazon said it will offer a "happiness guarantee" for all the services.

The moves further expand Amazon's footprint from its origins as an online bookseller, and which now sells a vast array of goods and digital services as well as online storage and hosting of websites.