Amazon’s Build It program includes cuckoo clock, smart scale and printer

Amazon on Wednesday announced a new program called Build It that allows consumers to comment on some of the products Amazon will produce.

In a Kickstarter-like effort, Amazon customers can choose to support a new product, and if they get enough support within 30 days, Amazon will create it. Customers will only charge if the product is developed and shipped.

The program should help Amazon decide which products will be popular even before creating them. Amazon has in the past used a similar program, called Day 1 Editions, to create experimental products like its Echo Frames smart glasses. Amazon would not say if it plans to use this program for all of its products or if it can open it to third-party inventors.

Amazon Build It starts with three concepts: a $ 89.99 smart sticky note printer, a $ 34.99 smart nutrition scale, and a $ 79.99 cuckoo clock. Customers who respond to a product receive a booking discount. The price will increase if it becomes widely available.

In recent years, Amazon has launched a lot of wild products with integrated Alexa, ranging from microwaves to wall clocks and glasses. Many of these products have been unable to take off and the Build It program is a way for Amazon to measure customer interest in one of their ideas before going into full production.

The printer works with Alexa and uses thermal technology instead of ink to print small sticky note reminders. The balance can tell you how many calories there are in specific foods. The cuckoo clock has built-in Amazon Alexa and a mechanical cuckoo bird.

Amazon said it will not say how much money a specific product needs to launch. A progress bar will be displayed showing how far a product is and a percentage of the support it needs to complete.

Current concepts will be available at promotional prices until March 19th. Amazon said more ideas will come.