Ever wondered why all the limited edition sneakers disappear off digital shelves in seconds? The answer is sneaker bots, a piece of software against which ordinary buyers don’t stand a chance. 

But why fight against them when you can work with them? Read on to learn what a sneaker bot is and how to start using one.

What is a sneaker bot?

Bots (also called web robots) are software applications that can perform automated tasks online. Usually, their aim is to imitate human activity while writing messages (chatbots), surfing the web (crawler bots), posting on social media (social bots) or other simple and repetitive tasks.

One important application of bots is to purchase goods of limited stock, also known as scalper bots. They differ in design depending on what they aim to purchase as there are numerous goods in high demand, from graphics cards to sneakers. They can buy almost anything sold on the web as long as it’s somewhat expensive and has resale value.

A subtype of such scalper software is called sneaker bots. Their primary aim is to purchase limited edition sneakers as fast as possible, but they can also perform additional tasks, such as monitoring new releases and registering accounts. They are exceptionally good at what they do and can purchase shoes in seconds with minimal human effort.

It would take a lot more time for you to visit multiple sneaker websites, find the needed shoes, and purchase them yourself. Not to mention that a correctly set up bot can run several concurrent purchases at once without much of a delay. So, no human can match the speed and efficiency of a sneaker bot.

Common types of sneaker bots

Sneaker vendors fight against bots as it gives an unfair advantage to those who use them. They try out different methods such as changing the website layouts, monitoring the activity of visitors, implementing CAPTCHAs or selling sneakers in a raffle-like manner.

Approaches to overcoming these challenges have diverged over time, so many different types of sneaker bots were created. Although there is no well-established categorisation, we can divide the bots into these groups:

• All-in-one (AIO) botsare created to be the most versatile bot type that aims to work with all major sneaker-selling websites. They are a cheaper option than buying multiple dedicated bots, but some hardcore sneakerheads do not trust their performance.
• Dedicated botswork only with one or two kinds of sneakers. Nike, Adidas and Supreme bots are among the most popular. They are a great way to get into the sneaker copping game if you aim to purchase many sneakers from one particular brand.
• Shopify botsoptimize their performance for sites using the Shopify platform, such as Kith. Sneakerheads buying them sometimes aim to also cop other goods from sites using this e-commerce system.
• Footsites botscover all Footlocker brand websites as they all are quite similar in design and defense strategies. Copping Eastbay, Champs and FootAction is the most common reason to purchase such bots.
• Accessory botsare secondary tools used for tasks that your main bot cannot automate. It can encompass posting shoes for reselling, monitoring new releases, or performing other side tasks.

Popular sneaker bots

The types alone don’t mean much without examples of good sneaker bots. There are some heated debates on Discord and elsewhere about which bot is the best. Expect to find a lot of conflicting information, but everyone has to start somewhere, so here are a few picks.

• Easycop bot is a bot for copping Footsites. Developers promise a success rate as high as 80%. It works as a Mac or Windows OS and is quite easy to use, even for a beginner.
• The AIO bot V2 is a well-established sneaker bot supporting the most popular sneaker sites, with over 200 on the list. It has a lot of great reviews and proof of successful copping projects. 
• Forcecop is a dedicated Supreme bot that can be installed as an iOS application. Many reviewers claim this is the most effective bot for Supreme as it uses some clever tactics to avoid detection.

Purchasing a sneaker bot

Sneakerheads are not only aggressive when buying shoes but bots as well. So, unfortunately, most of the time well-performing bots are sold out. There are three paths you can take to acquire a bot.

• Wait for the developer to restock by constantly monitoring their websites and social media presence.
• Visit a resale marketplace, such as Tidal or BotBroker. Likely, you will pay a higher price there, but bots are always available.
• Renting a sneaker bot from a cook group is a great option for saving money but be careful of people trying to scam you.

Usually, mixing these approaches is the best course of action. Why wait for the developer to restock when you can rent or purchase a second-hand sneaker bot in the meantime? Besides, it will give you some much-valued experience in using bots.

The field of sneaker bots is constantly changing, so you will need to update your knowledge regularly. Look for a well-updated article on everything you need to know about what is a sneaker bot is to keep up with the trends.

Sneaker proxies

We can bet that one thing in sneaker copping will never change – the use of proxies. They are intermediary servers that can route your connection before reaching a sneaker vendor. Such a process allows changing your IP address and helps your bot evade CAPTCHAs or other defense mechanisms vendors impose.

There are sneaker proxies that differ from ordinary ones in that they are tested to work well with specific sneaker websites or copping practices in general. These proxies can come in many types – residential, datacenter, or ISP. The choice depends on the websites you will target, but, in most cases, residential proxies are the way to go.

Wrapping up

Sneaker bots are automated software automating monitoring and purchase of limited edition sneakers. You also can use one and start copping sneakers in no time. Just decide on a type, purchase a sneaker bot and don’t forget to use a quality proxy.