Luxury resale platform TheRealReal has confirmed it is fortifying its bot defense systems to block automated AI shopping agents. The move follows recent investigations revealing that autonomous software can exploit site features, specifically holding items in shopping carts for extended periods. By deploying tools like Meta's Muse shopping agents around the clock, researchers demonstrated how automated scripts could continuously renew 20-minute cart holds for hours, effectively locking out human buyers from purchasing high-demand inventory.
This friction between retailers and autonomous commerce tools is part of a broader industry pushback. Major retail groups, including Tapestry and department store operators like Kohl's and Neiman Marcus, restrict automated agents from finalizing transactions or accessing core systems. Travel operators and financial institutions are adopting similar stances, with Delta Air Lines barring AI booking tools and banks expressing growing concerns over unauthorized transactions, data privacy, and the security risks tied to giving software direct access to consumer bank accounts.
Despite the resistance from traditional merchants, consumer adoption for agentic commerce continues to climb rapidly. Meta reported that over 10 million people in the United States and Canada set up personal agents shortly after launch, with many transactions exceeding $200. While much of the early debate focused on sophisticated cyberthreats and data breaches, the actions taken by TheRealReal underscore how everyday automated scripts are already reshaping the digital storefront and altering the fundamental mechanics of online retail.
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