A look at the “grinch bots” tailored to help resellers know when hot holiday gifts like the PS5 are in stock, and complete orders faster than humans can
Bots, easily gamed retailers and supply shortages have caused consoles to sell for double the price — This Christmas, it's boy vs. bot.
New @washingtonpost: Can't get a PlayStation 5? Meet the “Grinch bots” buying up the holidays' hottest gift — and reselling it at twice the price. Gah, there are even bots that farm out Captchas to humans who fill them out in real time. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... https:/…
Great inside look from @heatherkelly and @geoffreyfowler at an actual “grinch bot” in action, showing how technology is used to snap up hot holiday gifts quickly and resell them for a profit. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Good reporting on how the PS5s are being bought up at impossible speeds, creating market demand that met only by those people using bots to buy them so they can resell at higher prices. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...