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Amazon launches wearable tech marketplace with “learning center” and resell link

One critique of wearables I heard recently was a side note to the “it’s always […]

One critique of wearables I heard recently was a side note to the “it’s always the healthiest people in the room” issue. David Inns, CEO of GreatCall, named one of the challenges to widespread adoption of wearable technology: Where do you buy these things? Obviously people who want to optimize their workout or figure out how to work up to 100-mile races are motivated to seek out a Shine or a Jawbone. But people who can’t be bothered to use a Y membership more than once a month probably aren’t going to spend any time on Google searches for the best step tracker.

The king of commerce Amazon has solved that problem. Today Amazon launched a wearable store. John Nemeth, director of Wireless and Mobile Electronics at Amazon, said in the announcement:

Wearable technology is an exciting category with rapid innovation and our customers are increasingly coming to Amazon to shop and learn about these devices. We’re thrilled to bring our customers a store with the largest selection and great prices that helps eliminate the guesswork when deciding which wearable devices best fit their needs — whether that is tracking activity, staying connected through smart watches or capturing their next adventure with wearable cameras.

The center’s Buying Guide section has three categories: activity trackers, smart watches and wearable cameras. The Editor’s Corner features product reviews from Gizmodo and how-to videos..

My favorite part is this link, which seems to be a nod to the reality that people get bored with trackers quickly. Amazon is making it easier for people to make a few bucks back by reselling their bit of fitness tech in the same place they bought it originally.

Veronica Combs

Veronica is an independent journalist and communications strategist. For more than 10 years, she has covered health and healthcare with a focus on innovation and patient engagement. Most recently she managed strategic partnerships and communications for AIR Louisville, a digital health project focused on asthma. The team recruited 7 employer partners, enrolled 1,100 participants and collected more than 250,000 data points about rescue inhaler use. Veronica has worked for startups for almost 20 years doing everything from launching blogs, newsletters and patient communities to recruiting speakers, moderating panel conversations and developing new products. You can reach her on Twitter @vmcombs.

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