The Frustrating Battle: Bots and the Difficulty of Buying Nikes

Sneakers have become highly coveted collectible items, but they are also a prime target for scalpers. The global sneaker industry is valued at $86 billion, with projections of reaching $128 billion by 2030.

The resale market is thriving as well, estimated to grow to $30 billion by the end of the decade. Unfortunately, this popularity has made sneakers an easy target for bots, software applications designed to automate tasks. Sneaker bots can expedite the checkout process, wait in virtual lines, and even fill out billing information.

The rise of sneaker bots can be traced back to 2012 when Nike released its Air Jordan Doernbecher 9 shoes on Twitter. Nike required users to direct message the company for a chance to reserve the shoe. This led to the creation of bots that could detect specific keywords like “RSVP now” and “Doernbecher” and message Nike faster than humans, giving them an advantage in securing the shoes. Today, sneaker bots have become a lucrative business for those behind them.

According to “Botter Boy Nova,” a sneaker bot developer and YouTube creator, he made a gross profit of $131,000 in 2022. Jesper Essendrop, CEO of Queue-it, a company specializing in controlling internet traffic, states that 40% to 95% of all traffic coming into web shops for high-profile goods like sneakers is from bots. Cybersecurity companies have also found a significant portion of retail site traffic coming from bots with malicious intent.

Despite the impact of sneaker bots, there are currently no laws against their use in purchasing sneakers or other retail goods. However, legislative efforts like the Stopping Grinch Bots Act have been introduced to address this issue. Sneaker enthusiasts like Richie Roxas find themselves constantly competing with bots for limited releases and collaborations, posing a challenge for genuine buyers.

Top sneaker brands like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance are constantly battling against bots. Nike’s SNKRS App, for example, receives an average of 12 billion bot calls per month. Bots can make up a significant portion of entries in shoe drawings, ranging from 10% to 50% depending on demand. Nike claims to have a 98% success rate in combating bots during high-demand launches, but bot creators still find ways to bypass anti-bot measures.

One tactic used by bot creators is “jigging,” where they slightly modify address, name, or other identifying information to circumvent detection. While Nike did not comment on the current effectiveness of bots on the SNKRS app, it is evident that sneaker bot activity remains a persistent issue.

Companies like Nike continue to invest in measures to combat bots, but the battle against these automated programs continues.