The RealReal tightens bot defenses against AI shopping agents
The RealReal is strengthening its bot-defense system after The Verge used Meta's Muse to repeatedly re-add listings when their 20-minute cart holds expired, blocking other shoppers from buying the items for hours. CTO Luke Friang said the updated configuration makes it much harder for agents to log in, add products to carts and check out, while agents can still surface listings and direct users to product pages.
The RealReal's vendor-confirmed response is a concrete measure retailers are taking against shopping agents that can exploit ordinary reservation systems at the expense of other customers.
The RealReal won’t let AI agents hog designer clothing
Previous reporting by The Verge found that Meta’s Muse could be used to effectively block other shoppers from purchasing items for hours.
Previous reporting by The Verge found that Meta’s Muse could be used to effectively block other shoppers from purchasing items for hours.
by Mia Sato
Oct 26, 2026, 5:30 PM UTC
