Source: Bytebytego
Scalpers and bot operators have made limited-drop retail a rigged game, forcing brands like Nike and Adidas to layer verification systems (biometrics, device fingerprinting, geographic checks) just to sell to actual customers. What started as a sneaker problem is becoming a baseline consumer authentication layer across fashion, gaming, and entertainment. Retailers are now treating bot prevention as a core business expense, not a nice-to-have. The cost is friction for real humans and fragmentation of the frictionless checkout experience consumers expect.