The 2020 holiday season’s hottest gifts were the Sony Playstation 5 (PS5) and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. Thanks to scalper bots, most people weren’t able to get them in time for the holidays, and despite many efforts, some still don’t have their hands on these popular consoles.
Just because Christmas is over, it doesn’t mean that scalper bots are going away anytime soon. We are seeing an upward trend of retailers launching VIP products with limited quantities year-round – including sneakers, winter coats, and other in-demand merchandise – which means that the bot problem will continue to get a lot worse. Bot operators are also well compensated for their efforts, with a low cost of doing business and a high return. It’s even becoming more popular for them to be paid commissions through a profit-sharing model.