Half of Amazon app users have been switched to a new, swipe-based 1-Click checkout

Has Amazon’s ‘one-click’ checkout on mobile looked a little different to you lately? A number of users of Amazon’s mobile applications have recently reported seeing a new checkout option that replaces the click – well, on mobile, the tap – with a swipe instead. As it turns out, the option is part of a fairly large-scale test Amazon has underway. Currently, around half of U.S. iOS and Android customers are seeing the new feature.

If you’re in the test group, you’ll notice that the one-click ordering process you’re used to has been updated with a new, orange button that reads “Swipe to buy with 1-Click.” That means, instead of tapping on the button to make the purchase using the shipping and payment information already on file, you slide your finger across the button instead.

The feature is reminiscent of the way we used to unlock an iPhone, before advancements like Touch ID and Face ID made the process simpler. But it’s also a slightly slower way to checkout, compared to tapping.

That said, it seems that a number of customers prefer the swiping gesture as it’s more intentional, and less prone to the accidental click. If you’ve ever been moving through Amazon’s app a bit too quickly, you may have inadvertently tapped the 1-Click button. It was almost too easy!

We’ve seen tests similar to this in the past. For example, last year, some users reported a “swipe to place your order” feature on Amazon’s app:

We understand that the two tests are unrelated, however. The 2016 test was focused on Amazon’s two-click “Buy Now” checkout experience. In this case, the user would tap a Buy Now button then slide to complete the checkout on the following screen. That feature launched in early last year then rolled out worldwide this summer through early fall.

Now, the same sort of slide-to-checkout option is coming to 1-Click. (Remember, of course, you have to actually enable 1-Click on your account to see this feature in action.)

The decision to test sliding to check out is not related to the to the expiration of Amazon’s 1-click patent, we also understand, but is instead a direct response to positive customer feedback about the Buy Now slide-to-checkout launch.

While the feature may seem minor in the grand scheme of things, Amazon leads the market when it comes to the development of new ways for people to shop – whether that’s Dash buttons or voice orders of even just the 1-Click itself.

Reached for comment, an Amazon spokesperson declined to offer details about how long the new test has been underway. Nor would they say if or when the 1-Click “slide” would launch to the public.

“We are constantly innovating on behalf of our customers,” the spokesperson said. “With their feedback in mind, we keep what works and discontinue what doesn’t.”

Featured Image: alexsl/iStock